WEBVTT - Kolten Wong 0:00:03.360 --> 0:00:05.760 Welcome to The No Sports Report, a production of I 0:00:05.880 --> 0:00:13.960 Heart Radio Entree Fork Media. My name is Jensen Carp 0:00:14.040 --> 0:00:16.119 and I'm a sports fan and I've been trying my 0:00:16.160 --> 0:00:18.200 hardest to quench my thirst for games by watching k 0:00:18.320 --> 0:00:21.880 b O, the Korean Baseball Organization, and it's been great. 0:00:22.280 --> 0:00:25.040 I'm into the mascots, the cheerleaders in medical masks, the 0:00:25.120 --> 0:00:28.520 cardboard cutouts of fans. But I just found out they 0:00:28.560 --> 0:00:32.040 allowed ties after the twelfth inning. They just called the game, 0:00:32.560 --> 0:00:35.200 and in postseason they go fifteen and if it's still tied, 0:00:35.360 --> 0:00:38.519 they just replay a whole new game the next day. Normally, 0:00:38.520 --> 0:00:40.760 I'm all for saying I'm tired, let's go home, But 0:00:40.880 --> 0:00:44.800 in sports, I don't know. I have to reassess anyway, 0:00:44.840 --> 0:00:47.879 Go Samsung Lions, and yes, I continue to talk to 0:00:47.960 --> 0:00:51.639 athletes and sports industry professionals about what they're doing in quarantine, 0:00:52.000 --> 0:00:54.400 hoping to figure out if they mis competing as much 0:00:54.440 --> 0:00:57.080 as I miss watching it. This is the No Sports Report. 0:01:00.280 --> 0:01:03.240 Colton Wong doesn't give up. I've never talked to him 0:01:03.280 --> 0:01:05.760 before this interview, and I've never met the man, but 0:01:05.840 --> 0:01:08.400 I know this for sure because I first learned of 0:01:08.400 --> 0:01:11.160 the st Louis Cardinals infielder back in two thousand thirteen 0:01:11.400 --> 0:01:14.240 during the World Series against the Boston Red Sox. He 0:01:14.319 --> 0:01:16.600 was a highly touted rookie for the Cards, brought into 0:01:16.640 --> 0:01:19.200 pinch run with the tying run at bat and two outs, 0:01:19.600 --> 0:01:21.480 so close to flipping the lead in the ninth ending 0:01:21.520 --> 0:01:24.760 of a pivotal Game four matchup, and what happened next 0:01:25.120 --> 0:01:27.720 forced Colton to tweet after the game. All I want 0:01:27.720 --> 0:01:31.600 to say is I'm sorry to Cardinals Nation. Getting picked 0:01:31.640 --> 0:01:34.560 off to end a World Series game might break someone else, 0:01:35.080 --> 0:01:38.440 but not Colton Wong. In the past six years, Colton 0:01:38.480 --> 0:01:41.760 not only stayed a Cardinal, he's become a fan favorite superstar. 0:01:42.240 --> 0:01:44.920 In two thousand nineteen, he cemented himself as a division's 0:01:44.959 --> 0:01:48.280 top second basement batting two eight five with eleven home runs, 0:01:48.280 --> 0:01:51.880 fifty nine rb I, stolen bases, and the first Golden 0:01:51.880 --> 0:01:54.720 Glove of his career. That's more than a good season. 0:01:55.200 --> 0:01:58.000 That's an all out redemption. This year was going to 0:01:58.080 --> 0:02:00.880 be his well deserved victory lab pushing those stats even further, 0:02:01.280 --> 0:02:03.280 But now he sits at an option year, waiting for 0:02:03.320 --> 0:02:05.800 the chance to go back out and continue proving himself 0:02:06.000 --> 0:02:09.120 to Cardinals Nation a group of fancy loves and now 0:02:09.240 --> 0:02:12.440 undoubtedly love him back. We talked about his upbringing in 0:02:12.480 --> 0:02:15.440 Hawaii with a coach dad, losing an Instagram corn hole 0:02:15.520 --> 0:02:18.760 to Jet Jerko, and the beauty that is spam. It's 0:02:18.800 --> 0:02:21.480 a fun episode. I hope you enjoy the no Sports 0:02:21.520 --> 0:02:36.040 report from Golden Wong. Second Louis Cardinals to accept Press one. 0:02:37.440 --> 0:02:40.560 Hello Colton, Hey, how's it going. I'm well, man. I 0:02:40.560 --> 0:02:42.560 wanted to start off by asking you where you are 0:02:42.639 --> 0:02:45.560 quarantining right now and with who got you. I'm actually, 0:02:45.639 --> 0:02:48.359 you know, with my wife quarantine in St. Louis, because 0:02:48.480 --> 0:02:50.519 I was gonna be honest with you. If you said Hawaii, 0:02:50.680 --> 0:02:52.040 it was going to be very hard for me to 0:02:52.040 --> 0:02:55.119 feel bad for you at all. I wish I would 0:02:55.120 --> 0:02:59.400 have made that move, man, Man, I truly thought to myself. 