Locked In with Ian Bick - Danbury Trashers, PRISON & 24 Hours To Get DRAKE A Jersey | AJ Galante

Episode Date: July 2, 2023

As a teenager, AJ Galante was the youngest person to ever be president of a professional ice hockey team. Purchased by his father, James Galante, the team was called the Danbury Trashers. After AJ’s father gets swept up in a federal indictment and sentenced to years in Federal prison, the team is disbanded and AJ is forced to navigate life without his father and reinvent himself. In this episode we dive into the epic rise and fall of the Danbury Trashers, what it was like for AJ to visit his father in prison and what it’s like to reinvent yourself after failure.Connect with AJ Galante:https://instagram.com/official_ajgalante?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==https://instagram.com/dbtrashers?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==Watch the Netflix Documentary:https://www.netflix.com/title/81026438?source=35 Connect with Ian Bick: https://www.ianbick.com/Subscribe to our membership program on YouTube to get early access to interviews, see behind the scenes photos & more:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRvVklIft6DMelVW18M0oBw/joinPowered by Q29 Productions, LLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You said this place was steps from the water. We just haven't found the steps yet. How much did we save? Enough. Enough to get lost! Or you could book a stay with Hilton. Welcome to your oceanfront room. Just steps from the water.

The Hilton sale is on now. Book on Hilton.com or the Hilton app and save up to 20% to get the stay you expected. When you want savings, not surprises. It matters where you stay. Hilton, for the stay. Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is California's number one entertainment destination for today's superstars. Catch the Jonas Brothers return to the Yamava Theater stage on April 30th, the powerful vocals of Demi Lovato on May 17th,

and the signature Southern Country Rock of Eric Church on July 19th. Tickets on sale now at Yamavat Theater.com, only at Yamava Resort and Casino, celebrating its 40th anniversary. You in? Must be 21 to enter. On today's episode of Locked In, I have a super, super exciting story for you. I'm sitting down with A.J. Galante, who's from my hometown, Danbury, Connecticut. AJ's story is incredible from owning and being the president of the Danbury Trashers, which was recently featured in a Netflix documentary called Crime and Penalties,

to his father going to federal prison on relation to his ties with the mob. In this episode, we dive into A.J.'s upbringing. his time running the Danbury Trashers, what it was like to visit his father in federal prison, and how he was able to create an act too for himself by opening up champs, boxing in Danbury, and starting a whole new life. Also, before we dive into today's episode, I just want to thank you guys, man. We were in the top 50 on Spotify last week for society and culture. It is incredible how fast this podcast has grown in such a short amount of time. I appreciate you guys all that listen, tune in, and bear with us as we continue to grow and learn from this whole podcasting experience.

Also, if you guys could take a second, just please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast from. It really helps us progress the show and get it out there to more people. Hope you guys enjoy my interview with AJ Galante. This hits home for me because AJ's from my hometown and our stories are so similar and so connected yet so different. And I hope you guys enjoy Locked in with Ian Bick. A.J. Galante, welcome to Lockton, man. It is such an honor to be sitting here with you today. I don't even know what to say, man. Like, I've known of you for so long, but we never really met or connected, like, really close until this year. And I just feel like you've always been a part of my life in some way. And I

I like really look up to you. And it's been like my dream to have you on this pod since we first started when we first talked about it and we finally made the time. No, I appreciate the opportunity, man. Same thing. It's like, you know, Danbury in the house right now. It's weird because it's like, same thing I knew of you. And, you know, you'd hear things. And I was just like, oh, the kids run in a club. That's hilarious. I loved it. You know, I was just like, it's right up my alley. You know what I mean? That's my type of guy. So it's, it's so. funny. Like I said, to connect and, you know, it's crazy because it's, you know, we're, where we're from, it's a small, you know, city, but, you know, never until this year really,

you know, run into each other. So it's, it's, uh, appreciate the opportunity. Yeah, we live these like sensational crazy type stories in different time periods. Like yours was like early 2000s and mine was like after 2010 and like our stories are so connected yet so different. It is. And And then the same thing. I mean, you know, when I heard, you know, because obviously both of us have been in the news, one, you know, good, bad, and different. And same thing. When I started hearing about you, you know, knowing people I was close with didn't know you know you either. And they're like, hey, have you heard about that kid?

