1 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:05,440 Speaker 1: What's up everybody, and welcome to the season finale of 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:08,719 Speaker 1: Falcons in Focus. The first season of this podcast is 3 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:12,479 Speaker 1: wrapping up. I'm Scott Bear. That's Tory mclaney next to me. 4 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: Falcons team president Greg Beatles. How does that title sound? 5 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 1: By the way, brand new Arthur Blank promoted Greg from 6 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: an already illustrious position two team presidents. Quite quite an 7 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: accomplishment for somebody who grew up in the area started 8 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: as an intern. What is this reaching this level of 9 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: the organization and what you can do for it moving forward? Like, 10 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 1: what does it mean to you to be the president 11 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: of a team that you grew up cheering for? Well, 12 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 1: first of all, thank you guys for having me on here. Um, 13 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: it's a privilege, especially the last episode. That's pretty cool, 14 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: Scott Um. I mean it's it's, you know, something I 15 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 1: could have never dreamed about starting with the organization and 16 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 1: a little more than twenty eight years ago, um, finishing 17 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: up my graduate degree, and you know this, I thought 18 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: it was going to be sort of a short, short 19 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: term internship gig for about ten weeks, and it's been 20 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: a little bit longer than ten weeks. Um. You know, 21 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: I like to say I start as an intern and 22 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 1: now I'm just I try to see myself as a 23 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: glorified intern. I'm still just trying to do um, you know, 24 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: whatever the organization needs and where I can bring value 25 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: and benefit to everyone. So that's why I tried to 26 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: do every day. And you talk about that internship, and 27 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: I would like to go on the record that you 28 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: did that internship. If I'm wrong, tell me but in 29 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety five, right, yes, tell me how many years 30 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: that is before you were born. It wasn't that many years, 31 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: but I was born January thirtieth, nineteen ninety six. Okay, 32 00:01:55,600 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: So yeah, in in this context, I think that should 33 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: be celebrated. The fact that for my entire life plus 34 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: a year, you have been with this organization. That's pretty cool. Yeah, 35 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: And Andy hear that that, Like, it's that rap song 36 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: lyrics started from the bottom. Now we're here, Yeah, that's it. 37 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:21,239 Speaker 1: So we're gonna start. We're gonna start at the beginning. Right. 38 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 1: You joined this organization as a ten week intern um. 39 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 1: You had other options on the table coming out of 40 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: your master's degree program from Georgia State. How and why 41 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 1: did you end up taking this ten week gig way 42 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: back when Sue um so so I had had come 43 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: back to Georgia and moved to Atlanta, and um went 44 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: to graduate school to give my master's in sports administration 45 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 1: at Georgia State. As you stated, and so was the 46 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: last thing I had to do. Was a was an 47 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,919 Speaker 1: internship and um so I had had a couple of 48 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: different opportunities these and Uh. One was was here with 49 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: the Falcons, we'll talk about that, and another was with 50 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 1: Georgia Tech's athletic department. UM and UH had a third 51 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: as a as a full time job offer at Washington 52 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: State University at in Pullman, Washington, which is far a 53 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 1: little bit further, you know than Georgia State to appear 54 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:28,639 Speaker 1: a little bit colder. UM and UM Scott and I 55 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: were talking about earlier, just that I I pulled out 56 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 1: in Atlas because there were no Google Maps or ways 57 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: at the time. Yeah, Tory, I don't know if you 58 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: know that, but Google Maps hasn't been around forever. I 59 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: couldn't drive anywhere without it Google that UM and just 60 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: UH kind of was plotting it out, trying to play 61 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: in think about you know how far this really is 62 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: and halfway is Denver, you know, twenty hour drive in 63 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: my little beat up car, and uh, that was just 64 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: a little too far. So I decided to stay in 65 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: town and with the home hometown team, took the Falcons internship. 66 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: Love it. Now at that time they were in they 67 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: were still in Swannee. Correct, Yes, please tell us a 68 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: little bit about that time period and that internship, but 69 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 1: not just that, but the state of what the Falcons 70 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,920 Speaker 1: were at that time. Yeah. So even the state of Atlanta, 71 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: like Swannee was the furthest outpost you know, from from 72 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 1: the suburbs. If if you were out there, you're like, 73 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: how far to you know, till we get to Atlanta. 74 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:30,159 Speaker 1: Now you feel like you're in town and everything way 75 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 1: before you get there if you come in say south 76 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: from eighty five. Um, but it was a lot different. 77 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:40,119 Speaker 1: It was a different ownership. So so mister Blank bought 78 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: the team the end of two thousand and one. Two 79 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: thousand and two was his first season, so so we're 80 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: talking about seven seven years before then. So the original owners, 81 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: the Smith family, um, who great folks. Really enjoyed working 82 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: with them, still still try to stay in touch with them. Uh, 83 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 1: several of them still still here in town. But we 84 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: our training camp. Yeah, I was in Swannee right off 85 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,160 Speaker 1: eighty five. There's a there's a big office complex there now. 86 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 1: But we owned the Falcon Inn and conference center. Okay, 87 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: she was a hotel and conference center and we and 88 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: we had training camp there for the longest period of time. Uh. 89 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: And then we also owned a public health club. So 90 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 1: the so the Falcon complex and so it was big 91 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: when racquetball was was all the raid um and so 92 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: so we helped to run those two businesses um along 93 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: with with the team of course, but we had training 94 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 1: camp there. There was a McDonald's behind it, and so 95 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 1: folks would come and sit on this hill behind the 96 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: McDonald's and