0:02:59.440 --> 0:03:01.960 I mean, listen, Los Angeles is beautiful. I love my house. 0:03:02.040 --> 0:03:04.600 Those things are great. But if I had to pick anywhere, 0:03:04.720 --> 0:03:07.280 I would probably have picked Hawaii to be stuck. But 0:03:07.320 --> 0:03:10.200 then you're stuck indoors, just staring at the beautiful weather 0:03:10.240 --> 0:03:11.800 in the ocean and stuff, So maybe you pick the 0:03:11.840 --> 0:03:14.359 right place. Yeah, you know, it was one of those things. 0:03:14.440 --> 0:03:16.160 If I was you know, if we had spring training 0:03:16.160 --> 0:03:18.640 in Arizona, would have been an easy, easy choice. But 0:03:19.360 --> 0:03:21.400 being in Florida and having to make that flight all 0:03:21.400 --> 0:03:22.919 the way back, I just felt like, you know, coming 0:03:22.960 --> 0:03:24.400 back to St. Louis. At least come in the middle 0:03:24.440 --> 0:03:26.200 of we got to go back to Florida. You know, 0:03:26.240 --> 0:03:29.119 it's not a bad trip or where you know in St. Louis. 0:03:28.960 --> 0:03:30.520 It's you know, at least I made the right decision. 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:33.799 So that's right. Well, how are you staying busy during quarantine? 0:03:33.840 --> 0:03:35.920 Tell me, tell me what you've been up to. Yeah, 0:03:36.040 --> 0:03:38.160 just you know, trying to continue to work out. You know, 0:03:38.240 --> 0:03:40.000 fortunately gonna have a little gym in the house, so 0:03:40.000 --> 0:03:41.800 I've been able to get my workouts in here and there. 0:03:42.200 --> 0:03:44.600 I bought this little whistle ball you know, pitching machine 0:03:44.640 --> 0:03:47.200 a while back that I've always used, um just to 0:03:47.280 --> 0:03:49.360 kind of say ground balls and whatnot. You know, I 0:03:49.360 --> 0:03:51.120 got a key in a net. So just trying to 0:03:51.120 --> 0:03:53.680 stay busy with that. But I mean that's basically it, 0:03:53.920 --> 0:03:56.200 you know, just trying to stay healthy and take care 0:03:56.240 --> 0:03:58.640 of my body and hope for a season to begin soon. 0:03:59.000 --> 0:04:01.440 You think, I wonder if after this, you know, not 0:04:01.560 --> 0:04:04.240 that we're obviously thinking there will be another pandemic, or 0:04:04.240 --> 0:04:05.920 at least we're hoping not, but we've heard that these 0:04:05.960 --> 0:04:07.480 things will come in waves and stuff. Do you think 0:04:07.480 --> 0:04:09.800 the baseball players and athletes in general will start setting 0:04:09.840 --> 0:04:12.400 up these like home gyms and set ups so that 0:04:12.600 --> 0:04:15.480 in case this happens again. I think so. I think 0:04:15.480 --> 0:04:16.720 that's opened up a lot of eyes to a lot 0:04:16.720 --> 0:04:18.920 of people. Um, just realizing that, you know how important 0:04:18.960 --> 0:04:21.640 it is for us because obviously, if this happened once, 0:04:21.760 --> 0:04:23.360 you know, there's a good chance that might happen again. 0:04:23.400 --> 0:04:25.920 So you know, being ready and starting to prepare for that, 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:28.280 I think is on a lot of guy's minds for sure. 0:04:28.560 --> 0:04:30.400 Have you been able to keep in touch with your teammates. 