And I kind of vaguely looked through it. I'm like, wow, that's a crazy, that's a crazy story. And that's, like you said, just crazy stories. That's what we have. It's it's it's nuts, man. I think the listeners are really going to appreciate like hearing about like where I came from kind of like to see that correlation of what Danbury is and also to hear your story. Yeah. With the spotlight being on you and your craziness.

So starting at the beginning like we know you're from Danbury, Connecticut or that area. Yeah. How did you grow up? What's your childhood like? Childhood was um you know it's it's such a funny question because look, it was a good. childhood. You know, I wasn't, I wasn't brought up in the streets. I wasn't brought up tough that way. But from a young age, I was around a lot of gritty different stuff. You know what I mean? And it's weird because it's just so normal. And when you look back, I mean, I'm going to be 37 years old

in a month or two months, Jesus. And, you know, I kind of look back and it's nothing abnormal, but I guess compared to the majority of people, I know it could be an abnormal story. You know what I mean um you know my father was a big deal on you know the the the largest um you know sanitation companies on the east coast basically so he was you know i was always um i was always at the garbage yard you know what i mean on the summer you know i it's not i don't say it to sound funny or cool but that's how it was the summer's 90% of it was at the garbage yard you know what i mean and and from a young age five to like 12 you know my time at the garbage yard was just in the office with my father observing stuff i didn't even know what i was doing had i was just sitting there with them

you know what i mean and uh you just i really realized you know how young kids could absorb a lot of just you know just experiences seeing things and uh but i had a good childhood you know um you know large family lots of cousins um you know i can uh and a mom dad's yeah both both my parents um my parents, my sister's younger, four years younger than me. I guess you would call it pretty normal, but I've always felt like I had, I don't want to say two lives, but I've always felt like, you know, you had like my regular home life. And then it was just like, you know, I'd be out with my dad or at the office or the garbage yard. It just felt different, you know, and looking back, it was different. But I wouldn't trade it for the world, honestly. Were you aware of it at the time

that, like, you had a different lifestyle, that your dad was very successful. And that, that your life was different. I mean, I was watching the Netflix documentary and you literally had what, the biggest pro wrestlers of the world at your birthday party. Oh, man. That's not normal. You know, my dad always seemed, at a young age,

my dad always seemed larger than life to me. You know, and I think most, look, you have a father, you know, most, all boys have fathers, but fathers that are in a boy's life, they're always, like, bigger than life, I guess, to a kid. But it just seemed different with my dad. I mean, we'd be out and about and everybody would come up to him and this and that.

He just, he always had a nice car. And, yeah, man, it was like he just, he has a presence without even trying. He doesn't, like, there's people that try to impose their will or try to, you know, press up on you or something like that. But my dad doesn't, he just has, he could just walk in and, you know, he could be on the other side of the building. You just know he's there. It's weird.

It's hard to explain, but he's always had that presence to him. So I guess in that sense, I just, you know, you know, because I'd go over friends houses and be with their parents. And, you know, I was always respectful to, you know, guys. But my dad just commanded a different type of respect. It was weird. And it wasn't like he was trying. It's just a natural thing for him.

Did you, like, gravitate towards that and kind of idolize that? Oh, yeah. Oh, I wanted, um, I'm so much like my father in so many ways. It's weird. And I don't know if he'd ever admit that, you know, because my dad is a one of a kind. But I've, um, sometimes I'll be at the gym in the office. And, you know, it's, uh, it's, uh, uh, same thing. The gym's a little gritty and so, but it's like I catch myself thinking or talking like,

not trying to be like, you know, like him, you know, but I just like, wow, I just sounded like my dad back in like 97. You know what? It's weird. It's just, um, it's just what you grow up with. I just, you're, you know, when you say you're a product of an environment, I don't necessarily say that's your town or your zip code. It's the people around you. You know what I mean? And, um, you just kind of morph, you, you kind of, you, you, you, you gel into who you're around. It's, it's, I really believe that. What's like middle school and early high school like for you? All about wrestling.