watch uh practice and training camp um back 97 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: in the day. So it was a little bit different 98 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: than that. Yeah, right, And and you're an intern and 99 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:58,599 Speaker 1: you're surviving on an intern income, right uh yeah, what 100 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 1: was that period? Like, you're probably eating a lot of 101 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 1: McDonald's to get by at that point. The cool thing 102 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,479 Speaker 1: was that the staff got to eat next door at 103 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 1: the Falcon in you know, in restaurants. So of course 104 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: me and the other young folks, that's where we hung 105 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,359 Speaker 1: out as much as we could, you know, to to 106 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: get some food. Um. But but it was. I mean, 107 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 1: it was such a great time for me just you know, 108 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: I'd never been around anything like that, and so just 109 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 1: just the ability to uh to learn and and help 110 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:29,599 Speaker 1: out in different areas that I could. You know, I 111 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 1: kind of split my time then between those different businesses. 112 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: But we were much much smaller shop. So I started 113 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 1: out in the finance group, which was three people for 114 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 1: every I said group. It makes it sound bigger than 115 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: it is. Yeah, yeah, that's right. And so, um, you know, 116 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:49,600 Speaker 1: the guys that I worked with, my my boss, did 117 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: uh player negotiations, salary cap and then you know, just 118 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: the normal things you think about with finance and budgeting 119 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: and all that. So I got to learn you know, 120 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: salary cap to collective bargaining GREEM and all those sort 121 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:06,359 Speaker 1: of things, um, from early on, which, um, you know, 122 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: just a great experience. It's crazy to think about the 123 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: changes over the since that point and where we are 124 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 1: now with everything. I mean, it's a full on operation. 125 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: Like the growth of it is unreal. When you really 126 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: sit down and you say there were three people in 127 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:25,080 Speaker 1: our finance department in nineteen ninety five, nineteen ninety six, 128 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: that's mind boggling to me. As a professional like sporting team. 129 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: I mean, sure, but it's it just goes back to 130 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: kind of like where it was at the time. Now. 131 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 1: Another thing that I believe Scott told me as well, 132 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: the players stayed at like a Best Western like like 133 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: it was a Best Western franchise. It's for some period 134 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: of time. Yeah, and so that's where they would that's 135 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: where they'd stay during camp. That's where the coaches would stay. 136 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: And is that where the staff was staying too or 137 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 1: did you have an apartment or something for those that 138 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: stay during camp? You know those of us live nearby 139 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: just just went home like like now. But yeah, wow, wow, 140 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: that's a lot of different. I mean in those early days, 141 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: do you have like a a story that sticks out 142 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: is like this is really me living the intern life 143 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: for the Falcon There is there a moment maybe it 144 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: was an odd job or something that really sticks out 145 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: in your mind. Yeah, yeah, there was a there was 146 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: a few um so around that that time is when. 147 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: So there's also tory this thing called the internet has 148 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: just did forever right right, And so a few of us, 149 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: our I T department and myself and our PR team, 150 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: we actually started Atlanta Falcons dot Com went out and 151 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: like secured the r L way back in the day 152 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 1: and started it. And then my my big thing with 153 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 1: that was started the team store online. So we didn't 154 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: have it before the n so ninety eight when we 155 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 1: won the NFC Championship when the Super Bowl was the 156 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: first year that we had an online store. And so 157 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: so I took the pictures of all the product ordered, 158 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: the product uploaded onto a Yahoo store that were used. 159 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: I got all the emails for the orders, and then 160 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 1: my wife Jill would come during lunch and help me 161 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 1: ship it all out. And so we had a storage 162 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: room over at the Falcon End and so we'd box 163 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 1: it all up and ups would come. And especially that 164 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 1: year because the playoffs, we sold four hundred five hundred 165 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: thousand dollars of merchandise, which back then was a whole lot. Yeah. Um, 166 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 1: but but that was that was pretty cool. And another 167 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: just learning like how does this stuff even work? How 168 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:34,720 Speaker 1: does the internet? How do you upload a picture? And 169 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 1: all that kind of stuff. You know, we we did 170 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 1: from the very beginning. So so that was one one 171 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:45,319 Speaker 1: fun example. Wow, you've done You've been involved in almost 172 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,719 Speaker 1: every department within the organization, right, but you've also had 173 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 1: some fun odd jobs, right, Like, like I think that 174 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 1: you told me that you you started doing pre and 175 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 1: post snap still photos. Like you go up to the 176 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: coach's box. Like what was that environment? Like, like like you're 177 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: in a game, You're trying to get the stuff down 178 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 1: to the field because it's not getting set down there, 179 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: and coaches are probably either pretty upset or pretty excited. 180 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: It must have been a really ending on the game 181 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 1: crazy environment to be in, Like, tell us more about 182 00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 1: that one. It was. So you know, we all sort 183 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 1: of had our normal quote day jobs, but then on 184 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 1: game days we'd we'd help out any way that we can. 185 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 1: So one of the ones I did for several years 186 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: was take the steel photos. Uh. And so you know, 187 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 1: now we have the Microsoft Surface and all the big 188 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: technology and it downloads and and all that sort of thing. 189 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:39,319 Speaker 1: So uh, in the early days, uh, we would we would. 