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My guest today on
"Sports Files" is Memphis Tigers

Head Basketball
Coach Josh Pastner.

[theme music]

Last summer, Josh Pastner added
a late component to the Memphis

Tigers roster, bringing in
former Missouri standout Michael

Dixon Junior to add
some depth and firepower.

The result was mixed with
some standout victories and some

devastating losses.

The addition of Dixon to
an already loaded backcourt

created, at times,
chemistry issues.

Fast forward to present-day, and
the Tigers are gearing up for a

new season in which expectations
will likely be tapered a bit.

Many players on the team are
limited in game experience or,

quite frankly, have
none to speak of.

So, what can a coach do?

Well, in Josh's case, go out and
get some players who have the

experience.

Enter Kedren Johnson
and Calvin Godfrey.

Today, Josh Pastner joins me
to talk about the new season,

which is right
around the corner.

It's next on "Sports Files."

[theme music]

Josh, great to see you again.

Thanks for being with us.

Thanks for having me, Greg.

Always glad to be
able to join ya.

Never too early to talk Tiger
basketball but this was a little

bit unusual, as well, because
you played some games over the

summer, some
exhibition games in Canada.

So, it was a very busy summer.

Not that it isn't always for you
with recruiting and all that.

But you got to
practice with the guys.

You got to play
four games in Canada.

But as you know, this team is
going to look a lot different

when you open up
practice next month.

With that said, what did
you accomplish in Canada?

Well, Greg, the reason we did
the foreign trip and the foreign

trip, you know, outside
of the United States.

The N-C-A-A allows you
to every four years.

I felt it was really
important for us to do the trip.

And most teams want to
do it for the practices.

I really want to
do it for games.

I felt our team was so
inexperienced and so non-game

experienced from
the previous years.

Because other than Shaq and
Austin and Nick King the second

half of the season, nobody's
really had game experience.

And I felt we needed to
play good competition.

And I checked around and
everyone told me teams up in the

Ottawa area of Canada
had good competition.

Carlton who's a nine or ten
time champion over there in the

Canadian league.

And played University of
Ottawa and the Gill University.

But especially
Carlton and Ottawa.

It gave us good teams.

We were playing older teams.

And allow our guys to play good
minutes in real game situations.

And we were able to evaluate and
take that opportunity from the

tape to learn from it.

Which makes perfect sense to get
these young guys a taste of what

it's going to be all about.

But it's not just
the young guys.

Kuran Iverson last
year didn't play.

He's a sophomore.

He barely played.

You know what I mean?

So, all those guys.

Markel Crawford
hadn't played in two years.

Pookie Powell
didn't play last year.

So, it's not just
the incoming guys.

It's the guys that were
returning from the team.

Exactly.

But I'd still consider them
young as far as playing time.

But now you have to
integrate these new guys.

Yes.

And as we sit here and we tape,
nothing yet official from the

N-C-A-A on keeping
Johnson or Calvin Godfrey.

But we expect that they will
be approved with their waivers.

Trahson Burrell, who we knew was
going to be part of the team,

finally is officially.

But he didn't
practice or go to Canada.

You know, Austin did
not play in Canada.

So, is it going to be starting
in new once camp opens up?

There's going to be
some newness for sure.

And let me say this.

I do believe that if all
those guys become eligible,

you know, if the N-C-A-A
grants the waiver for,

uh..

We got Burrell in.

But if they do grant the waiver
for Kedren Johnson and Calvin

Godfrey.

And you expect?

I expect it.

I think it's hard for them
not to be able to grant it.

But you never know.

But I do expect it.

But if they do, you know, I
think that puts us right back in

to a top 25 team
right from the start,

you know, right in
that area there.

If they don't grant
those guys waivers,

we're not going to be a
pre-season top 25 team.

You know, we're going to have
some work to do to be able to

get there.

We're still waiting on the
kid D'Marnier Cunningham.

I'm still waiting on
some things academically.

So, we still have
some, you know,

pieces out there that we
haven't got finalized yet.

And you're right, Greg.

Assuming
everything goes through,

knock on wood that
all goes through,

um, that it is going to
be a little bit different.

We have new guys.

And you're going to have to
teach them on some of the

things.

But Kedran Johnson,
if he's eligible,

he's had major game experience.

Calvin Godfrey has had
major game experience.