You know, my first love was like pro wrestling. I was convinced, Ian, I swear to you, I was going to be a wrestler. And my mom to this day, it's funny because, you know, I went to my first wrestling match. It was Madison Square Guard. I want to say 93, 94. I was just hooked. And, you know, like most people in the night, you know, most of my buddies, you know, all were wrestling fans. But me and another kid named Mike, we were just on a different level.

of this love, and I swear to you, my mom would use wrestling against me if I got in trouble, or you're not watching wrestling. My mom to this day still has a letter. I slid under her door. I want to say 97, 98. I got in trouble, don't know what I did. And she said, well, you're not watching the pay-per-view tomorrow,

whatever the wrestling event was. And my mom, and I got to get it, because I'd like to frame it, to be honest with you. I wrote an essay of how I won't do anything wrong again. I need wrestling. I was like a, I sounded like a crackhead, to be honest with you. I was like, I need wrestling in my life. I can't live without it, please.

Like, I think she ended up letting me watch it. But she brought that up like about a year ago. She looked what I found. And, you know, she's got all my old diplomas and report cards. And she had this wrestling, like, just pleading with my mom. That's so interesting because I used to do the same thing. Oh. Except it was house parties.

They say no more house parties. And I wrote a letter saying everything. That was our, I slid it right under the door. I think it was in an envelope and everything. And, uh, but yeah, wrestling you know middle school high you know middle school especially was just all about wrestling and then i got into hockey you know started playing you know we didn't have a danberry ice arena when i was in middle school so we'd have to go to brewster and you know it's just uh it was wrestling hockey

wrestling hockey but more so wrestling when i got into high school it kind of you know wrestling who was always part of my life but it kind of turned more into about hockey and um you know you just uh you know you know you know going to the garbage yard at the summers you know i mean it was kind of of like, you know, during school, it was sports and wrestling, and then the summer just felt like it was just all about working and going to the yard. Did you go to Danbury High? No, so I went to New Fairfield schools. So I lived right on the border. So I always wanted to go to Danbury schools because my cousins were in Danbury and stuff. But I actually ended up, you know, because I lived on the border going to New Fairfield schools, which looking back, I'm kind of

happy I did because it was a little more intimate settings with the schools and stuff like that. But yeah, no, I went to New Fairfield High School. Are you a studious type? person, like getting good grades? Or how was like your academics? I was just lazy. You know, you know what it is? I'll be honest with you. You know, I kind of knew early on I'm going to work with my dad. You know, it wasn't like, what do you want to be when you grow up an astronaut, a president, you know, a ballplayer. I just knew I was going to just work with my dad. It was like an unwritten, unsaid thing. So in a way, I was very lazy because it was like, you know, I wasn't a bad student. I could have got straight A's if I wanted to, but I was just lazy because,

I was just like, you know. Do you think you like had it all set or do you want to, did you actually want to work for it? No, I know I was a hard worker, but I was always behind the eight bowl, to be honest, Ian, because, you know, when you grow up, my dad was, you know, he was a little flashy too, he had nice cards. You know, we had money, you know, I mean,

we weren't billionaires, but we weren't, you know, we weren't worrying about food for the week, you know. So for me, it was almost embarrassing because I always felt like I had more than other people. And you know, as a man, it's like you don't want to be looked at as the guy that's, you know, I hate the word spoiled. I say I was very fortunate. And it forced me, you know, respect is a big thing for me.

