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Welcome back Fort Worth to the new summer edition of Fortitude. I’m your host JW Wilson with my cohost Brinton Payne. Hello, we are here. Brinton on the cutting edge, the eve of the 2021 Summer Olympics.
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And something I think you really appreciate the Olympics right?
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You really like to go ahead and tell tell people how I talked about about the Olympics? It’s not actually true. But there’s really because it sounded true what was coming out of your mouth last
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week when you’re talking badly about it. And I’m sure our guest really appreciate it who was in the Olympics.
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The guest who we talked about the guests are speaking of our special guest who’s here today we have the greatness of Mike Miles in studio. Thank you for being here. Before we talk to Mike, we’re going to talk about the Olympics for a second here. The Olympic springton have a few new sports and in stock for them. A couple of the old appreciate karate, baseball, skateboarding, sports climbing. Soon that’s climbing rocks and walls and things of that nature. And probably your favorite surfing Yes.
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And you know surfing in martial arts go hand in hand a lot of the same guys who do jujitsu and stuff do surfing.
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A couple of fun facts before we get to our special guests. Japan as a country has more pets than children. I thought that was kind of funny is that what’s the average pet per household? Yes, that’s correct. Moving on. vending machines in Tokyo sell everything you could possibly imagine from food to sex toys. I don’t know if you knew that or not. But if you ever go over there you’re in luck because all the things you might need that skill awkward. We just met Mike miles Come on. This is a fact I’m just stating the obvious facts. The metals in these games, the gold medal silver, you know, we all have those. One of our guests has one of those. We’ll talk about that in a second. But the metals in these games contain parts of old electronics. This is a Japanese effort to make the games more sustainable I agree. So the Japanese citizens have donated their devices to the to the Olympic Committee and part of those devices were shredded I assume and put into the gold medals and all that and then bronze and silver medals
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interesting huh? Mike? You’re gonna go ahead and leave your cell phone with us. We’re gonna melt it down for the big 12 trophy this year
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in probably the most interesting fact that we could all agree here and if we don’t if you don’t agree, please tell me why you don’t agree but this has been a pretty pretty rampant rumor recently but the bedding for the Olympic athletes it’s made of cardboard with polyethylene mattresses I thought you meant betting like gambling no like betting like what you sleep in? Yeah, sitting with a with a D Yes, a T. The betting for these athletes there’s 18,000 of these beds created but they’re made out of cardboard the rumor has been going crazy that these beds were built in this fashion to hold up to 440 pounds because they were trying to prevent the Olympic athletes from having some customer relationship together. The quarters here about the Olympic Village I’ll tell you Brinton and Mike that rumors not true. Oh good. The beds were made in this fashion because they want to recycle them and reuse them repurpose them after the game so it that’s a lot of beds to put together for an event that lasts three weeks or so four weeks. And they want to be able to use them again in another fashion so it wasn’t for the reason everybody’s talking about that’s all I got for the Olympics in shorts facts. Now remember when we talk to a real Olympic athlete here in studio this today?
All right, so Mike Miles TCU point guard. Welcome to the show, sir. Thank you for having me. I’m happy to be here. It’s an honor to have you on the program. We know a lot about you one of us on the shows a big TC frog fan. Okay, another guy might have might have no little bit or two or thing about soccer, so Okay, well, you’ll figure out who that might be here shortly.
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I don’t really even know that much about that. Um, sports is not my my bag, you know? So no offense here. Mike. is more JW show this one. All right. Let
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me tell you a little about Mike before we start asking him some hard questions. But Mike, as we sit today is 18 years old. Correct. So Mike is either 6’2’’ or 5’11’’ depending on which internet site you look at. What do you look at it on? Which How tall are you actually? Six to 60? Okay, I saw a couple bright ups or maybe some stats. It’s called 511. So I have been living since high school. Yeah, you look. You look sick to my books. So he’s currently point guard for TCU. He just finished his freshman year. He went to high school in Lancaster right outside of Dallas where he made a big name for himself. When he was in fourth grade, he was on a team called the Texas Titans Brinton on the AAU team. They made a viral videotape of his highlights in this videotape. Tell me what I’m telling telling lies Mike I’m trying to be as honest and what I can research, but his his videotape went viral. Yahoo Sports dubbed him the elementary Allen Iverson Is this true? Yeah, I’ll tell you I watched the highlight tape. It’s pretty Solid man, I can’t believe that video looks fantastic.
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So what do you what made you decide to do that? Were you just like I got to get my stuff out there.