0:04:30.960 --> 0:04:33.039 We have. We've we've been doing zoom calls here and there, 0:04:33.040 --> 0:04:35.080 and then you know, I talked to everybody else in text. 0:04:35.120 --> 0:04:39.000 Lots of guys and we try to keep the communication going. Obviously, 0:04:39.160 --> 0:04:41.520 you know, usually we're around each other every single day, 0:04:41.560 --> 0:04:43.600 so to not be it's just a little weird, and 0:04:43.640 --> 0:04:46.240 we just want to continue to keep that camaraderie going. Yeah, 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:49.560 I mean, you tell me what is like other than 0:04:49.600 --> 0:04:51.440 working out? Because I'm trying to I'm trying to connect 0:04:51.440 --> 0:04:53.640 with you even closer. What lazy things have you done? 0:04:53.680 --> 0:04:57.640 Have you watched TV shows, binge j anything? Movies? Yeah, 0:04:57.720 --> 0:04:59.479 I mean just a lot of Netflix. I would say, 0:04:59.640 --> 0:05:01.920 you know, obviously, when I'm trying to not do anything, 0:05:01.920 --> 0:05:04.960 I just want to relax. So just doing Netflix and uh, 0:05:05.000 --> 0:05:06.320 you know, a little video games here and there. But 0:05:06.360 --> 0:05:08.440 I've never been the biggest video game player, so just 0:05:08.480 --> 0:05:10.120 trying to get into that just to kind of keep 0:05:10.120 --> 0:05:12.840 my mind busy. But yeah, that's what it is, and 0:05:12.920 --> 0:05:16.080 I'm just trying to stay They acted mostly well because 0:05:16.120 --> 0:05:18.799 of this podcast. I paid very close attention to the MLB, 0:05:18.920 --> 0:05:21.279 the show players League. And if you ever say something 0:05:21.320 --> 0:05:23.760 like I'm okay at it, don't go in the players League. 0:05:23.760 --> 0:05:27.120 It's a bad look. Dude. I've watched those guys and 0:05:27.160 --> 0:05:29.039 I'm like, yeah, I'm glad I didn't sign up for this. 0:05:29.320 --> 0:05:32.160 It doesn't work. What did you watch on Netflix? Um? 0:05:32.320 --> 0:05:35.919 Actually watched Waco. Oh here's the thing. Here's the thing, Colden. 0:05:36.120 --> 0:05:39.000 Most people answer the same things Tiger King. They say, oh, 0:05:39.080 --> 0:05:42.680 Zark whatever, Waco completely different. Did you love it? I 0:05:42.720 --> 0:05:44.800 loved it? I loved it. I mean that was just 0:05:44.839 --> 0:05:47.240 it was intense from the get go, and honestly, I 0:05:47.240 --> 0:05:48.880 just felt like I never left the gas pedle man. 0:05:48.880 --> 0:05:51.240 That thing was just non stop. It kept me literally 0:05:51.240 --> 0:05:53.560 hooked onto the TV show and so I probably watched 0:05:53.560 --> 0:05:55.000 the whole TV show in two days. And this is 0:05:55.080 --> 0:05:57.040 one of those things where it just kept me on. 0:05:57.120 --> 0:05:59.080 It was awesome. And I know it's like, even if 0:05:59.120 --> 0:06:00.920 you think you know the story or everyone's saying it's 0:06:00.960 --> 0:06:02.920 kind of from a different angle, it actually gives you 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:06.480 a bit of I don't want to say, uh happy 0:06:06.520 --> 0:06:09.679 thoughts about the Davidian, but I guess maybe it wasn't 0:06:09.760 --> 0:06:12.640 quite as devious as we thought. They were not at all. 0:06:12.760 --> 0:06:15.120 I mean, obviously you just watched it from a different perspective, 0:06:15.160 --> 0:06:18.080 and especially with the pandemic going down, you're like, man, 0:06:18.800 --> 0:06:20.839 this government stuff is a little scary. He said that 0:06:20.880 --> 0:06:23.799 you don't know exactly what's going on totally. Well, listen, 0:06:23.839 --> 0:06:26.640 if it makes me into David koresh Moore, I'm down 0:06:26.680 --> 0:06:28.440 to watch it. So it's now on top of my list. 0:06:28.480 --> 0:06:30.799 But I'm happy just to hear a brand new show 0:06:31.000 --> 0:06:33.480 or movie that someone said. Every time I bring it 0:06:33.560 --> 0:06:35.800 up in these interviews, it's like just the same show. 0:06:35.880 --> 0:06:38.240 So thank you for the difference. Oh yeah, I mean, 0:06:38.279 --> 0:06:40.240 don't get me wrong, I watched those other shows as well, 0:06:40.279 --> 0:06:42.919 but yeah, this that was definitely number one on my 0:06:43.000 --> 0:06:45.400 list of you know, exciting TV shows that I watched. 