And I felt like I was an underdog when it came to gaining respect because, you know, you know, especially as a young kid, oh, this kid, oh, he's spoiled, he has everything he wants. I didn't want to be known as that. So I feel like I had a switch and I tried to be at times overly tough, I guess, you could say. I always was attracted to like, you know, when I would play sports, I was very aggressive. And I think that was part of trying to gain a respecting. Kind of like jail, right? You know, guys that go to jail, you know, they're trying to impose their will.

I mean, I guess in a weird sense, that's what I wanted. I didn't want to be known as a spoiled little brat because I know on the surface some people may have thought that, but I know I wasn't. I mean, I wasn't a punk. And again, I was working. I mean, these kids were hanging out at home during the summers. I was in a garbage yard. It smelled in there. horrible. Then my dad put me to work. I mean, it wasn't, it wasn't, it wasn't, my dad, um,

he made sure I stayed pretty, very, very humble. Yeah, what were some like values? He instilled on you at that young age. Humble. It was always, um, you know, he would always, you know, you know, he'd tell you the, you know, the patent. You know, I had to walk uphill both ways to schools, you know, how dads do, but, um, it was true in a lot of his sense, you know, and as you get older, you start to realize, wow, he was telling the truth. It was like that for him and we grew up very different obviously he came from you know nothing dirt and he made something you know he had to work very hard to get to you know just to make a dollar really so being humble I think that's why he always wanted me at the garbage yard because um you know it's a humbling place

to be it's not like you know there's nothing really flashy about it and um I'd be out so you know when I got a little older I'd be out I'd be out in the transfer station separating recycling garbage you know, it was rats running all over the place. It was, uh, I think he got a weird joy out of it, too. I think it was funny because, you know, he was working when he was a kid. You know, he had to work on his father's truck before he even went to school. So it was always being humble and he humbled me many times, you know, and that's, that's important. I think it all comes down to being humble and, you know, earning respect. Yeah, now that you're older, are you more aware of how other kids might have thought of you that didn't see the behind the scenes? Ian, I still, to the,

this day have a chip on my shoulder. You know, I'm going to be, I'm 30, I'm a grown man. I'm going to be 37 and I still have a chip on my shoulder like I have something to prove. You know, and it's just, I just think we all kind of have our thing, what we're trying to overcome. Some people overcome poverty, some people, you know, it's funny, guys that overcome poverty I've learned and have money to last two lifetimes are always afraid of going broke. You know what I mean? It's just because they had to over overcome that fear of I had nothing, I gained it, I could lose it. Me, it's the respect thing. It's, um, I've always feel like, you know, you got to earn the respect, um, you know, one way or the other. And, uh, I just think we all have that one little thing that just will stick

with us forever. That's just my feeling, you know, and that's, that's, but no, I've always seen how it, look, you know, I, I'm at the gym and I see a 17 year old and I'm thinking, man, imagine giving that kid a hockey team or something you know what i mean i'm like i couldn't imagine so i i understood at a young age you know when i got these opportunities it was like man i'm going to get a lot of shit for this and and people are going to think this but you know i got to an age where i was like you know i don't care i'm just going to take the risk i'm going to do it you know i mean and it was a lot of pressure i mean i tell people to this day my dad would fire me if he had to and i tell people i promise you if he had to my dad would fire me so i always felt the pressure and i always felt like i had a

him for believing in me or I had a reward anyone who had it showed any faith in me to I'd have to work double as hard but people didn't see that behind the scenes like they think of they thought you were like the rich kid or this and that sure of course I mean nice clothes nice shoes nice cars you know and and I don't blame them because people don't know I mean you don't know any better I mean that's like people that don't know me and my story they look at they you know but I learned that early I'm like you know what I mean people don't have a clue I mean we all have a story some of us just get lucky enough to have it told sometimes and it's what you do with it. I mean, look at what you did with your situation.

I mean, some guys would just be happy, oh, I got a, you know, a special TV. Look at me and that's it. You've turned it into something. That's why I say it's like, it's not, you know, don't judge someone based on what they're given. Judge them what they do with what they're given. You know what I mean? It's like anyone could give anyone anything.