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I actually didn’t do it. Basketball website did it. Oh, okay recorded it and posted in, you know, went viral how quickly
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did it go viral? Were you you know our stuff went viral about a year and it goes viral?
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Yeah. It didn’t take that long. It took like a month for it to get a million views I think then it just kept going up eventually. Oh, very good.
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It was pretty cool. That was that was really neat piece of your story. his senior year at Lancaster averaged 21 points four rebounds four assists, three steals per game, he led his team to 36 in one record does that one loss was that the state championship?
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Now we added didn’t play state because the COVID COVID canceled your season. We got down there this date to play the game and they canceled it before we could play the actual state championship was canceled. Yeah, the whole tournament we had to play two games. But she got down there prepared to play and then they cancelled it who was on our way to the gym to warm up and they told everyone it was canceled. How did that news go across
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I mean obviously disappointed but how did you guys handle that?
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Everybody was sad. Yeah, the pack everything and go the next night and go back home. So we thought eventually that was going to let us play but it never happened. So it was kind of it was disappointing. Who was that one loss to that year? prolific. Were they out of California? Oh, no kidding.
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Were they just better than you were to get you guys play poorly.
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Oh, they were prep school. So I said a little bit better mosaic Jalen green. Cobo the player so they were they’ve definitely had the better players. Right. Right. Are you good?
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Can you go directly from high school to NBA? You can I mean guys it does any of those guys that you were playing with or anyone?
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I don’t think you can’t anymore. Oh, they get put it you got to go to college for a little bit. Mike ask ask Brittany has ever heard of Kobe Bryant? Oh, I’ve heard of him. Yeah. I have a couple other guys. as Ron James. You might have heard of him. He’s He’s done it as well. So I’m more of an older school mentality kind of the Larry Bird era. He did. He did not do it. Actually. He’s Indiana State. But anywho got he got to college at TCU heavily recruited to chose TCU. What made you choose TCU?
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I have a sample it was close to home. You know, it was committed before COVID. So I thought I have my entire family to come to the games. But it was eventually just because of COVID. It was my mom and a couple other people. But it was still the same reason. Main reason it was close. And I chose to coach Dixon and I’ve known Coach benford since I was an elementary nice. So it was it was an easy decision for me.
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I think you made a wise decision.
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When did that come about? Where is it? Was it your senior year when you are was pre COVID? So my senior year in December, okay, I commit that’s what I committed. Yep. Did you get other offers from other places? I had a Yeah. I mean, he gets I guess you can’t talk about I don’t know if there’s rules, right? Yeah,
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yeah, talking about that. I had a few offers Oklahoma State, you know, oh, shoo. LSU Yeah, yeah, a couple of schools. So I had some options, but I chose my school for me. No secrets on this show. But
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well, I just didn’t know if there’s like something that says night back in high school, you know that you can’t we’re gonna have to stop and rerecord if keep that up.
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As a freshman Mike averaged 13 points a game three and a half rebounds and 3.1 assists, which is awesome. earned him on the all freshmen team big 12 freshmen team. He so he’s got a really, really bright future. He just participated in the FIFA under 19 World Cup, which is basically the Junior Olympics. Yes, yes, it is. And you played were in Riga, Latvia, Riga Latvia.
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Yes. wherever that is, like they said it was close to Russia. So whatever. Cardboard beds as well there. Okay,
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regular. So we wanted to want to delve into that because that’s really cool. And it just happened. So we’re big fans of coach Dixon. We consider him a friend and we’re gonna get him on the show one day when he’s not busy. Yeah, it’s hard. But you won the gold medal. His Olympic Junior Olympic Games, you averaged nine points a game 3.9 assists in three and a half rebounds a game huge. What is it like? What was the experience? Like Can you take us through that that venture?
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It was different you know, the basketball part was different down there is rougher, you know, they don’t call it as many files. Oh, really? Yeah, it was the roas I’d say those teams they were seeing those but it was just as I said it was down there before we even got there so
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similar to when rocky went and fought Yvonne Drago over in Russia, it or even of that he could you
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know, I know what you’re talking about. Yeah, was rocky but I don’t think it was that bad, but it was bad. Yeah, besides the basketball party, you know, we were in a bubble. So we was just stuck in a hotel you know, nothing to do besides play.
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give you like a per diem to go out there and party in Latvia.
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We couldn’t even walk outside the hotel, you know, hotel, go play and go back to the hotel and go to sleep. So it was it was hard. It was a long two weeks, but it was worth it for go mode. The whole experience was two weeks long.