0:06:45.480 --> 0:06:48.080 And I also watched Outer Banks, which is actually another 0:06:48.080 --> 0:06:49.520 really good one too. Oh I don't even know what 0:06:49.520 --> 0:06:51.440 that is. Tell me who that is. Um, basically, it's 0:06:51.440 --> 0:06:53.840 about these kids who, uh I guess one of the 0:06:53.920 --> 0:06:57.040 kids his dad goes missing and they go on this 0:06:57.040 --> 0:07:00.360 crazy chase to find treasure and uh yeah, it's basically 0:07:00.360 --> 0:07:03.000 based out of Outer Banks in North Carolina, and these 0:07:03.040 --> 0:07:05.440 kids go and try to find like a ship that 0:07:05.560 --> 0:07:09.400 was supposedly buried or a sunk you know, off Data Banks, 0:07:09.400 --> 0:07:11.480 and it's a crazy kind of story that takes you 0:07:11.520 --> 0:07:13.960 down where these kids end up, you know, finding out 0:07:14.480 --> 0:07:17.280 his dad was you know, basically on this treasure map 0:07:17.280 --> 0:07:19.800 and it kind of found with the treasure and you know, 0:07:19.960 --> 0:07:22.760 was killed in the process, but you know, left his 0:07:22.840 --> 0:07:25.080 kid clues on how to you know, find the treasure. 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:28.000 So it's cool. It sounds like Tarantino Goonies. It's like 0:07:28.040 --> 0:07:31.720 a little more intense, yes, exactly, a little newer version 0:07:31.720 --> 0:07:33.560 of the Goonies for sure. Well, let's talk about some 0:07:33.560 --> 0:07:35.600 things you put on the internet for people to watch. 0:07:35.720 --> 0:07:38.880 The Cornhole Battle on i G Live with Jed Jerko. 0:07:40.680 --> 0:07:44.480 Tell me how this even came together, honestly, Jed, Um, 0:07:44.480 --> 0:07:46.720 I do this little corn old tournament. Um. I took 0:07:46.760 --> 0:07:48.680 it over from Jason Mott. You know, I lost my 0:07:48.720 --> 0:07:52.280 mother back in and when he left the Cardinals, Um, 0:07:52.320 --> 0:07:53.960 he was kind of trying to find a person. He 0:07:54.000 --> 0:07:55.400 came at me with it, and I just felt like, 0:07:55.480 --> 0:07:57.360 you know, with what I went through, it would be 0:07:57.440 --> 0:07:59.960 cool to kind of give back to the cancers side 0:08:00.000 --> 0:08:02.440 idea and and you know, partner up with him and 0:08:02.480 --> 0:08:04.640 just trying to help out. So it was something that 0:08:04.680 --> 0:08:08.400 I've I've continued doing St. Louis and Jed would always 0:08:08.400 --> 0:08:10.760 participate in. He was always, i mean the best at it. 0:08:10.800 --> 0:08:12.480 He was always the best on our team. He was 0:08:12.560 --> 0:08:15.760 you know, pushing for the championships almost every year. So 0:08:15.880 --> 0:08:17.120 I knew he was a big fan of it, and 0:08:17.200 --> 0:08:19.480 he was I was watching his Instagram and he was, 0:08:19.680 --> 0:08:21.840 you know, doing these cornhole trick shops where he was 0:08:21.840 --> 0:08:24.680 shooting them from all different angles. UM, not looking you know, 0:08:24.760 --> 0:08:27.120 over his like Skywalk that he has in his house 0:08:27.160 --> 0:08:28.880 and I was like, I was like, man, this is 0:08:28.920 --> 0:08:30.400 pretty cool. And he's like, dude, we should do a 0:08:30.440 --> 0:08:32.079 cornhole challenge and I was like, dude, I don't know 0:08:32.080 --> 0:08:33.679 if I want to play you. I'm not good at 0:08:33.720 --> 0:08:36.440 this game and you're really good. And and how did 0:08:36.440 --> 0:08:39.920 it end up? Didn't end up too well? He kind 0:08:39.920 --> 0:08:41.520 of spanked me. And that thing. I mean, it was 0:08:41.559 --> 0:08:43.240 one of those things where I was trying to hope that, 0:08:43.320 --> 0:08:45.640 you know, my athleticism would take over Louis, but just 0:08:45.760 --> 0:08:48.080 having that feel throwing that bag was just something that 0:08:48.320 --> 0:08:50.760 I did have a good feel of. And yeah, he 0:08:50.800 --> 0:08:52.760 took it to me pretty good. Dude was a ringer. 0:08:52.840 --> 0:08:55.440 I think you walked into it. You you bring up 0:08:55.440 --> 0:08:57.400 your family. I know you're very close with your father 0:08:57.440 --> 0:08:58.920 and your brother. Have you been able to see them 0:08:58.920 --> 0:09:02.200 even though you're in St. Louis, just talking here and there, 0:09:02.400 --> 0:09:04.600 in habits with facetimes and just trying to stay business. 