190 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: Uh first we only had one camera like up in 191 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 1: the coach's box or a feed to the coach's box, 192 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: and so you know, we had a little black and 193 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 1: white TV about this big and we're trying to look 194 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: and see the best best second to kind of get 195 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 1: the pre snap and post post snap breeds and it'd 196 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:01,839 Speaker 1: print out on fax paper. I'm not really not just sold. 197 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: I don't think print print out on fax paper. And 198 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: and we'd punched three holes in it and put it 199 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 1: in a three ring bind or and so the coaches 200 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 1: up in the in the box would look at it, 201 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 1: and then we would send the same book down on 202 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: the field for the players and coaches to look at it. 203 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: So just think about the time the different you know, 204 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: how long it takes to get down there. And so 205 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 1: our good buddy Spencer Tradewell, who's our VP of operations now, 206 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 1: he was he was one of the one of the runners, 207 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: and so he would run it down to the sideline 208 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,199 Speaker 1: and everything, and then he'd deliver messages back up. You know, hey, 209 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 1: you know the offensive coordinate is not happy with how 210 00:11:36,679 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 1: you're taking the picture. You need to do it fast, 211 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: slow or whatever. Um and uh, sometimes when I was 212 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: doing it on the field, I did have a few 213 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: coaches come over and you know, have a have a 214 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 1: few words with us about you know, it's taking too 215 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,439 Speaker 1: long or whatever. So that's pretty stressful as a as 216 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: an intern or a young a young guy with uh, 217 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 1: with the football coaches and everything that they're having to 218 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: deal with going on I think we're our best and 219 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: so I was, I was thinking about this and I 220 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: talked to Spencer about it. He actually couldn't remember this, 221 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 1: So I so I texted one of our former video 222 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 1: directors yesterday to confirm this, make sure I wasn't like 223 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: dreaming this. But in New Orleans, the end zone camera 224 00:12:20,559 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: location was up really high and still is. But you 225 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:26,680 Speaker 1: you pretty much had to like climb into the air 226 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: duck system for where they would set up the cameras. Wow, okay, 227 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: And what we did up there to keep from having 228 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:36,680 Speaker 1: to it would take twenty minutes to get down to 229 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:40,079 Speaker 1: the field and so uh from Brian Borg and our 230 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: equipment manager. We would get a sock in athletic sock 231 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,680 Speaker 1: and put a piece of soap in it, put the 232 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 1: pictures in tieing out, and during timeouts we would throw 233 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:53,439 Speaker 1: it down on the field from like the seven hundred 234 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 1: level of the Super dol So we'd have to wait 235 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 1: make sure our guy was down there, so you know, 236 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 1: no reff for anybody we get hit and sling the 237 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: sock down on the field. And while yeah, so it's 238 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 1: a little the technology is a little bit different. We 239 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 1: were innovating continuously even Jack with the sock. Honestly, it's 240 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 1: it's now. I feel like that it's the same concept 241 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 1: as the parachute drop now that they do at Mercedespin Stadium. 242 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:24,839 Speaker 1: That this was. That would have been safer if the parachute, 243 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: but we didn't have a parachute, had a sock, and 244 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 1: so that's all sometimes. Yeah, you also worked on the 245 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 1: stat crew, right, Yeah, for like for a while, and 246 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 1: you grew up you played baseball and basketball, right, but 247 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 1: you really get a chance to learn the game when 248 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 1: you're doing player participation, you know, yeah, snap in and 249 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 1: snap out and understanding these stats and being around these coaches. 250 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 1: You really kind of got immersed in the game in 251 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:51,719 Speaker 1: a way that you know a few people do that. Yeah, 252 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 1: that would definitely helped for me just to better my 253 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: understanding of the game, because I did. My dad was 254 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 1: a college basketball coach his whole career fifty plus years. 255 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,959 Speaker 1: Reminds me a lot of coach PE's, you know, retiring 256 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: after fifty years in the business. Um. And so that's 257 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 1: what I grew up around and and uh never never 258 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 1: played football or was around it very much. Um. And 259 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 1: so those early years of being in the in the 260 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 1: coach's box and here and the guys talk about it, 261 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: and me being able to ask him later when the 262 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: pressure was off, just about you know, strategy and things 263 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 1: like that really helped. And and um, yeah, doing player 264 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: keeping up with player participation for contract purposes. You know, 265 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: I started to see, okay, on third down, these guys 266 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: are coming in and those guys are going off, and 267 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 1: you know, start to understand what the coaches and the 268 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: team was trying to do. Was helpful. Nice. I like 269 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: that you brought up, uh, your dad as well. I'm 270 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 1: a coach's kid. Um. I feel like it's almost like 271 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:49,480 Speaker 1: a fraternity. It was like a certain kid. Yeah, because 272 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: it's like we understand, we speak the same language. Did 273 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: he ever coach you? Did you play basketball? And did 274 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: he ever? I did? So he coached, he was an 275 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: assistant coach. Uh for I played college basketball one season 276 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 1: at a at a small school and he was there. Um, 277 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 1: so that was that was interesting. Before that, I did 278 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 1: a lot of basketball camps. You know that he was 279 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 1: leading and things like that, and so um, when you're 280 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 1: when your dad's your coach, uh, whenever someone needs to 281 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 1: be picked on or made uh you know, made a 282 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: lesson out of it was it's always you know you 283 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: so um so so yeah, and that's there's a lot 284 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: of good I think that that comes out of that. 285 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 1: But yeah, I did so I did play with influence season. 