All right, let's drop the puck.
Curtin about to go up on another season of action and cool promotional nights and giveaways for the Cincinnati Cyclones. They open the season Saturday Night versus the Wheeling Nailers at Heritage Bank Arena. Seven thirty drop of the puck, two dollars, hot dogs, SODA's and beer calendar giveaway to the first five thousand fans. And my next guest, who's back. He's the captain, He's the franchise favorite. He's the fan favorite. He's the franchise all time later in goals and games played.
He's a former Miami Redhawk. He is justin vibe.
How are you?
I'm good, Lance. I like the intro. I appreciate it.
It is great to hear your voice. It is great to have you back. If if my math calculations are right, this is like year sixteen and you're eleventh training camp with the Cyclones.
Does that sound about right?
That is correct? Yes?
Let me ask you the obvious question, probably the question that bores you because everybody's asking your thirty six What keeps you coming back to this sport?
I think the biggest thing is it's you know, one career path that once you retire and kind of hang them up, you can never really go back. So I always kind of told myself that as long as my body and kind of everything was going to allow me to, I was just going to play for as long as I could, because once I finally retire, I can't come back.
You've seen it all, You've done it all. Are you comfortable offering inside and advice to the young guys on a team like this?
Yeah, of course, I think that's you know, probably one of my biggest dowsets and roles on the team is just to kind of help guide these guys along the path. A lot of first year pros, a lot of guys that first time in this league, So just kind of being that sounding board and giving advice and kind of showing guys the right way to do things.
By any chance, do any of your teammates give you a hard time? Do they call you grams or old man or anything.
Occasionally I get the back end of something, I think, I think they stay away from it in front of me.
Yes, Yes, You've You've played for a lot of coaches over the years. You've got a new one this year in Riley Weslowski. Give me your impressions of him.
So far awesome. He's he's extremely detailed, very structured. Uh, you know, he's very kind of even keel, and he wants us to play the same way, just you know, really detailed in what we're going through. But at the same time, he's going to give guys the uh the ability and kind of the least, so to speak, to make their plays and kind of show their skills.
I uh, I don't take this as I'm rushing you to retire, but have you ever as much as you've seen and done, have you ever thought of coaching when you eventually are done.
Yeah, it's definitely definitely crossed my mind. I think anybody in any career, I guess for that matter, even outside of sports, if you do something for your kind of whole adult life, you know, when once it's finally done or passed by, you know, you want to stay involved with whatever way you can. And uh, I think I definitely would like to give it a shot and kind of see how I like it.
You know, the city, you know, the fan base, What does this city?
What does the Cyclones fan base mean to you?
Oh, they're they're amazing. And they're honestly in that first answer, it probably part of the reason why I do keep coming back. You know, the crowd is just keep getting better and better and louder, and uh, you know, that's just so special coming back every year here and I haven't seen the same faces, and just you know, we have such a great support system through the city and I'm just to keep it, keep it going.
I believe congratulations or an order. I was watching an interview you did with your play by play voice to find play by play voice Rudy Hodgson. You mentioned a new addition to the family. Our congratulations order for a new a new baby by chance.
Yes, a new baby girl now I've heard is about four months old.
Now I'm told from high level, behind the scenes sources there might be a story behind that name.
Can you tell me the story?
Well, there is two to the story, but one was, yeah, I did play in the city Hartford, so yes, there is a connection there. But also my wife actually brought it up first. Oh, and she saw it somewhere and when she said it, that was initially exactly what I thought that I was like, Oh, I played there first years. I actually really liked it and so yeah, after that, we kind of looked at each other and we were like, that's that's what we're going with.
That is awesome.
You know, my son is Casey and I named after the former Red Sean Casey, and my wife went along with it. I love the fact your wife was out in front on.
This, you believe it or not yet she brought up the name first, and then it just kind of worked perfectly.
It hasn't been Hartford has a much better ring than like bill Ville or Greenville or Fort Wayne, doesn't it.
That does for sure.
I also have been told by high level sources as you may be on at this moment or may have just completed a cruise.
Is that true?
I am currently cruising down the Ohio as we speak.
Wow, this is this on your own or is this like a team function?
No, We've done it for the past probably eight to ten years. It's a season ticket holder event just to kind of kick off the season the full teams here and just kind of a way for us to kind of connect with all the people that put in all the time coming to the games and kind of supporting us. So it's definitely a fun event and for all the new guys in the city. It's a definitely a cool thing for them to see the city at night all lit up from the river, so we always have fun with it.
That is awesome.
Cyclones open the season Saturday Night versus Wheeling a seven thirty drop of the puck two dollars, hot dog, sodas and beer. Can't beat that calendar giveaway to the first five thousand fans, Hey again, congratulations, it is so cool you are back here. And keep that keep that Rudy Hodgson.
In line for me, all right, I will do.
I'll let them know, all right.
Thanks Justin