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Wow. Did you have to play with other players, so you have to meet them and get acclimated to those guys. And that was
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announced the team. We had a week long training camp. Like before they built the team. It was like 27 total people. Then it goes to 12. So yeah, I met everybody. I really already knew everyone. Yeah, really. But you know, I got to bond with those with those players. And so it’s good. Yeah. All those players that they in college currently. Some of them are going to college. They’re going to be in their freshman year. Okay, you’re gonna play against any of them. Know what Adam Miller he goes to LSU we play LSU this year. Okay. He’s probably the only one I don’t think so. Is it
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safe to say you got along with everybody seemed like a really low key easygoing guy. He got along well,
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everybody got along was fine. You know, we all related to each other. And we just, you know, we didn’t really have no choice was though with each other for two weeks. Yeah. No, it was fun. Has anybody
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taken the metal and to a jewelry store to see if it was made of recycled materials similar to the Japanese? We didn’t even hear it as Where is your gold metal?
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is he’s not telling not having waiting. But is it my room?
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I wish we had asked you to bring it but that’d be pretty cool to see. Is it is it is it amazing to look at obviously.
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Yeah, it is for the first night. I couldn’t you know, I didn’t take it off. But I got back and I gave it to my mom. But she gave it That’s cool.
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Yeah, that’s cool. So the plane flight over there. I can’t imagine how long that might be. But are you? Are you just trying to get some sleep, watch movies, read a book, whatever.
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The flight was 10 hours. 10 hours flew from here to Germany. You can sleep a little bit, but you can’t sleep the whole 10 hours. You know, so I was just watching movies and I eventually fall asleep. But we actually got stuck in Germany for one night. Oh, wow. due to weather. We missed our next flight to Latvia. We had to stay in Germany for a night and no one really spoke English. Oh man, we had to stay in a hotel where the elevator was like, only one person could fit in there. So no kidding. It was a bad start.
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Sometimes I’m talking sports I feel like Brinton doesn’t speak English. So I understand
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a little bit what you’re going I do understand scary elevator so I’m not a fan.
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What about crowds crowds over there. They allow people in the stadiums to see you guys
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told us a day before we could play that the allow fan so my mom was supposed to come but she thought they weren’t letting people in but they eventually told us on last day. It was fan stuff.
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Did you guys have fans did the US team have fans? We
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have some fans? A couple of people a couple players a parent’s game so yeah, we have some fans again.
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What? What was your overall feelings about how that helped me aside from winning the gold medal? Was it just a life changing experience for you?
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It was something I felt like I needed to experience you know, it was different for me. That was my first time out the country Really? Yeah, so it probably wasn’t the best place to go for my first time. It was fun. It was definitely experience I need and I’m glad I’m glad I made it.
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Do you think maybe you’ll take a summer trip to Latvia in the future down the road when you’re married with kids growing down definitely never go back to law. Fair enough. Fair enough. Well getting to you more as a as a player so I got the privilege to watch you play last year quite a bit. He kept saying he’s going to give me tickets to TCU but games but he never did so well. I gave him tickets to the equestrian team which is pretty good. So he didn’t he didn’t know the difference so he would show up at the wrong place. As a player you’re a point guard your your strengths I would say and I was gonna ask what you think your strengths are but your your your quick, slashing kept point guard. Go to the hole real fast. Yeah, you’re pretty your range is pretty much all over the place. You can choose anywhere that is safe to say. Yeah, well, in your mind. What do you what are you best at on the court?
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My best attribute I feel like is my basketball IQ. Okay. I’m good at offense. So I really, really, really good but my best attribute is definitely my IQ I just know like, how to play basketball is the best way to put it. Honestly,
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where do you think you’ve learned that? Some of its natural, obviously, but was there a particular coach or there was something that happened that
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really got to like my fourth grade coach on the video The Barbary Okay, my head coach’s name is coach Scott. He taught me how to actually be a point guard because before then I’ll just shoot every time I got the ball. But he actually taught me like he got my IQ better. And he really taught me how to play basketball. Yeah,
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can we shout out to coach Scott what’s coach Scott’s name? Scott. Possible pass? popsicle. popsicle. Yes, yes popsicle?
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No, I just guess that because the popsicle is something I enjoy on a hot day.