286 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 1: How much did I guess like him being even though 287 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 1: it's you know, basketball world, but in the sports world, 288 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: and and kind of being in charge of a yeah yeah, 289 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 1: how did that kind of shape you into kind of 290 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: your trajectory and what you wanted to do? Um, just 291 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: a huge influence. Um, you know, so he was he 292 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: was at smaller inn Ai schools and so um, like 293 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: we're talking about how our business has grown a little 294 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 1: bit smaller, but all the sud the same basics. I 295 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 1: think the biggest thing just being able to relate to 296 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: the coaching lifestyle. I mean, it's very different. It's it's 297 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: just one of the hardest jobs, just the pressure they 298 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 1: have and how they've got to move around. Um, and 299 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: so being able to relate to those guys, you know, 300 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: just I think comes a little bit more natural and 301 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: understanding where they're coming from, uh, and thinking about their families, 302 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 1: you know, and when we get to meet them and 303 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: talk about them, being able to relate to them and 304 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: understand how much you know they're sacrificing for the for 305 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 1: the good of the team. I think it's given me 306 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: a good perspective over the years. Well, and there was 307 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 1: a point where your first job out of undergrad at 308 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: LSU was in the oil and gas industry, right, and 309 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 1: it was more finance based and obviously not in sports. Right. 310 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 1: That didn't last very long. No, Uh, we went to 311 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: LSU from my undergrad Congratulations to the Dogs. We are 312 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:00,160 Speaker 1: recording this the day after the Dogs won the national championship, 313 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:05,640 Speaker 1: so it's very excited. I'm pretty fun. Congratulations. Um went 314 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:09,639 Speaker 1: to LSU, and my first job was in Houston, Texas. Uh, 315 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 1: in the oil and gas industry. So worked for a 316 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 1: company that did underwater drilling, and UM built drilling dereks 317 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:23,880 Speaker 1: and things like that. So very exciting for some people. Yeah, Um. 318 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 1: So you know, I was there a couple of years 319 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: and learned a lot just about about business. But just 320 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:30,359 Speaker 1: I figured out pretty quick it was not what I 321 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:32,439 Speaker 1: wanted to do and how I wanted to spend the 322 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: rest of my life, you know, of over my career 323 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 1: at least, So started thinking about other options, and you know, 324 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: combining sports and business because of the background, you know, 325 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 1: with my dad and then my interest in business. Um, 326 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 1: and so that's when decided to come to graduate school 327 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: and come back home. My family had had moved back 328 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,400 Speaker 1: to Georgia at the time, and most everyone was here, 329 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 1: so it was just a natural move just to make 330 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 1: at that point. Yep, yeah, yeah, And you know, so, 331 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,200 Speaker 1: so then you get in at the Falcons. We're kind 332 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 1: of having a lot of fun talking about the old days, right, 333 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: but you've also been instrumental in taking this this team, 334 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 1: this organization into the future, right and kind of everything 335 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 1: about what's developed, you know, throughout this process. And that's 336 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 1: kind of where I want to get into next. And 337 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: I think obviously you go back to when Arthur Blank 338 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 1: bought the team. You were part of the process of 339 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 1: selling the team to Arthur. But um, meeting Arthur Blank 340 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: for the first time, I mean he I mean, he's 341 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 1: just he's such a magnetic personality and go get her 342 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:37,200 Speaker 1: type of thing. What was that experience like meeting him? 343 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 1: And you know what was it like back then? Um? Yeah, 344 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:44,439 Speaker 1: back then, I mean it was it was scary, you know. 345 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 1: So so you think about it selling the team and 346 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:51,359 Speaker 1: our small little group, my boss and I basically helped 347 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 1: to um, help to sell the team to to Arthur 348 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 1: and his team. So, um, you know there's a story 349 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: where our our CF at the time, his name is 350 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:02,920 Speaker 1: Jim Hay, was a great mentor to me. Um. He 351 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:04,919 Speaker 1: and I walked into a room where we were going 352 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: to go through all start the process with all of 353 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: Arthur's team. I want to say all of Arthur's team. 354 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: There were seventeen people around the table from his side 355 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 1: and there were me and my boss on the other side. 356 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:20,160 Speaker 1: And so we're we're going through explaining how to player 357 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: contracts work, and summary of all of those, how to 358 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 1: sponsorship deals work, how does the NFL revenue sharing? Were 359 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 1: just all the things of the business, and um, you know, 360 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 1: Arthur's got bankers from two different banks, and turns from 361 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 1: two different legal firms and all that. Yeah, and we're 362 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:41,399 Speaker 1: like okay, so um you know that wash several several 363 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: days and weeks of kind of going through everything and 364 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 1: then of course, uh, the data room was actually a 365 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,479 Speaker 1: room with a bunch of paper. It wasn't you know, 366 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:53,679 Speaker 1: in the cloud, so um, but it but it was good. Um. 367 00:19:54,800 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: After that process, um, Arthur decided to let me stay around. 368 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: So that. So that was good and uh, and my 369 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: boss retired just a few months after that, and so 370 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: Arthur promoted me. At that time, the first time I 371 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: was an officer. I didn't really know what what that 372 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:15,880 Speaker 1: meant to be, even the vice president, but um just 373 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:18,359 Speaker 1: really was able to jump in with with him from 374 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 1: the very beginning. And you know, he took me to 375 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,919 Speaker 1: the first NFL owners meeting and um, you know, I 376 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 1: he wanted me to help introduce him to a bunch 377 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,879 Speaker 1: of people around the league. And so the three people 378 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: that I knew and then made a lot of quick introductions, 379 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:37,439 Speaker 1: you know, before I was introducing him to the next person. 