Nick King, uh, Kuran
Iverson, Markell Crawford,

Pookie Powell, those guys
have not had game experience.

Right.

That was so important.

Avery Woodson came to me.

He got a good game.

Didn't play well on some games,
played well on some others.

Dominic Magee got
good game experience.

And Austin, I wasn't
worried about him not playing.

Why?

Because he
started all last year,

got major game experience.

The guys that needed to play
played and got good experience

out of it.

The late additions, and I mean
late finding out in August or

September that you're
going to have these players,

is not unprecedented for you
because you added Michael Dixon

Junior last year,
had to integrate him.

So, with that said,
having done that,

I would imagine
you're used to it.

But I would think it's still
somewhat of a challenge for you

and the coaching staff.

It is a challenge
but, you know, I also..

That's one of the advantages of
using the time that the N-C-A-A

allows you, the two hours a week
to be able to practice during

the summer.

The summer access rule that we
weren't able to do a few years

ago.

Right.

You're able to see some of your
strengths and weaknesses you are

as a team.

And during that time, if
there's guys out there,

it allows you an opportunity to
maybe to get a guy to help you

in an area of a weakness.

And one of our weakness really
was our experience factor.

We're bringing two guys in.

If they end up getting through
is Kedran Johnson who's a two

year starter from a very well
coached team in Vanderbilt,

Calvin Godfrey
who's a, you know,

a starter from Southern and
played at Ohio State originally.

And they both had
some, you know,

missteps along
their way, you know,

stubbed their toe.

And they know that they've
got to follow the straight and

narrow path.

But they bring great experience.

And let me also say this, Greg.

You know, with all
that being said,

it's something that
I think with that,

you can't really put a premium
or a price tag as I say when

guys who've been through it.

Like, they're not going to go
to Connecticut and be phased.

They're not going to be
going to a hostile environment.

They've been through it.

And I think that makes a big
difference a lot of times when

guys haven't been
through that area.

There are some people that have
criticized you for taking guys,

taking chances with guys who
have had issues in their past.

But it's worked out very well.

You've done a great job
with guys like Geron Johnson,

Michael Dixon Junior.

Now you're going with a guy like
Kedran Johnson who did not play

at all last year for Vanderbilt.

Then again on the flip side, you
have freshmen that come in and

obviously didn't work
out with Dominic Woodson.

So, it can happen either way.

Let me say this.

I had no problem giving
someone a second chance.

Right.

But I have to believe that
one, the reason the previous

institution dismissed them
was something that these guys

understand that
they're remorseful for.

They understand that this
is their second chance.

Obviously I want to make sure
that they understand about being

here, that being on
the straight and narrow,

that I am not going to let you
go to the right or the left.

You're going to have to do
this or you're out of here.

And I've also been
very, as you know Greg,

I've..

With guys, if guys aren't going
to be on the straight and narrow

or do things I want to do
whether you're a second chance

guy or not, I believe in
discipline with the program.

I believe in structure.

And if guys don't
have two feet in,

they're going to be moved out.

And, um, I had to do it.

You know we've had
to do it in the past.

I've done it before.

I don't want to have
to do it in the future.

But if it's called for, I
have no problem doing it because

nobody is bigger
than the program.

Let me also say this.

Starting August 1 in 2015, no
longer are any waivers accepted.

If you transfer..

Let's say a guy like Kedran
Johnson or Calvin or any of

these guys..

This is not just Memphis.

This is all across the country.

There's no more of
the waiver process.

It's out.

The only way someone can play
right away is if it's a graduate

transfer.

So, anything in the
future moving forward,

you will have to sit a year.

Wow, that's interesting.

Starting August 1, 2015.

Okay.

Let's go over
some of these guys.

Very briefly give
me some thoughts.

Kedran Johnson comes
in with experience.

Obviously at the
point guard position,

very, very young
going in to this season.

Before Kedran,
with Pookie Powell,

Markel Crawford.

Does Kedran..

And I know you're not going
to give away your hand here,

but obviously he's going to
get a shot to be the starter.

And most people would
think with his experience,

he would be.

But I imagine its wide
open once you get to camp.

Well, it's going
to be wide open.

And I told him this.

He's going to have to
earn everything he gets.

We're not going to
give anything to him.

And Pookie and
Markell are good players.