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Anyway, getting back to the show. Yeah. So one of the questions you kind of answered that a little bit. But what kind of hard work has gone into becoming Mike miles obviously the video in fourth grade, but you’re better in fourth grade than most human beings are ever which is crazy little kid you. I mean, I love the video and look at you now. That’s not too long ago but you know you were you’re exceptional. Your dribbling abilities on that. Video. We’re remarkable, right? what’s what’s gone into making Mike miles. I mean, we know you work hard, but what does it take? What does it been like to become you?
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It’s been kind of crazy. No, I don’t forget a video I was think I was eight or nine. So I was basically kind of celebrity at a young age and everybody knew me I walk into a gym, everybody take pitches with me. So as being that young, you know, I don’t really like a lot of changes. So it was kind of, you know, I really didn’t know how to deal with it, but I got better with better with as I’m older now, but, you know, it’s like a lot, you know, just stay grounded. surround myself with the right people. surround myself will love and you know it everyday isn’t easy. You don’t like attention? You said? Not really? Not really well, I guess who does sit into my
15:46
I have trouble staying grounded. Like we got a lot of attention on the podcast, just immediate success of this thing. All five listeners have just blown up. We get fan mails, right? You know, I don’t know if he had five people even you know, like, totally good. You
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man. You might be hearing from both of our mothers. They’re our best top listeners. We have a few more than I think. But anyway, let’s talk about coach Dixon real quick. You chose TCU is part of the reason. What do you like about coach Dixon the most?
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I feel like after court, he is really cool. Of course on the court. He’s You know, he yells you know everything all coaches do, but other people are, you know, he, he listens. You know, anytime you want to meet with him, he you can call them go to his office here to talk to you and try to understand you and you he doesn’t like sugarcoat anything. You know, if you meet with me tell you how you feel he’s going to tell you like exactly what you need to hear. And as you know, you can always respect that in some way. So that’s the best thing about him. Should we ask him a hard question Brinton? Well, I
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just asked him so it’s not been a real big adjustment coming from like, I mean, it’s been good experience at TCU. And, you know, with just kind of all things the academics and the athletics and everything. It’s been even enjoyed it. It’s been a good, good run for you.
17:03
Oh, yeah. I’ve enjoyed I’ve enjoyed my time at TCU. Ya know, he’s been everyone is nice. You know, basically everyone knows me on campus. Yeah, it’s kinda, yeah, anywhere I go. Everyone says, What’s up, Mike? So you know, it’s been fun. I feel like COVID kinda, I didn’t get the full experience. Obviously. Sure. I feel like this year will be even better.
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your freshman year wasn’t really a normal freshman year. You’re freshmen. Your first year in college is COVID. And obviously, that’s not that’s not the normal way it goes. But we hope that it proves and down the road. The hard question I was want him to ask you is since you like these things about construction. What’s your what’s your least favorite thing about coach Dixon? I’m kidding. You don’t have to answer though. Your parents, we have a bleep button mic if you want us to use it. And just like, Yeah, okay. They said, you mentioned your mom, dad as well. How are they?
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How are they instrumental in your athletic career? Do well, it goes back to what I say about surround myself with the right people. You know, they’re always with me everywhere I go every game every practice. I’m now here right now, but if they would have knew about it, they would have been here with me. But you know what it is like days and they always tell me what I need to hear. You know, if I have a good game, you know, they’re not gonna they’re gonna tell me what I did wrong. You know, because I always want me to get better. So you know, they helped me with everything. You know, I can call them ask them about anything. Any help I need. So I love them for sure. Are they in Lancaster? living like as you go home? Very after nap. I go home a lot. You do? Yeah. As much as I can. Laundry? Yeah, yeah. If I need it. home cooking. That’s the best thing.
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Oh, yeah. So last year, we won’t be able to ask you this question. But now there’s a little thing called the ni L. Have you? Is it? Is it a safe question to ask you. Have you been approached by anybody? Are you We know you’re This enables the new legislation allows college athletes to be paid for certain things. within limits. There’s rules. But this is a new thing just happened now since I think June or July? Maybe it just transpired. Have you been approached yet? Or is anybody looking at you?
19:03
I’ve been approached by a couple companies, you know, I’ve you don’t have to name names. But what that feels like yes. If it is good, you know, I don’t talk to them directly, you know, they can all go to my mom, you know, my mom handles most of that. So, it’s been more than copies actually been a lot actually. But I’m looking forward to you know, out opportunities.
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I’m getting very good. That’s exciting for a young guy to have that opportunity. We’ve read some stuff at least I’ve read some stuff. There seems to be a consensus or at least a group of people that believe that that could be a dividing line in the locker room from the the guys like you that get some offers and the guys that don’t you guys have a meetings about that and how to best approach that or is it just like, is it kind of left up to you guys to do whatever did this coach Dixon step in and say, Hey, we need to be careful about this. If you have something let’s be upfront and honest and not keep it all to our Is there anything like that going on?