380 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 1: And uh, and so we we've been doing that working 381 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 1: together now for more than more than twenty years. UM, 382 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:48,000 Speaker 1: so it's great. That's crazy too. I Mean, there aren't 383 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: very many people who I think can say that they 384 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: went through a they were with the organization and then 385 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 1: it gets sold to a new person, new owner, and 386 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: then continued with the organization and after that. Going back 387 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: to that time, you said, you know, there was like 388 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 1: some fear there there. It was kind of it was scary. 389 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: I mean, can you speak more to what that time 390 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:12,159 Speaker 1: really felt like? As you're kind of going through this 391 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:15,160 Speaker 1: like who is this Arthur blank guy? What's it gonna 392 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: do with this organization type of thing? Those feelings, Yeah, 393 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:20,160 Speaker 1: that's great, I mean it was. It was a good 394 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:24,959 Speaker 1: mix of excitement because here's this super successful business person, 395 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: very professional, with a lot of resources coming coming and 396 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 1: purchasing the team. And then a lot of times, you know, 397 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 1: when when any any business there's a new owner comes in, 398 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 1: a lot of times they want to bring their own people, 399 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: especially like financial people and legal people, um, that they've 400 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 1: worked with. So um. So there was definitely apprehension you 401 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:46,919 Speaker 1: know about that um and so uh you know, after 402 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: I think it was even before Arthur we closed the 403 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:51,160 Speaker 1: deal with Arthur, he wanted to go around and meet 404 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: um all the you know, the leaders of the business, 405 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: like each department head and so he took time, went around, 406 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 1: sat sat in everybody's office to ask him what they did. 407 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:03,159 Speaker 1: And and so there were some positions, um, you know, 408 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 1: the assistant pro personnel director. Yea. Arthur had no idea 409 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:09,199 Speaker 1: what that was at the time, and so he's like, okay, 410 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 1: tell me what you do. How does this work? Um? 411 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:13,959 Speaker 1: And so you know, I'm the finance guy. So he 412 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: comes in and sits down and closes the door and says, Okay, 413 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 1: pull out the financial statements. We're going to go through 414 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:20,399 Speaker 1: every single page, line by line. I want to know this. 415 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 1: This isn't this guy. So there was no learning. You know, 416 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: what I was supposed to be doing. He knew right away. UM. 417 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 1: And almost like Kindred Spirits there is I mean, we 418 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:35,199 Speaker 1: definitely spoke the same language. And UM, I think you 419 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: know that brought him a comfort that that I understood 420 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 1: the business and I could speak in his same language. 421 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 1: It wasn't something that he had he had to learn. UM. 422 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:48,119 Speaker 1: So we we built that rapport UM early on. And 423 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:51,120 Speaker 1: and really we've been talking so much about your experience 424 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: with the Falcons, but but you've but you've represented mister 425 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 1: Blank in getting the Atlanta United up and running. There's 426 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: I don't know if anybody knows, but there's a beautiful 427 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:05,160 Speaker 1: venue down in UM down in Atlanta's West Side that's 428 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:07,960 Speaker 1: one of the best in the world. Give heard that one, 429 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: Mercedes ben Stadium. You were instrumental in getting that project 430 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 1: done right at very big project. I don't even know 431 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:20,919 Speaker 1: how to describe that, other than in talking to you 432 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,880 Speaker 1: and talking to others that This is a years long process. 433 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: And I guess you know, what are you most proud 434 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 1: of from going from an idea and your brain in 435 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 1: Arthur's brain, in the organization's brain to seeing the majesty 436 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:43,920 Speaker 1: of what it's become, the magnitude you know that every 437 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: NFL stadium nothing like it. Yeah, what are you most 438 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 1: proud of from that experience? So, I mean the idea 439 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 1: definitely came from Arthur's brain at the very beginning, early 440 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:59,639 Speaker 1: on UM at the Georgia Dome, great partners for us 441 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 1: to George Dual Congressators can still a great partners partner 442 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:04,720 Speaker 1: for us and we'll be for a long time. UM. 443 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 1: But it wasn't our stadium, you know, we we were 444 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 1: the primary tenant. There was still a tenant, so we 445 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:15,239 Speaker 1: didn't control UM a lot about the game day. We 446 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:18,199 Speaker 1: didn't even at the beginning sell the sponsorships, which is 447 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:20,919 Speaker 1: you know today just kind of foreign to think about. 448 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 1: We didn't sell the premium seating, the club seats, or 449 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,080 Speaker 1: the or the suites. We later kind of started to 450 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:29,399 Speaker 1: transition where we took some of those things over UM, 451 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 1: but Arthur wanted to be in control and you know, 452 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 1: come from home depot just the customer experience. He wanted 453 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:38,639 Speaker 1: to be sure that we could control the fan experience. 454 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 1: So one of one of the early things he asked 455 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 1: all of us was what do we need to do 456 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,720 Speaker 1: to own our own stadium, to build our own stadium, 457 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: And so we started working on that, you know, very 458 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: very early, UM with UM Atlanta United. UH. We talked 459 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:57,159 Speaker 1: pretty seriously to the MLS all the way back in 460 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:01,359 Speaker 1: two thousand and seven about potentially having a franchise and 461 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: got along pretty pretty far with that. UM and UH. 462 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: Once our negotiations discussions about the new stadium really started 463 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 1: heating up and we knew it was going to be 464 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:16,679 Speaker 1: a reality, Arthur wanted to pause very wisely because he 465 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:18,520 Speaker 1: was about the only one that thought, hey, we could 466 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:22,639 Speaker 1: do this downtown in an NFL size stadium. UM, you know, 467 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 1: when the rest of the MLS was going out in 468 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,640 Speaker 1: suburbs and and just kind of marketing and doing things 469 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,719 Speaker 1: a little bit differently. So he had that foresight. UM, 470 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,840 Speaker 1: So we kind of hit pause on that, focused on 471 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 1: on the stadium and the negotiations, which