0:09:04.600 --> 0:09:06.760 But my brother is back in Hawaii. He was, you know, 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:09.520 he was with the Giants to start the spring training, 0:09:09.559 --> 0:09:11.040 and you know, it's just one of those things where 0:09:11.080 --> 0:09:12.560 he was so close. He just went back and I 0:09:12.600 --> 0:09:14.079 was like, man, I wish I would have came back 0:09:14.120 --> 0:09:17.480 to Yeah, well, your father is a highly respected baseball 0:09:17.520 --> 0:09:19.600 coach and trainer in Hawaii. This this must be one 0:09:19.600 --> 0:09:22.960 of the first times he isn't helping someone play baseball 0:09:23.000 --> 0:09:26.160 in decades. I can't imagine he stopped playing for longer 0:09:26.160 --> 0:09:28.600 than three months since you were a kid. Oh no, 0:09:28.679 --> 0:09:31.600 I mean we've constantly his His whole thing is you know, 0:09:31.640 --> 0:09:34.080 he's a hitting constructor back in the Big Island, and 0:09:34.200 --> 0:09:35.840 like you said, you know, he's one of those guys 0:09:35.840 --> 0:09:38.640 who everybody knows who he is, so you know, baseball 0:09:38.640 --> 0:09:40.959 has been something that's been ingrained in him. He kind 0:09:40.960 --> 0:09:43.240 of stood out in us and gave us a love 0:09:43.280 --> 0:09:45.240 of the game and you know, just my hitting coach 0:09:45.240 --> 0:09:46.760 since day one, and I continue to go to him 0:09:46.760 --> 0:09:49.040 to the day. Great. Well, we talked about Hawaii and 0:09:49.080 --> 0:09:52.600 the Big Island. The economy obviously depends on tourism. Do 0:09:52.640 --> 0:09:54.600 you know what kind of effect this is having on 0:09:54.640 --> 0:09:56.760 the mainland, the idea that no one wants to travel 0:09:56.840 --> 0:09:59.440 and no one's really allowed to travel per se. I mean, 0:10:00.080 --> 0:10:02.640 is this Do you know what the effect is so far? Yeah, 0:10:02.720 --> 0:10:04.440 I mean it's been it's been affecting all those small 0:10:04.440 --> 0:10:06.440 businesses back in Hawaii. Like you said, you know, Hawaii 0:10:06.559 --> 0:10:08.800 is a huge tourism state, and you know that's what 0:10:08.920 --> 0:10:10.720 we rely on. That's where we're getting most of our income, 0:10:10.760 --> 0:10:13.319 and you know, to not have this obviously, it's been 0:10:13.360 --> 0:10:16.520 tough on on all the people in Hawaii because you know, 0:10:16.520 --> 0:10:18.480 when you have money, it's harder to pay those in 0:10:18.480 --> 0:10:21.400 Hawaiian with how expensive is you know, the living costs 0:10:21.400 --> 0:10:23.240 and whatnot. I mean, you're talking about seven eight dollars 0:10:23.280 --> 0:10:25.400 for a down the milk there, you know. So it's 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:27.320 just one of those things where you know, with this 0:10:27.400 --> 0:10:29.240 hitting and you know, people not being able to work, 0:10:29.520 --> 0:10:31.120 it's been it's been pretty tough. I've been trying to 0:10:31.160 --> 0:10:32.920 keep in touch with a lot of people, trying to 0:10:32.920 --> 0:10:34.880 figure out what I can do to to help out. 0:10:34.920 --> 0:10:36.480 But it's just been one of those things where it's 0:10:36.520 --> 0:10:38.559 kind of you know, it's above my head already. I'm 0:10:38.559 --> 0:10:40.320 just trying to see if I can do anything to 0:10:40.440 --> 0:10:42.640 just help these people. Um, you get some kind of 0:10:42.640 --> 0:10:46.120 break and I know that like in the past, I've 0:10:46.120 --> 0:10:48.200 thought of Hawaii is sort of a lot of people 0:10:48.200 --> 0:10:49.720 don't think of it in the States because it is 0:10:49.720 --> 0:10:51.559 the fiftieth. I guess maybe I don't know. Maybe it's 0:10:51.559 --> 0:10:53.679 because it's such a vacation destination for a lot of people, 0:10:54.040 --> 0:10:56.439 but it's front and center with a lot of these things. Obviously, 0:10:56.440 --> 0:10:58.439 I know you've been working with Young Fish Market to 0:10:58.840 --> 0:11:02.120 match and deliver any order placed for healthcare workers or 0:11:02.160 --> 0:11:05.600 first responders in Hawaii. They're delivering like six d a day, 0:11:05.600 --> 0:11:08.160 which is nuts. But how important is it to give 0:11:08.160 --> 0:11:10.319 back to where you grew up, especially in times like this? 