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We’ve actually had a couple guest guest speakers to talk to us about, about the rules and everything. We actually have one tomorrow. So, you know, it’s been good. Everyone is learning what they can and can’t do.
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Can you share a little bit about what can and can’t be done? If that’s safe? I mean,
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I know the main thing is that I forgot Steve is that we can’t use like, our DCU logos and like advertising, I think. Yeah, yeah. So that’s why you can’t
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use the school as a promotional Yes. It’s got to be about you as the person. Right.
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So that was the main thing I remember from meeting.
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Is there a number a number limit number they can pay you? Can they pay you a billion dollars? Or is there an Is there a limit to that? I don’t think there’s no limit. Okay. Is there? I guess you can’t endorse alcohol and things of that nature. I’m sure of that. I can only guess. But anything else? Is it wide open? Just as long as they’re not something some kind of seedy business.
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Yeah, basically, you know, you can’t promote like, stuff like that, like, Yeah, but I think pretty much well, like, schools have their own rules. So like, if schools say this is against like, what we do, then, you know, you can’t do it, but it’s pretty different everywhere. But you know, is there are some type of rules like that.
21:05
So my partner has a is partakes in a little bit of a Grateful Dead cover band. You familiar, the Grateful Dead? No? Okay. Well, that’s probably good. But if he were to ask you to come step in and saying or play in that you can, you could do that if you
21:19
Yeah, we have tight alliances with a cardboard mattress company. He’s been putting us on the road for some time. So we’ll get you introduced to those guys. They’re very comfortable. It only if you’re sleeping on them.
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Alright, so far in your life. What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you? That you can share anything off the wall that’s worth mentioning? Latvia airport. That was definitely crazy. If you want to if you don’t want to answer that just wink at me right now. I should answer something or otherwise there’s something here I
21:50
guess, like in Germany is definitely one of them. Okay, because I notice not something that just happens to everyone. Surely, so. Probably there or when I was younger, I broke my shin. Oh, really? How I was playing football. It was like sixth grade. I was playing football outside and someone talking me like sat on it. Oh, nice. That’s not nice.
22:12
But was it padded football, you’re just kind of playing around with the neighborhood.
22:16
pasa was actually at school. He was playing like research and yeah, so I didn’t he sat on the at the top. Did he purposely
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sit on it? Or now it was just like, kind of tackled kind
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of? He did it on purpose. He kind of just talked me and fell on it. Yeah, but he was a bigger dude. So he kind of like yeah, so it’s now
22:34
don’t get trouble now doesn’t night? able to his left home. That’s that’s, you know, okay. I’m kidding. Oh, I’ll
22:41
ask. Okay. When the season comes up for basketball, who you know, TCU has obviously its own rivals, who’s your team that you’re like, I really would like to beat this team. And for what reason? Probably Baylor
22:56
Good answer. Because they won national championship last year, even though they don’t have most of the same players. I feel like those would definitely want to like the beat this year. Great.
23:07
Outstanding answer. You you’ve had some pretty cool moments in your life. Aside from you’re not married. We know that you don’t have kids. What’s the best day of your whole life? It could be your gold medal. I mean, that’s pretty special.
23:26
Yes. Probably to go medal or making it to state because like two years before I made this day I lost on buzzer beaters. But two years before I made Really? Yeah, so either getting to go mode or that even though we didn’t get to play the state championship. It was still good to finally get down out the losing on to buzzer beater. Yeah, yeah.
23:44
any hobbies for Mike miles?
23:47
He. Okay,
23:49
what’s favorite food? wings? Really? Favorite wing place? Seriously, you’ve been in Buffalo brothers downtown. I have it’s pretty good. Wednesdays it’s only it’s got a great, great special. Oh,
24:02
you live out Fort Worth Wingstop besides Terry’s locations, yeah. Besides Wingstop and TCU What do you love about this town?
24:10
Oh, that’s a lot of stuff to do. I know even though it was COVID for a long time, there’s still a lot of stuff to do. You know, a lot of places to hang out meet people. You know, just get to know people. Very good. Well,
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you seem like a great dude. We appreciate your time here on the show is your thing. If anything else you want to share with us. It’s just us breaking please throw it out. But I’m very good. forward to next year. Wish you very much luck and thanks for being part of the show. Mike. Thanks, Mike Miles