It's like, what do you do with it? And I'm the same way. if I'm given an opportunity, how do I parlay that into something bigger, you know, plant these seeds? And it's just, I watch you from afar and up close. And it's like, you know, you didn't, this isn't luck. I mean, this is a beautiful studio. You got a huge following right now. I mean, you didn't, that's, you didn't just wake up one day, snap your finger and you get it. And I think that's what people's, and it's a jealousy thing too. I mean, people usually malicious, jealous people feel that way. They're like, oh, he's, you know, he's so lucky and this and that.

I mean, yeah, me and the guys were talking about it earlier. Like, HBO, Vice, they didn't give this to me. Like, this was hard work put in from the ground. And it's not about me anymore. Like, it's so much bigger. It's a movement. And that's what it is, man. It's like, even still, you know, same thing with Netflix.

They came to us. A lot of people think we made the, no, I mean, they came to us. They, which is wild to this day. And it's like, all right, I mean, we could have just rested on our laurels and said, oh yeah we have a documentary cool but you're grinding man how do you how do we how do we like squeeze as much out of the two pace as we can you know what i mean and that's that's what it is you know you you get the opportunity how do you how do you how do you run with it and not a lot of people can do it you know a lot of people they just not build for that did your dad share the same love for sports hockey

and wrestling that you did in high school no my dad was a football guy you know he um i didn't think he understood hockey at first because hockey wasn't big where we're from you know when we're were, you know, when I was younger too, and my dad was like, hockey, you know, he wanted me to be a football guy all the way. And, uh, and, you know, it's weird because football's an aggressive sport and I was kind of aggressive as a player with anything I played, and it just didn't stick with me for some reason. And, uh, but my dad would do anything, you know, he, he just learned, I think he learned to love it at first because I was doing it. Wrestling, you know, wrestling, you know, wrestling, you know, he watched a little when he was younger because he would tell me stories. I mean, he never went to events,

but he would tell me stories of guys he'd watch. watch on TV and stuff. So I think he had a little more love for wrestling than hockey. But as he started watching me play hockey, you know, my dad, you know, he's not going to sit back and watch. So he started like really learning about it. And, you know, he bought warm-up suits for our high school team. You know, he can't. And it's, it's just, that's just the way he is. And, you know, he just learned to, he legitimately learned the game. And he learned the rules. And he could tell you about it, like legitimately. But he didn't stop there. He literally came home one day and said, we own a hockey. hockey team.

Listen, I've told this story a thousand times and if you watch any time I've told it, I do this on purpose because it's like you're going to hear the same story verbatim. I don't make this up. I just remember it was a Sunday. We're having, you know, macaroni. My mom cooked. It was just a normal Sunday and I'll never forget. He walked in and I was 17 and I was halfway through my senior high school and he just

sat down. He was to my left ahead of the table where he eaten. and he goes, you know, he shrugs. Yeah, I'm starting a pro hockey team. And I'm just like, see, my dad, if you know him, he's a ball breaker. So my dad tests people. Like he'll joke with you to see how you're going to react. So I thought he was joking.

So I wasn't like, oh, dad, you're crazy. I was just like, oh, that's a great idea. You know, I'm like, what are you? I'm thinking like, you're nuts. You know, but I'm like, oh, that's a great idea, dad. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And he goes, yeah, no, I'm serious. I'm, you know, it's going to start in the,

and, you know, you want to run it? You're going to be the president or GM or whatever? I'm like, sure, yeah, let's do it. That makes so much sense. You know, I'm being sarcastic back. And I'm thinking he's joking, I'm being sarcastic back. But for my dad, that's all he needed to hear. All right, that's a verbal contract now.

So two weeks later, I'm, you know, I walk into school and everyone's kind of looking at me weird and I'm just like, you know, something on my back or something. You know what I mean? A science teacher, I remember, came up to me. He's like, wow, this is, that story is insane. I'm like, what are you talking about? I thought I was dreaming. He goes, you're running a hockey team in the fall while you go to college?