Dominic Magee is a good player.

And the thing with Kedran is
he's been a two year starter

pretty much on a Vanderbilt team
that's very well coached with

Coach Stallings and
playing in the S-E-C,

you know, has been in
the hostile environment.

So, he understands it.

But he's going to
have to earn it.

And he's got to
be in great shape.

He came in.

He wasn't in basketball
shape coming in here.

He was just flat out.

You would have been in
better shape than him.

I'm telling ya.

Now he's worked hard.

Strength coach has done a good
job with him and he continues to

get himself in shape.

But that's going to
be a big key for him.

With the loss of Woodson, you
lose some of the depth in the

front court.

And you were
already thin going in.

So, Godfrey is
going to be important.

Godfrey is going to be very
important for us for that depth

in the front court.

But, you know, I don't think
we're a big team as in terms of

a wide team.

We are a long team.

And we have to use
that to our advantage.

Like, Kuran
Iverson's legit six-nine.

Nick King is six-seven.

Austin is long.

He's six-nine long.

Shaq is six-eight.

Calvin Godfrey is
six-seven but long.

We've got long.

Like Markel is a big guard.

And you hope that
length disrupts teams.

We have to utilize our length
and I know a lot of people in

town have always talked
about us playing zone.

And are you going
to play more zone.

And, you know, obviously our
basis is going to have to be

man.

But we are going to
be playing some zone.

And we can be a very good
zone team because of our length.

The key to being a good zone
team is you have to utilize your

length.

You can't have your hands down.

You have to have your hands out
and high and we'll extend that

court by using the
length to your advantage.

Because even a guy
like Pookie Powell,

he's six-one but his
arm length is long.

And we need to put that to our
advantage as much as we can.

You stressed
physicality in the off season.

You want to be more physical.

You don't want to
get pushed around.

You bring in a guy
like Chris Hawkins,

who's pretty tough.

Chris Hawkins is
really good in Canada.

I mean he's a hardnosed guy.

The biggest thing
with Chris and,

you know, knock on wood, his
whole thing is about staying

healthy.

And, uh, he's got to lose weight
and we've got his weight down.

We'll continue to make sure
that he keeps his weight down.

The biggest thing is
taking care of his body.

And I think the
less body fat he has,

the most he's stretching
with our strength coach,

the better.

But he's a guy that
plays with a great motive.

He's an undersized guy.

He's one of those guys, Greg,
that was not highly recruited.

But then people go
where'd you find him.

And he's a guy that's going
to be a big piece for us.

Alright, quick thoughts.

A number of things we want to
get in before we got to let you

go.

Nick King, will he
basically be a three this year?

Nick King will play.

He will play at the three.

He will also play at the four.

But Nick King has to be
able to guard the perimeter.

But him and Kuran can be
interchangeable in a lot of

different areas.

But Nick King.

You will see Nick
King on the perimeter.

Yes you will.

That leads in to that question.

So, Kuran is interchangeable.

But where is his best position?

It seems like Iversons
better with the ball.

But I think Nick
and Kuran are both.

I call it the Kuran box.

We have a box for Kuran where
he's not too stretched out on

the floor too far.

I think both guys are
very good around the rim.

And that's where they're active.

Nick's got such a great nose
for being around the ball.

So, um, they're both different
but they both can create matchup

problems for the other team
because they can feed off of

each other and they're first
tall enough to play either spot.

You mentioned with
the new additions,

you could be a preseason
top 25 but possibly not.

In years past, you have been.

And you like it.

You said I love
being ranked, Greg.

Well, if you're not, do you
use that to your advantage?

Well, I think what we're doing..

And I do believe this.

I prefer to be ranked.

Anyone who says
you don't want to,

you're wrong.

I want to be
preseason ranked number one.

So, um, I do think if everyone
is eligible and I get everyone

through with the waivers, I do
believe we're right there at a

top 25 team.

If not, then we're probably
not going to be ranked on that.

And that's fine.

I mean we're going to have to
earn our way back in there.

And again, you just
earn it on the court.

But, um, you know, the biggest
thing is it's not about using it

for motivation, I think what
we're doing right now is I've

been a big believer in
discipline but in disciplining

the individual.

This offseason I have done
everything disciplining,

holding the team accountable.

When one person screwed up, the
whole team was paying the price.