UM, you know 472 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:41,960 Speaker 1: were were years into making before we got to putting 473 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:46,919 Speaker 1: shovel in the ground. UM. In twenty thirteen. So all 474 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 1: the different sites that we looked at, potentially downtown outside 475 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: of Atlanta. We had a lot of incoming, you know, 476 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: municipalities and counties that that heard that we were thinking 477 00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 1: about a new stadium. We fully added whether or not 478 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:04,159 Speaker 1: the Georgia Dome could be renovated or not. And that 479 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 1: was months and months and months um to work through 480 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 1: all that, and we, along with the Georgia Will Congress 481 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:15,440 Speaker 1: Center in State decided, uh, it was almost as expensive 482 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: to do a renovation on the Georgia Dome as build 483 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:22,720 Speaker 1: a new one, um, and it would have limitations on 484 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: it just because of the structure and everything else. So um, 485 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:30,160 Speaker 1: you know, over overall, from the very beginning of starting 486 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: to pass through all that to the day that we 487 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 1: opened it in summer twenty seventeen, was was probably pretty 488 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:38,880 Speaker 1: close to ten years you know for Arthur and Rich 489 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:41,920 Speaker 1: and I a few others. Man. It's it's fun too 490 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 1: because the I believe this is the family office. I'm 491 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:50,280 Speaker 1: not entirely sure, but there's a diagram of like the 492 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 1: first diagram that was presented to you guys of Mercedes 493 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 1: Been Stadium, and um, it's it's it's funny because it's 494 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 1: it's big, but it's it's small compared to the main thing. 495 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 1: But it's it's cool looking at that and being like this, 496 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 1: I mean, everything comes from an idea. Everything's built upon 497 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:11,640 Speaker 1: an idea and a thought. But when you look back 498 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:15,200 Speaker 1: at that time and kind of the early planning days 499 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:18,119 Speaker 1: of what this was gonna be, is there anything that 500 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:22,359 Speaker 1: was that like surprises you about what is there now? 501 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 1: If that makes sense? Yeah, yeah, sure. I've got a 502 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:31,479 Speaker 1: couple of sketches hanging up in my office that the 503 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: architects first did when they were first pitching the idea 504 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: of the roof and all of that, and it's a 505 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 1: perspective looking from the west side out to what we 506 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 1: call the window to the city. And what strikes me 507 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:47,199 Speaker 1: when I look at it is it's almost identical to 508 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,879 Speaker 1: what really happened, really, and that's you know, that's so 509 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:54,160 Speaker 1: rare in any kind of architectural designing anything, and especially 510 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:58,360 Speaker 1: something of that size and magnitude because this was from 511 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: like our very first sketch book that they gave us, 512 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,920 Speaker 1: and there's so many revisions, meetings, changes after that, but um, 513 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:08,560 Speaker 1: that vision um that they had and that we all 514 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,680 Speaker 1: bought into stayed pretty consistent, and then we just worked 515 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:15,120 Speaker 1: around it to make it happens. Yeah. And then so 516 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:17,920 Speaker 1: you you get to the point now you've worked in 517 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 1: not only just the Falcons organization, but the stadium and 518 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:24,159 Speaker 1: the soccer team and all of Arthur Blank's businesses, and 519 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:27,960 Speaker 1: now you're really refocused on the Falcons right as the 520 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 1: Falcons team president. And that's that would like that would 521 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:34,879 Speaker 1: be a great accomplishment for anybody, no matter where they 522 00:28:34,960 --> 00:28:38,920 Speaker 1: came from. But you have a Steve Bartkowski jersey right 523 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: like you grew up a Falcons fan. What does that 524 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: add to to this? Um? I wish I still had 525 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 1: had that jersey. I asked my sister if she could 526 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: find some pictures, so I thinks she's digging around trying 527 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: trying to find him. But UM, I would definitely have 528 00:28:56,760 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 1: bart who's a good friend, to sign that for me. Um. Yeah, 529 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 1: it's I mean it's really special. Um So, uh growing 530 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 1: up in the Falcons as I did, and we got 531 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 1: to the point where Arthur bought the team and then 532 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:13,040 Speaker 1: uh started working on ambs, so all the sports entities. 533 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: UM really back in earnest back in in twenty twelve, 534 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:20,160 Speaker 1: so you know the last ten or eleven years. UM, 535 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 1: I wouldn't trade it for anything. So being able to 536 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 1: work on all the stadium things, being able to launch 537 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 1: united and and help to oversee all that from a 538 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:33,320 Speaker 1: strategy and financial perspective as has been wonderful. UM. But 539 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 1: I have uh, you know, bounced around a lot and 540 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:40,080 Speaker 1: gone from Flowery Branch to downtown to Marriette at Arthur's 541 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 1: family office way more times than I want to count. UM. 542 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: I have an electric car, so that has helped for sure. UM. 543 00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 1: But being able to come back and just uh we 544 00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 1: kind of started it last year, getting getting refocused on 545 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 1: on Flowery Branch and U rebuilding and building further building 546 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:06,640 Speaker 1: sort of the team identity and team culture and not 547 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: not you know, just on the field, but all of 548 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: us at that work up here UM as one. And 549 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 1: so we had that for a long time. And then 550 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: with AMBSC we have a lot of great people and 551 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:19,480 Speaker 1: they're all helping out all these businesses. Uh. And so 552 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 1: I think that has suffered a little bit over the 553 00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:25,520 Speaker 1: over the last several years. And so the last couple 554 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:30,680 Speaker 1: of years feels like we're rebuilding that and uh, making 555 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:33,760 Speaker 1: people proud, you know to work for the team and 556 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:37,000 Speaker 1: not feel like we're working for sports and entertainment, you know, 557 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:40,280 Speaker 1: corporate business, right, that makes sense? Yeah, no, And it's 558 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: I mean even to that end, just the facilities here. 559 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,920 Speaker 1: I mean we're inside the Falcons indoor practice facility on 560 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 1: this campus that when you started wasn't even a thing 561 00:30:50,960 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 1: and now there are I mean the ticketmasters students out there. Right. 