And I'm like, what? First of all, I wasn't even accepted to a college at that point. So I was stressed out about that. And I go into the library. They got those newspapers on those big ass sticks. You know what I mean? And I'm looking at picture of my dad, picture of me. And I'm like, first of all, where they got a picture of me?

I don't know, but it's just said, you know, my dad was bringing the team and I was going to run it. I was 17. Dude, I was like, you know when you just get, you know when you feel like you're not even present? Like, I felt like I was floating. I was like, what is, like, what's going on? And the funniest thing of that story is we go back home. It was 7.30 on the dot was dinner.

Like, he would come in at 729. Like, when I tell you, like, military, 729, the garage goes up. He comes in. 7.30, everyone better be. at the at the table and that day it's like he sat down he looked at me i didn't say anything to him he didn't say anything to me we're just such weirdos sometimes and we just sat there and looked at no one talked that whole dinner i went upstairs went to bed i'm looking at the ceiling all night and i'm like i got to get out of this this guy's insane he really meant it and and uh i'm like what

is this a joke you know i i was tossing and turning all night and i was like well listen my dad always said, you know, say what you mean, me what you say. I told him I'd do it, so screw it. We've got to do it, you know, and that was it. That weekend, we just sat down with a legal pad, started writing random stuff down. I mean, it really is, the more I think about it, it really is a weird and nutty story, but that's really how it started. Did you know that that wasn't normal, like for that age? Were you comprehending that? So, so I talked to my mother about two months ago, and we were talking, and I was just like, can you believe, like, I was like, if you really look back, is this like, this is so weird, like, how this story, like, just took off.

And she said, AJ, this is not normal. Like, we normalized it as a family, you know what I mean? But it's not. I look back and I'm like, she's right. It's just, it felt normal. I mean, but that's just how I grew up. It was just like, if my dad wanted to do something, he would just do it. And it was just like, my dad is a very shoot first, ask questions later type of guy.

and I was like that a little bit and then I started pulling back because I would see sometimes the repercussions of, you know, doing that. But my dad, if he has it in his head, that's what he's going to do. It's just a matter of when, not if. You know, he's just going to do it.

And this was a defining moment for the rest of your life. I mean, like it changed you. I mean, it just, it changed overnight because again, I'm halfway through my senior year of high school and I, you know, look, I knew I was going to work with my dad anyway.

But my mom was like, you have to go to college. I don't care. It was just like, it was like, I had to go to college. So I hadn't gotten accepted to college yet. I kind of had a half-ass serious girlfriend. I'm stressed. And now it's like a hockey team. And it's just like overnight.

It's changed. You go from like kind of like a regular kid to not a regular kid. And it was, and again, I take every, I think one of my biggest strengths is also one of my biggest weakness. I take everything I do super serious to the point where I don't enjoy anything sometimes. And I took it very serious. I'm like, I can't let my dad down. If this screws up, I know it's going to fall on me one way or the other, you know? So it was, yeah, I mean, it was, I mean, God, it's, it's almost 20 years since that conversation. And it's like, I look back and I'm like, my God, that was like, it feels like a hundred years ago, but it also feels like just yesterday. How did you

guys come up with the name the Danbury Trashers? That was all my father. And I tell you, you know, because he was in the trash business, and he was like, we're going to name it the trashers. And I didn't like it at first. I'm like, the trashers. And I really didn't like it. But what am I going to do? I'm not going to tell, you know, I'm like, well, it's what it is. And I just, I was like, I don't see it.

I don't get it. It's not going to work. And I wasn't some marketing genius. I just was a kid. But I'm just like, you know, I don't see it. And then sure enough, this gentleman who actually lives in Danbury, who I'm working. at a marketing firm in Manhattan was on a train, and he sketched what the Trasher logo is today.