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:12.600 So important? You know, those people are the people who 0:11:12.600 --> 0:11:14.960 have created me, who you know, invested in me, who 0:11:15.040 --> 0:11:16.680 kind of made me the person that I am today. 0:11:16.880 --> 0:11:19.240 And uh, you know for me growing up and seeing 0:11:19.600 --> 0:11:21.240 you know what it was like. I wasn't somebody who 0:11:21.240 --> 0:11:22.680 grew up with a lot of money. My parents, you know, 0:11:22.720 --> 0:11:25.559 we weren't broke lin any means, but we weren't well off, 0:11:25.600 --> 0:11:26.800 you know. So I was able to be in the 0:11:26.840 --> 0:11:29.520 trenches with you know, these people seeing how life was 0:11:29.559 --> 0:11:32.480 back then, you know, like to understand, you know, where 0:11:32.520 --> 0:11:34.839 I was and where I am now. It seems like 0:11:34.880 --> 0:11:36.719 an obligation that I feel deep down that I need 0:11:36.760 --> 0:11:38.680 to help these people. Um, I know what it's like 0:11:38.760 --> 0:11:40.960 I know when when you come home and you know, 0:11:41.000 --> 0:11:43.560 you see these kids who haven't had meals the whole 0:11:43.640 --> 0:11:45.280 day or you know, the past a couple of days, 0:11:45.280 --> 0:11:47.079 and they're just trying to figure out some way of 0:11:47.120 --> 0:11:49.920 getting food. You know, it's one of those things where, uh, 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:51.520 you know, it's just I know there's the pandemic, and 0:11:51.559 --> 0:11:53.280 I know we're not getting paid, but you know, I'm 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:55.280 still trying to do whatever I can to help, you know, 0:11:55.480 --> 0:11:57.720 just put some kind of meal on the table for 0:11:57.760 --> 0:12:00.439 these kids, that's great. And also you know they're they're 0:12:00.480 --> 0:12:02.679 talking about not being able to internationally fly through the 0:12:02.800 --> 0:12:04.480 end of the year. That's what it seems like. So 0:12:04.640 --> 0:12:07.360 they did encourage people that want to take a vacation 0:12:07.360 --> 0:12:09.280 to do it within the States. So remember why you 0:12:09.280 --> 0:12:11.440 would be would be an easy travel destination, even if 0:12:11.440 --> 0:12:15.000 there's an international band. Yeah, absolutely, that would be great. 0:12:15.520 --> 0:12:18.600 So you are of Chinese descent, I'm wondering if you 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:21.880 have faced any racism with like morons over COVID nineteen 0:12:21.920 --> 0:12:24.120 or if you know anyone else who's faced it. Yeah, 0:12:24.160 --> 0:12:26.080 I mean, unfortunately for me, I have not faced it, 0:12:26.120 --> 0:12:28.040 but you know, being on social media and just going 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:31.000 through you know, watching TV and whatnot, and you see that, 0:12:31.080 --> 0:12:33.320 you know, racism is starting to show up even more 0:12:33.360 --> 0:12:35.000 and more, and it's just so sad, man, because at 0:12:35.000 --> 0:12:36.640 the end of the day, we're not taking but humans. 