562 00:30:58,440 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 1: It's just wild to think about the growth that, I 563 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:05,280 Speaker 1: mean over the course of your career that this organization 564 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 1: has had. But even in that, I think to break 565 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:12,640 Speaker 1: it down on a microscopic level like this, I feel 566 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 1: like from everything I've read about you and what you're 567 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 1: talking about is like this has always been about family 568 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:22,280 Speaker 1: and for you. I loved the story of you and 569 00:31:22,320 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 1: your wife literally shipping out in nineteen ninety eight, all 570 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:30,000 Speaker 1: of the all this merchandise and everything. What has the family, 571 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 1: your wife Jill meant to you in these twenty eight years, 572 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: Because it is a family thing, it's a family business. 573 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 1: So some of our friends read the article that Scott 574 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:44,920 Speaker 1: wrote yesterday, and so they were texting Jill and I 575 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 1: and making fun of her for shipping out the boxes, 576 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:50,440 Speaker 1: and I said, I gave her the day off today. 577 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:52,480 Speaker 1: She's not having to ship any boxes out, but she's 578 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:57,560 Speaker 1: gonna be right right back on it today. So m yeah, 579 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 1: it's it's uh, you know, we're we live of ten 580 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 1: miles from here and half for a long time and 581 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:07,360 Speaker 1: and so this, uh, this part of town, um is 582 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 1: important to us. Our roots are here, our family is nearby. UM, 583 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 1: my extended family you know, lives lives in the area, 584 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 1: so it is important. Um. I've got four kids and 585 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:23,480 Speaker 1: they all love going going to our games and our 586 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:28,560 Speaker 1: events uh down at the stadium. Um. And so uh 587 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,080 Speaker 1: you know, not only we want our business here and 588 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 1: everybody works here to feel like the Falcons family, but 589 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:37,720 Speaker 1: my personal family it's it's important as well. Yeah. And now, 590 00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:40,920 Speaker 1: I mean this really is a full circle I think moment. 591 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:45,640 Speaker 1: And can you imagine like thirteen year old Greg like 592 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 1: what he would think about where you ended up and 593 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:51,760 Speaker 1: to kind of be like, yeah, man, it's all gonna 594 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 1: work out. I'm gonna be the president of this organization 595 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 1: that you like. I mean, it so far fetched, you know, 596 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:02,680 Speaker 1: I didn't probably didn't even know what a president was. Seriously, So, UM, 597 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 1: I grew up very small rural area up in northeast Georgia. 598 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,600 Speaker 1: We have one flashing yellow light, I think still and 599 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:12,120 Speaker 1: so I'm from a town that had one, what we 600 00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:14,719 Speaker 1: had a red light? But oh you were a big 601 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 1: time um so I wouldn't even been able to fathom 602 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: it or comprehend it, just especially the way the business 603 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:28,720 Speaker 1: is now compared to when I started. All Right, we 604 00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:31,719 Speaker 1: have reached the point. I think it's my favorite section 605 00:33:31,760 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 1: of the podcast, definitely rapid Fire. Yeah, Greg Beatles, you're 606 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:38,960 Speaker 1: officially on the hot seat, just like Grady Jarrett and 607 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:42,080 Speaker 1: Drake London before you. And we're gonna ask you, no joke, 608 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 1: the exact same questions. Okay, everybody gets the same everybody 609 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: gets the same ones, but I mean you can kind 610 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: of interpret them. How how you can't you have watched 611 00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 1: the show back here. That's the best when people actually 612 00:33:56,920 --> 00:34:00,440 Speaker 1: aren't prepared for the question. Um. Question number one, your 613 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:03,560 Speaker 1: favorite play as a falcon Or game could be a 614 00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:08,440 Speaker 1: game for you? Uh okay, So I would say the 615 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:14,279 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety eight season NFC Championship game. Okay, yeah, at 616 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:18,239 Speaker 1: Minnesota and so I was in the coach's box doing 617 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:23,759 Speaker 1: the pictures then and so just amazing game, amazing experience, 618 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:27,799 Speaker 1: the euphoria afterwards, everything that happened after that leading up 619 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:29,840 Speaker 1: to the super Bowl. Obviously, wish I could say that 620 00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:32,680 Speaker 1: was a favorite game, but um, you know that was 621 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:34,560 Speaker 1: just that was really early in my career and just 622 00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:38,799 Speaker 1: unbelievable experience to go through that. Love it. What is 623 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:42,240 Speaker 1: either you're one of your favorite TV shows or something 624 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:44,840 Speaker 1: that you're binge watching right now, like what's on in 625 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:48,239 Speaker 1: the Beatles Household. So I have I'm a I'm a 626 00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:51,399 Speaker 1: few years behind, but I've started watching The Good Place. Yes, 627 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 1: I love that show. I'm in season two. So my 628 00:34:55,200 --> 00:35:00,600 Speaker 1: my my second old child, my son in college, Uh, 629 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 1: clue me in on him? And um, and so I realized, now, um, 630 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:08,400 Speaker 1: he's been going around saying these things. I didn't know 631 00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:12,840 Speaker 1: it was from the show. Yeah, he said something about, 632 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:15,960 Speaker 1: you know, do you have a nefarious agenda? And like, 633 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 1: you know, eight or nine episodes in something said that. 634 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:21,640 Speaker 1: I'm like, he didn't even tell me that. So that 635 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:23,680 Speaker 1: was kind of a little easter I to find out. 636 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:26,360 Speaker 1: So I'm watching that right now. I finished the show. 637 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:29,520 Speaker 1: It only gets better. Yeah, good and more philosophical, but 638 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:32,600 Speaker 1: in a super but in a good way. Yeah. Question 639 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 1: number three, who is your favorite former Falcons player? Oh? Wow? 640 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:44,359 Speaker 1: I know that's hard. That is hard. Um. I so 641 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:48,239 Speaker 1: I'll say Michael Vick okay, And there's a lot of 642 00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:52,640 Speaker 1: pros and cons and everything with with Mike, but um, 643 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:55,479 Speaker 1: I think obviously the excitement that he brought to the game, 644 00:35:55,520 --> 00:35:57,600 Speaker 1: the way he helped to change the game as it's 645 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:00,879 Speaker 1: played in the NFL today. Um, And then just what 646 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:03,439 Speaker 1: Mike has been able to do with his life after 647 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:07,239 Speaker 1: all of his difficulties and where he's at today. I 648 00:36:07,239 --> 00:36:10,160 Speaker 1: think he's a great role model for kids and so 649 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:12,799 Speaker 1: love him. What he did on the field and what 650 00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:15,279 Speaker 1: he's doing now with his life is great. You know 651 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:18,600 Speaker 1: what's so cool is there there are a number of 652 00:36:18,680 --> 00:36:20,960 Speaker 1: Falcons on the roster now who grew up in the 653 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:24,680 Speaker 1: Atlanta area, and you every single one of them is like, yeah, 654 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:27,680 Speaker 1: I had my number seven, right, Yeah, everybody had one 655 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:30,919 Speaker 1: that I didn't live here then, but that he captivated. Well, 656 00:36:31,239 --> 00:36:34,360 Speaker 1: I lived across the country and he captivated the whole country. 