He sketched it on a train, faxed it over to my dad's office, and I just came across it, and I was like, whoa, I was like, this is it. You know, this is, this is it. And it's, that logo changed everything. I was like, I was all in on the name at that point. I was like, but, no, that was all my dad.

He thought of the name and, uh, it's an iconic name now. Now it's like, it's like, it's a household name. Trasher. It's just the funniest, it's just still so bizarre. I mean, even almost 20 years later, sitting with you, it's just like the whole thing is just so bizarre to me. Now, I was 10 years younger than you, so I was, I'd see the news articles about the trashers, but I didn't fully comprehend it until I watched the documentary. Now, there's a lot, there's been a lot of hockey teams since the

Trashers in Danbury. What do you think made the Trashers special and so iconic that it's lived on for this long. You know what it is, Ian? I think it's a couple of things. I think people, people like, like, you never forget your first, right? So it's like we were the first pro hockey team in Danbury. So I think by default, people always, you know, I hear it all the time. Oh, it's not the same. It's not like the trash. Well, good. It's better because the trashers aren't around. So it's better that it's not like the trash is right now. You know what I mean? So, but I think people just saw how authentic We were about like the passion we had behind this team. And it wasn't just something we were doing.

It wasn't like a vanity project. You know, today I have to explain to my wife, half the videos she sees are fake on social media. She's like, oh, did you see that? I'm like, yeah, that's a fake video. I'm telling you right now. We weren't doing things for clout or going. There wasn't clout or viral back then. We did things to entertain ourselves and Danbury.

You know what I mean? So I think people just were like, wow, these guys are nut jobs. And they just like, we kind of catered to. that like blue, you know, that blue-collar crowd. But at the same time, you had doctors sitting next to felons, next to garbage guys, next to dentists. It was just like a, those games were just like a melting pot of people in the area. And we also had a lot of luck go our way.

You know, our first year, the trashers, the NHL had a lockout. So a lot of the upper echelon fans, I only watch NHL game, they were fiend for hockey. So they would come down to Danbury. And they were like, whoa. you know, we knew if we could get you in the door once you were going to be hooked. And, you know, and you know from promoting, that's what it's about. You have, you know, the first impression is everything.

So every game, you know, there was 82 games a year in the season. So you're talking 41 game, home games. Every 41 home games was like we had to make it feel like an event. And that's why people, I think people just saw the passion we had to, you know, with the product. And what made the trashers different? Because there's a few. Well, listen, we went in, you know, we, we talked. talk about, you know, my love for wrestling, you know, I love the bad guys in wrestling. You know,

as a young kid, I always, I always try to be different. I wanted to be like my dad. My dad was always trying to be different and he was different and I am different. And so every, all my buddies are rooting for the good guys, you know, the baby face in wrestling. I was rooting for the bad guys, you know, and I just loved everyone being mad at me that I like, that I like the bad. It was just weird. Dude, I don't drink. And to this day, people like, why don't you just have a drink? It just, I love the fact that I have an Android every day. Why have an Android? You're messing up our group chats.

I love the fact that people get so pissed, like passionately pissed at me. My wife is so mad every day. My best friend, man, if he's watching this, he's going to know every day. Someone's like, why do you have a Google Pixel phone? Like, yeah, you're a loser. This and I love it, dude. I just always loved being different or like the bad guy. And that's what we did with.

We're like, we're going to make the trashers, the bad boys of hockey, and like, this huge black bus. And when we came, it was like the circuit. I mean, we were, it was finding the biggest misfits and underdogs and like the outcasts. And we're like, we're going to stick them all together. And this is either going to be a catastrophe, a horrible failure, or it's just going to, all the stars are going to align. And the stars aligned for the most part.

And that's what it was. We're like, we're going to be the most hated team in this league. And we're going to win. And the fans are going to hate us, but they're going to love us secretly. And that's what happened. And what's it like to be that young? Because you're 17, 18, in the spotlight. You're always in the news.