0:12:36.679 --> 0:12:37.920 You know, we're all the same, you know, we all 0:12:37.960 --> 0:12:39.600 believe the same with all the same color blood. And 0:12:39.600 --> 0:12:42.120 it's like, you know, this time, instead of worrying about 0:12:42.160 --> 0:12:44.080 you know, this guy being this race or this guy 0:12:44.160 --> 0:12:46.360 made that one, we just were are being good humans 0:12:46.360 --> 0:12:48.120 and pain care of one another, doing what we can 0:12:48.640 --> 0:12:50.360 in this time. And it's just one of those things 0:12:50.400 --> 0:12:52.520 where I sit back and it's like, growing up in Hawaii, 0:12:52.559 --> 0:12:54.600 you never saw racism, you know, you never understood what 0:12:54.640 --> 0:12:56.839 that was. But as times get worse and worse, you 0:12:56.880 --> 0:12:58.760 see it come back and it's like, man, it's such 0:12:58.800 --> 0:13:01.360 an ugly face that o. And you see all these 0:13:01.360 --> 0:13:04.280 people coming on and calling each other names, and you know, 0:13:04.360 --> 0:13:06.360 just because of how they were born. You know, we 0:13:06.400 --> 0:13:09.160 don't have control over that. We just control our emotions 0:13:09.160 --> 0:13:11.280 and who we are. So um, yeah, you know, it's 0:13:11.280 --> 0:13:13.160 just one of those things where I hope people understand that, 0:13:13.480 --> 0:13:14.760 you know, we're all humans at then to day and 0:13:14.800 --> 0:13:16.040 let's just do what we can to take care of 0:13:16.040 --> 0:13:20.439 one another. Amen more with the St. Louis Cardinals. Coulton 0:13:20.520 --> 0:13:28.880 Wong after this right now, Feeding America is working tirelessly 0:13:28.920 --> 0:13:31.840 to ensure our most vulnerable populations, like students who are 0:13:31.840 --> 0:13:35.200 out of school, the elderly individuals whose jobs are impacted, 0:13:35.240 --> 0:13:38.080 and low income families continue to have access to food 0:13:38.280 --> 0:13:41.600 and other needed resources during the COVID nineteen pandemic. The 0:13:41.640 --> 0:13:44.600 Feeding America Food Bank Network is committed to serving communities 0:13:44.600 --> 0:13:47.400 and people facing hunger in America, and their greatest need 0:13:47.480 --> 0:13:50.840 is donations and support of local food banks. This podcast 0:13:50.920 --> 0:13:53.120 is committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from 0:13:53.120 --> 0:13:55.400 the show to Feeding America, and we hope that you 0:13:55.440 --> 0:13:57.719 can join us in this effort to find out how 0:13:57.760 --> 0:14:00.680 you can help Feeding America dot org Back Flash COVID 0:14:00.760 --> 0:14:10.360 nineteen and now the rest of my chat with Colden Wong. 0:14:11.120 --> 0:14:14.160 So you grew up as family friends with b J. Penn, 0:14:14.200 --> 0:14:17.600 which is almost its own sitcom. Uh, you guys utilized 0:14:17.640 --> 0:14:19.720 a gym with his family. I know you do follow 0:14:19.760 --> 0:14:21.360 some m m A. What do you think about the 0:14:21.440 --> 0:14:24.480 UFC continuing to fight through all this? Man, it's crazy? 0:14:24.680 --> 0:14:26.040 You know then know why it is one of those 0:14:26.040 --> 0:14:29.280 businessmen who has done things, you know, to this extent, 0:14:29.400 --> 0:14:31.720 and you know, you're talking about doing a fight island 0:14:31.720 --> 0:14:34.520 and whatnot, and I mean it's cool for just people 0:14:34.600 --> 0:14:36.560 to kind of have something to do. You know. Obviously 0:14:36.560 --> 0:14:38.960 everyone's kind of going stair crazy being at home and 0:14:38.960 --> 0:14:41.320 and whatnot. But me being a UC fan and understanding, 0:14:41.360 --> 0:14:43.400 you know, what these fighters go through. I mean, it's 0:14:43.440 --> 0:14:45.320 it's honestly incredible to see these guys, you know, put 0:14:45.320 --> 0:14:46.720 it on the line with no fans. I mean, it's 0:14:46.800 --> 0:14:48.880 it's got to be tough, you know, from from mental 0:14:48.880 --> 0:14:51.480 standpoints to go out there and you know, basically in 0:14:51.520 --> 0:14:54.080 the street fight with your your friends behind you, and 0:14:54.160 --> 0:14:55.880 not have anybody to cheer you on, you know. I mean, 0:14:55.960 --> 0:14:58.240 usually when you get a street fight, you're provoked. And 0:14:58.920 --> 0:15:00.800 for these guys, it's just you know, they're doing this 0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:02.840 because they love the sport, and you know, it must 0:15:02.840 --> 0:15:04.360 be kind of crazy for them. I just bought there 0:15:04.360 --> 0:15:06.560 and find somebody with no cheering or anything going on. 0:15:06.840 --> 0:15:08.560 I watched a little bit of it the other night, 0:15:08.560 --> 0:15:12.440 and being able to hear the corner yelling or hear 0:15:12.520 --> 0:15:14.840 a punch, I was just like, this is a completely 0:15:14.880 --> 0:15:18.520 different sport with no one in the audience. Oh, it's incredible. 