And I think that's been a big
change for us and has really

helped us.

And I think that's going to
make us better going in to the

season.

How does Keelon Lawson fit
in in your coaching staff?

Keelon has done
an excellent job.

You know, I've got two veteran
veteran guys in Robert Kirby and

Aki Collins, both
future head coached.

Guys have been around they
do an amazing job for me.

Keelon comes in.

He's been a head coach, a very
successful high school coach.

And the bottom line is, Greg,
he's been better than I thought

he's been.

I mean he's been good.

He knows the game.

He's been good with
our guys, worked hard.

He's been a sponge.

He wants to learn.

And so, I've been very, very
happy and pleased with Keelon.

I know you're very excited
about the schedule this year.

Yeah, we are.

And, um, we have
a tough schedule.

And it's not easy.

And I know some of the fans
locally want us to have every

home game with big
names and this and that.

But the teams that
we have are good,

good R-P-I games.

That's very important.

And people have to understand
I've got to hit 18 home games

for the budget.

We have to hit 18 home games.

Once football starts
really getting going,

and it's going to happen.

They're going to get it going.

And we're packing that place.

Maybe we don't have to have as
many home games and we can do

more homes and home.

But I can't always do just
home and home and get everyone.

Because if it's a name that
everyone's still aware of,

they're going to ask us to
return it the following year,

which puts you off balance.

You have to have 18 home games.

I'm required to do that
due to the budget situation.

So, people have to understand
sometimes I just can't go get

this name, that name, this name,
that name because I have to get

teams that are not going to
require us to return the game

the following year.

But I do know and Tom Bowen
said last week on our show that

they're working on a
couple of top 25 opponents.

We are.

And getting out of
some of the tournaments,

the so-called three or four day
tournaments with Orlando or like

Vegas, moving those out and
doing an exempted event where

you just do a mutual site game
and then play three home games.

Then you have more flexibility
to do more home and home.

And that's what
we're trying to do.

I would like to be able to get
to the point where every year,

we're having two or maybe three
marquee home name teams coming

on the non-conference.

Let's not forget
this isn't C-U-S-A.

This is the American.

We still got S-M-U
coming, Connecticut coming,

Cincinnati, Temple.

We've got some great home teams
coming here that it's not like

it was back a few years ago.

Hey, Josh.

We're so happy you took
the time out to be with us.

I know it's a busy
time recruiting wise.

You're back on the road and
doing the things you need to do.

Thank you so much.

Thanks, Greg.

I appreciate you.

You do such a
great job with this.

Tigers Head Coach Josh Pastner.

We'll take a break.

Overtime is next.

[theme music]

(male announcer)
  Three..

Two..

One..

[buzzer sounds]

It's awfully hard to turn on
your television in the summer

and not run into the hit
program American Ninja Warrior.

These men and women are special.

They're athletic,
talented and entertaining.

And one of these special
performers resides right here in

the Memphis area and his
athletic abilities on a

trampoline are likely familiar
to Memphis Grizzlies Fans.

Brent Ruffin is a member of the
high flying Kings of the Court

dunk troupe who
perform at Grizzlies games.

But Brent is also an
American Ninja Warrior,

who goes by the
alias "Redneck Ninja".

Recently I met up with Brent
at his Cross Kick Gym in Atoka.

Alright, Brent.

I know everybody wants to know.

Redneck Ninja.

Where did that
nickname come from?

Um, before I left for
Saint Louis this year,

I had a couple of friends
who were just like man,

you know, the hunter,
the duck hunter guy,

you're the Redneck Ninja.

And I was like, sure.

And it didn't
really stick in my mind.

But whenever I
got to Saint Louis,

the producers were,
uh, they were like,

do you have any kind of
nickname or anything.

And I was like the only one that
stuck out was like The Redneck

Ninja maybe.

And they were all over it.

You're here at your gym.

So, obviously you work out and
stay in shape with things in

this gym.

But this is not like the
obstacle course that you went

through.

So, how do you practice for
something like American Ninja

Warrior?

You know, like I said in several
of my interviews with American

Ninja Warrior, I like to
use my natural surroundings.

I like to use trees and just
really work on my grip strength.

I'll go out there
and do, you know,

like five minute holds on
tree limbs and stuff like that.