657 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:37,520 Speaker 1: But I think especially this market, there was something that 658 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:40,160 Speaker 1: he inspired a lot of these kids who came up 659 00:36:40,160 --> 00:36:43,440 Speaker 1: and became really great football players. So I definitely like 660 00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:46,480 Speaker 1: that answer. This is going to be an interesting question. 661 00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:51,080 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, and it might be our favorite one. Which 662 00:36:51,120 --> 00:36:54,799 Speaker 1: falcon and that's anybody in the organization obviously not roster coach, 663 00:36:54,840 --> 00:37:01,080 Speaker 1: but which falcon do you hang out with the most? Uh? 664 00:37:01,160 --> 00:37:04,080 Speaker 1: So I have to say Rich McKay. Oh, I was 665 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:08,319 Speaker 1: hoping so. For one, our offices are right next door 666 00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:12,279 Speaker 1: to each other, and um, you know, it doesn't matter 667 00:37:12,320 --> 00:37:15,680 Speaker 1: if I'm on you know, the most important uh teams, 668 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:19,360 Speaker 1: call video whatever. Um. You know, he just come busting 669 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:24,400 Speaker 1: in the door and and start talking. I'm like, uh, sorry, everyone, 670 00:37:24,440 --> 00:37:26,880 Speaker 1: all one hundred people that I'm addressing right now, let 671 00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:28,719 Speaker 1: me let me put you on mute so I can 672 00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:32,200 Speaker 1: I can help coach McKay out here. Um, but uh yeah, 673 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:35,160 Speaker 1: it's definitely Rich. So. So you know, from business perspective, 674 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:39,719 Speaker 1: you know we uh we've worked together for um close 675 00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:45,080 Speaker 1: to twenty years now, and uh we're we're very symbiotic, 676 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:47,920 Speaker 1: I think, and just complimenting one another. I was about 677 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:51,680 Speaker 1: to say, y'all are two very different styles, Yes, and 678 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:54,680 Speaker 1: I think that's why y'all probably work so well together. 679 00:37:54,800 --> 00:37:58,680 Speaker 1: I agree. I think that's definitely it. Um so areas 680 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 1: that that I'm weekend. You know, he's stronger in and 681 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:05,680 Speaker 1: vice versa. UM, you know, He'll like to come in 682 00:38:05,719 --> 00:38:08,280 Speaker 1: and throw out an idea or write it on my whiteboard, 683 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:10,560 Speaker 1: and then I have to actually figure out, Okay, is 684 00:38:10,560 --> 00:38:13,680 Speaker 1: this something that's real that we can actually do and 685 00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:16,719 Speaker 1: and uh and sometimes if I'm studying something and I've 686 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:19,560 Speaker 1: gone through a hundred different iterations of it to make 687 00:38:19,560 --> 00:38:21,520 Speaker 1: sure it's just right, He's like, you know, Beatles, we 688 00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:25,520 Speaker 1: have to actually move forward and do this. So uh 689 00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:28,600 Speaker 1: and and you know, then we we just enjoy one another. 690 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:32,640 Speaker 1: Um outside the office as well. Um, you know he's 691 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:35,400 Speaker 1: he's a coach's kid too, so we have that. You know, 692 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:39,000 Speaker 1: it's as kind of a natural connection. Um, his family's great, 693 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:42,359 Speaker 1: you know his family well, and vice versa. So yeah, 694 00:38:42,520 --> 00:38:44,920 Speaker 1: I sat in his office the other day talking about you, 695 00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:48,320 Speaker 1: and he said, Greg is a master of the details, 696 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:53,080 Speaker 1: an area where I am incredibly deficient. That he that, yeah, 697 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:55,319 Speaker 1: he comes in with He won't admit that to me, 698 00:38:55,440 --> 00:38:59,840 Speaker 1: but so I'm glad he will to you. All right, 699 00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:05,000 Speaker 1: Last one, last one, Um, what is your biggest pet? Peeve? Oh? Well, yeah, 700 00:39:05,080 --> 00:39:08,759 Speaker 1: We've had a lot of really good off the wall answers. 701 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:11,880 Speaker 1: Avery Williams. I think had my favorite one. He said 702 00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:15,840 Speaker 1: it was when people say salmon and not salmon oh, 703 00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:18,839 Speaker 1: which that I have never heard that being a specific pet. 704 00:39:18,840 --> 00:39:21,560 Speaker 1: Peeve that that one was a good one. We get 705 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:24,360 Speaker 1: slow drivers, like all kinds of stuff. Anything pop in 706 00:39:24,440 --> 00:39:29,439 Speaker 1: your head there, Maybe because I have too many that's 707 00:39:29,480 --> 00:39:34,759 Speaker 1: taken me, you think about it. My So, my wife 708 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:38,960 Speaker 1: Jill is is uh definitely part of the grammar police, 709 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,680 Speaker 1: and so she's probably worn off on me. You know, 710 00:39:42,040 --> 00:39:48,640 Speaker 1: um on on there. You know the way people put it, 711 00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:50,560 Speaker 1: even if it's a text. I'm like, Jille, it's just 712 00:39:50,600 --> 00:39:53,520 Speaker 1: a text. But but I'm afraid that's reb belf on me. 713 00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:57,080 Speaker 1: So probably a little bit of the grammar police. I 714 00:39:57,120 --> 00:40:01,120 Speaker 1: am in your camp. I'm a used is my big 715 00:40:01,160 --> 00:40:05,640 Speaker 1: thing living. My friends get mad at me because I'll 716 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:07,440 Speaker 1: text them and they're like, why are you putting a 717 00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:11,640 Speaker 1: period there? Right? Like I use proper punctuation. A comma 718 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:14,640 Speaker 1: can change the entire meeting of a sensence. I will 719 00:40:14,680 --> 00:40:17,360 Speaker 1: get off on a tangent on that. But we do 720 00:40:17,440 --> 00:40:19,839 Speaker 1: have to wrap this podcast at some point. Greg, thank 721 00:40:19,840 --> 00:40:22,920 Speaker 1: you so much for taking the time and thinks to Torrian, 722 00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:27,200 Speaker 1: to everybody who's been in on this podcast since day one. Yeah, 723 00:40:27,239 --> 00:40:29,520 Speaker 1: we don't talk a lot of football here. You get 724 00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:32,839 Speaker 1: to know people within the organization and to see the 725 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:37,279 Speaker 1: positive comments and everything that we've had, talking you know, 726 00:40:37,320 --> 00:40:40,839 Speaker 1: about players, talking to our team president has been It's 727 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:43,200 Speaker 1: been such a positive start and we're so excited for 728 00:40:43,239 --> 00:40:45,799 Speaker 1: what comes next. I think Scott and I say this 729 00:40:45,840 --> 00:40:48,040 Speaker 1: all the time. This is our favorite part of the 730 00:40:48,080 --> 00:40:51,239 Speaker 1: week when we get these moments, these moments when really 731 00:40:51,239 --> 00:40:54,560 Speaker 1: get to know individuals. It doesn't get any better than 732 00:40:54,600 --> 00:40:57,840 Speaker 1: that over a longer period. Yeah. Um, so that's been great. 733 00:40:57,880 --> 00:41:00,120 Speaker 1: As I always say here, please continue to rate if 734 00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:03,279 Speaker 1: you subscribe to the Atlanta Falcons podcast network. I think 735 00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:06,080 Speaker 1: I do the same hand gesture every time. But thank 736 00:41:06,120 --> 00:41:08,799 Speaker 1: you guys so much. The plans that we have for 737 00:41:08,880 --> 00:41:12,319 Speaker 1: the future of this thing. Inside now everybody knows about 738 00:41:12,320 --> 00:41:15,440 Speaker 1: Ticketmaster Studios. There's a podcast studio in there and it 739 00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:19,480 Speaker 1: is glorious. So we're all excited for that. Greg, thanks 740 00:41:19,560 --> 00:41:22,120 Speaker 1: once more, Thanks to everybody for downloading and listening, and 741 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:25,160 Speaker 1: we will talk to you really, really soon. See you