0:15:18.560 --> 0:15:20.320 And then you hear that the guy's breath, you know, 0:15:20.360 --> 0:15:21.800 and you see like you can you can tell the 0:15:21.800 --> 0:15:24.400 guy who's getting tired quicker. And it's just a whole 0:15:24.440 --> 0:15:27.280 different way of watching fights. And I thought those, you know, 0:15:27.360 --> 0:15:30.160 pretty cool, but also just very very surreal at the 0:15:30.200 --> 0:15:33.880 same time. Yeah, you're coming off a career year. It 0:15:33.920 --> 0:15:35.760 feels like you were able to stay healthy and get 0:15:35.800 --> 0:15:39.200 really comfortable in your surroundings some incredibly hard work on 0:15:39.240 --> 0:15:42.360 your behalf. Does does the postponement mess up your flow 0:15:42.400 --> 0:15:46.640 at all? Um? It did for me. Honestly, after that year, 0:15:46.680 --> 0:15:48.520 coming into the spring training, I knew who I was 0:15:48.560 --> 0:15:49.960 as a player, you know, I kind of have an 0:15:50.000 --> 0:15:52.280 understanding before then I was I was still searching about 0:15:52.600 --> 0:15:54.840 trying to, you know, figure out what maybe the most consistent, 0:15:54.880 --> 0:15:56.200 How was I going to be able to be consistent 0:15:56.240 --> 0:15:58.240 in this league? Because you watch all the best players 0:15:58.240 --> 0:16:00.160 in this league, they're consistent. You know, they know how 0:16:00.200 --> 0:16:01.720 to play their game and they know how to bring 0:16:01.760 --> 0:16:04.040 it out every single day. And so I was I 0:16:04.080 --> 0:16:06.240 was always chasing that, trying to figure out, you know, 0:16:06.280 --> 0:16:08.280 what makes me the best that I could possibly be, 0:16:08.400 --> 0:16:10.920 and I started understanding, you know, who I was and 0:16:11.200 --> 0:16:12.480 what made me good. And you know, it was one 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:13.760 of the things that came to the spring training this 0:16:13.840 --> 0:16:15.920 year and everything was starting to click. You know, you 0:16:15.960 --> 0:16:18.000 usually go through a chart and you like, you know, 0:16:18.040 --> 0:16:19.960 you want to have something, you know, to kind of 0:16:20.240 --> 0:16:22.360 see where you are going into the season. And for me, 0:16:22.400 --> 0:16:23.720 you know, I always wanted to check off, you know, 0:16:23.760 --> 0:16:26.320 certain boxes and make sure because obviously when you start 0:16:26.320 --> 0:16:28.600 a season, you always have certain things that are a 0:16:28.640 --> 0:16:30.880 little behind, you know, and they kind of started picking 0:16:30.920 --> 0:16:32.640 up as you get more games in. But this year, 0:16:32.680 --> 0:16:35.120 it was just like, man, everything felt good. You know, 0:16:35.160 --> 0:16:36.760 I was I was seeing the ball well, I was hit, 0:16:36.840 --> 0:16:39.240 I was hitting well about three hundred. I was you know, 0:16:39.320 --> 0:16:42.400 doing my thing leading off actually to start spring training, 0:16:42.400 --> 0:16:43.640 and it was one of those things where everything was 0:16:43.680 --> 0:16:45.600 falling into place. And when this thing hint, it was 0:16:45.640 --> 0:16:47.320 just such a bummer for me because I just felt 0:16:47.360 --> 0:16:49.480 like I knew who I was the spring training, I 0:16:49.520 --> 0:16:51.240 knew what I was trying to you know, accomplish in 0:16:51.280 --> 0:16:53.280 the spring training, and I felt like when the season 0:16:53.360 --> 0:16:54.720 was going to be ready to go, like I was 0:16:55.040 --> 0:16:57.160 ready to start where usually you're kind of like, you 0:16:57.160 --> 0:16:59.000 know what, I don't really know how this is the 0:16:59.080 --> 0:17:01.040