And I'll gradually increase the
size of the tree limb and just

really try to
improve my grip strength.

But I've been traveling to
several courses this year.

And guys would
build these obstacles.

And that's really
what's helped me out a lot.

How did you get hooked on this?

Why did you want to do it?

You know, I started kind of
watching the show when I was 15,

16 years old when
it was in Japan.

And, you know, I thought to
myself I could potentially do

that kind of stuff.

And then some time went on.

And I saw that they brought
the show over to America.

And I remember sitting over at
my girlfriend's house one day

and, um, and her dad
was like, you know,

you should really try this.

You should try to
get in to this.

I think you could do it.

So, I kind of did some
researching and I got together

with a buddy of mine
who was a production guy.

And we sent a video in
and they gave me a call.

You send a video
in for season five.

And you went down to
try to qualify in Miami.

It didn't work out for you.

You come back.

You have to do a whole new video
for this past season and you

make it.

Now you go to Saint Louis.

Tell us the story, first of
all, about the weather in Saint

Louis.

It was ridiculous.

The weather there was crazy.

We got there.

It was like 71 degrees the day
we were doing our T-V interviews

and all the paperwork
and that kind of stuff.

And we were all just, you know,
we were enjoying the weather.

It was extremely nice outside.

One of the guys, Joe the
weatherman down there,

one of the
competitors was like, hey,

we got a big storm
system coming in.

It could potentially
change the weather.

That night we were going
over the rules and everything.

The big storm came through.

We woke up the next morning and
it was snow flurrying outside.

Still had to go
on with the show.

Oh, yeah.

Absolutely.

29 degrees or not.

You make that
first qualifying run.

You succeed.

You get on there on the top.

You hit that red button
there, whatever it is.

How good of a feeling was it?

Oh, it's great.

When I made it up the wall, man,
I thought I was about to break

that button off, man.

It was a great feeling.

I had been
envisioning that moment,

you know, ever since I
applied for season six.

So, it was fantastic to get
up there and just smash it.

What was the hardest
part of the qualifying run?

The hardest part of the
qualifying run was the obstacle

right before the wall.

It's usually a pretty
grueling upper body obstacle.

They call it tilting ladders.

And basically, I mean, it's
like an upside down seesaw.

The ladders go up and down.

So, you have to
climb up backwards,

tilt one ladder down, climb back
down it and then reach over and

it's pretty long.

You had to reach over, grab that
one and essentially do the same

thing.

And with it being 29 degrees, it
was just extra grueling on the

upper body.

You reached the semi-finals.

There's only 30 participating.

And you don't
complete the course.

What happened there?

Um, you know, I don't know.

I'm not really sure what it was.

I just didn't feel the same
whenever I got on the stage that

night.

I felt a little
under the weather.

But I was like, you know,
the shows got to go on.

So, I gave it my best and made
it through the qualifiers again

and got to the next one.

That started the semi.

In the semi-qualifier,
there was a stand up ladder.

I made it up three runs, was
going up for the last one and

got my left arm up but the right
arm just quite didn't make.

So I tried to fix
it, tried to fix it.

The third time I
tried to, you know,

get it up over the last run,
there I went in to the water.

What's the hardest part about
being an American Ninja Warrior?

What would be your advice
to somebody who's out there

watching you and
wondering if they could do that?

Um, I would say the hardest part
is just being committed to your

training.

I mean it's grueling stuff
that we have to go through.

The upper body and the fingertip
and just the grip training that

you have to do.

I mean it's ridiculous.

I'll tell you this much.

I'm more sore from Ninja Warrior
training than I ever have been

from lifting weights or training
for wrestling and mixed martial

arts or any of that.

So, really just
staying committed.

And for somebody who's trying to
get in to the show and wanting

to go out there and
try to do this stuff,

start training now.

Get in the best
shape of your life.

Lose some weight.

Do that kind of stuff because
you're going to be carrying your

body weight
throughout the whole thing.

Well, you're a fit guy.

Obviously you
have this facility.

But you're already
training hard for next season.

You plan to return again.

Oh, absolutely.

I'm already
training for season seven.

So, now do you become
this local celebrity?

Do people?

I know the beard has been
trimmed but they know who you

are?

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

I just went in to a
hair cutting place today.

I had to get my hair cut.

And they were like, hey,
you're the Redneck Ninja guy.

And I was just like, oh my gosh.

Not only are you
the Redneck Ninja,

but also people may know you
from Grizzlies games part of the

King of the Court.

And so, you're one of those
guys up there jumping off the

trampoline with Grizz
dunking basketballs.

Tell me a little bit about that.

How'd you get involved?

I was training mixed
martial arts at the time.

Little did I know that the
Grizz mascot was training there.

He was just up there
trying to stay in shape.

I did some boxing
under his belt.

He said he's been watching
these for a couple of weeks.

We got to talking one day and I
still didn't know who he was.

And he was like, hey, you
know, I'm the Grizzlies mascot.

He was like, I'd like for you to
come out and try out for my dunk

team.

And, you know, I had been to a
couple of Grizzlies games at the

time.

And I asked him.

I said a dunk team.

You know, the Elvis guy
that's on trampolines.

I was like, no way.

And he said, yeah,
come out Monday.

I was like, okay.

So, I met him up at the gym
that they were training at.

I tried out and made it.

And the rest is history.

You're going in to
your fourth season.

Is that correct?

Yep, fourth season.

What's the, uh, the
most fun about doing that?

Uh, I would say just,
you know, the crowds.

You get to jump off a trampoline
and dunk a basketball.

You know what I mean?

And I've never been
able to dunk a basketball.

Just to be able to, you know,
get up there and learn these

stunts and these
tricks and just,

you know.

I love performing.

And performing in front of a
crowd and getting to do that

kind of stuff, I
mean it's been awesome.

You played a bunch of sports at
Mumford High but you didn't play

basketball.

No, not basketball.

Alright, so now the game plan is
just to work out to continue to

push yourself.

How do you get to
the next level?

You make it
through the semi-finals.

Maybe get to the finals.

Become a much bigger celebrity.

Maybe win the darn thing.

What do you need to do
to take that next step?

You know, just
keep training harder.

Just gradually take my
training up to the next level.

You know I stepped it up this
year and made it further than I

did last year.

The plan is just to
keep stepping it up.

I'm going to try to actually
trim a little more weight.

I'm one of the
bigger ninjas out there.

So, you know, I'm planning on
trying to trim about 10 more

pounds that way I can move my
body weight around a little

better.

Alright, last thing for ya.

You and I were talking before
we started taping this interview

about what goes on at the taping
of American Ninja Warrior.

What can you tell the folks?

What would surprise the people
about what happens when you go

up to where ever the
destination may be,

in your case Saint Louis?

Uh, probably the most
interesting thing about it is

just how back to back
to back everything is.

I mean as soon as you show
up to the qualifying course,

you're shooting interviews.

You're doing paperwork.

You're going over the
rules, going over the obstacles.

You've never seen
the obstacles before.

You've never seen the
course that they set up.

And I mean, like I said,
just back to back to back.

I mean, you know,
when you're there,

you better be ready to go.

He is the Redneck Ninja.

Brent, thank you so much.

Best of luck to ya.

I appreciate you.

Great stuff from
the Redneck Ninja.

On the Gridiron, the Memphis
Tigers did something last

Saturday that is awfully rare.

They won over fans while
losing a football game.

But it's the way they lost that
had local football fans buzzing.

The 23 point underdog
Tigers made a trip to Pasadena,

California where they
battled 11th ranked U-C-L-A.

The Tigers lost in a shootout
42-35 but won the admiration of

a city.

Redshirt sophomore Quarterback
Paxton Lynch threw for 305 yards

and a touchdown
on 27-41 passing.

He added a score on the ground.

Brandon Hayes, Doroland Dorceus
and Sam Craft added touchdowns

and defensive back Fritz Etienne
added a fourth quarter pick-six

that tied the game at 35.

The Tigers offense finished
the game with 469 yards of total

offense.

Memphis will have this weekend
off and will return to action a

week from Saturday at home
versus Middle Tennessee State.

And finally the Memphis
Redbirds' season came to abrupt

end last Saturday as they fell
to Omaha three games to one in

the P-C-L Northern
championship series.

Omaha advanced to their fourth
straight P-C-L championship

appearance.

And that will put a
wrap on the show.

Next week we air
on a special day,

Friday the 19th at 7:30.

So, go ahead and mark it down.

Until then, have a great week,
and we'll see you next time.

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