And you're the president running this hockey team. What's that like? Again, it goes back to when I was younger. I always wanted to do these things because I'm like, I love the opportunity. I want to do it. But I was also kind of like humble about it. I also was shy about it. I went to college at Manhattanville College, right?

So 40 minutes away from Danbury. And, you know, this is before the real true days of social media. And even back then, there was MySpace. I didn't have a MySpace. I would go to school and I'd start hear rumblings. Oh, do you hear there's this minor league team in Danbury? I swear to God. And I wouldn't say, boo.

No one knew except two people in my college that I was close with. Nobody even knew I was involved. because I wasn't the type to be like, hey, I got this, I got that, come to the game. I was very bad salesperson because no one knew what I was doing, you know what I mean? But it was humble, but I had the, you know, just a lot instilled with me from a young age. Being humble, I would know how to talk to reporters or this. And, you know, I would be very conscious of don't come off like a dick. Because you're going to come off as a dick regardless.

I was 17. I had big chains, the fake Pearson Pogerson Pogne. go to earrings in and, you know, triple XL basketball. I was like, I'm a dick by default with these people. I don't, you don't have to, I always wanted people to be like, oh, well, he's not as, he's not as much of a dick as he looks. And that's really what happened with people. And I love that because, you know, I, look, I've always been authentically me.

I didn't care what people ever said about me. But with the trashers, I kind of said, you know what? I got to, I got to amp up a manufacturer bit of a personality. because it's part of the team. You know, people hated, oh, this got a spoiled 17, 18-year-old kid running a team. So I was like, let me go into my wrestling playbook, and I just became an obnoxious teenager in the suites,

throwing M&Ms at guys. And, oh, it was a wild time. But I'm like, you know what? I'm going to get the shit by default. I might as well, you know, enjoy it or amplify it and turn it into some sort of a marketing scheme almost. And there's like such a message behind that that people will look at someone in that because I, when the documentary came out, I looked at the photos, the old photos that I've never seen before. And then I compare that to me and I'm like, I could understand why people have been so opinionated over you, so opinionated over me. And we as humans form opinions on that, which are usually wrong. Listen, I tell people, not everybody is racist, but everybody is prejudice. Everybody prejudges people. Like I, I, I, I, I, I, I got stories where I can explain why I feel that way and it has nothing to do with race.

It's like I remember being in college and this was right after like the Virginia Tech shootings. Everybody was like on high guard with shootings and you have kind of a preconception of like what a school shooter looks like, right? You know what I mean? And I remember this kid walked into the lunchroom. He had a big trench coat on, hair down to his ass. I picked up my bag. I got the hell out of Dodge. And I was like, I'm about to.

I was prejudging this kid. Come to find out, he was top in my class at college. And I was just like, I judged this kid based on, you know, just these preconceptions. And he ended up being the nicest kid in the world. I felt like a major asshole, but that's everybody prejudges people. It really makes you think when you hear stories like that. Like it changes the perspective. Oh, yeah.

I mean, I'm telling you, I mean, even at the gym, people come in and I'm like right away, oh, this guy's going to be a pain in the ass. Oh, this guy's going to be a good guy. could be the total opposite. We all prejudge people. And I just think you just got to be patient and say, listen, let me peel back the layers a little bit, you know? And that's just the reality.

And I think I'm proof of that too because if I tell you how many people messaged me on Instagram on the trashers Instagram, I hated you the first 10 minutes of this doc. You're a scumbag. And I'm just like, thanks. And they're like, oh, but we ended up like, oh, thank you, Bob. I mean, I appreciate you. You know what I mean?

And that's like the purpose of this podcast because you get to know the human, being behind the salacious story. Listen, you can't, it's impossible, you know, it's impossible to understand everyone because it takes time to know someone. It takes a, there's not enough time in your life to get to know every person you're ever going to truly interact with. So, you know, it's, it's, you're not going to please everyone.

And that's just something you're going to have to, you know, learn to do. But it's good that there's, you know, outlets like this podcast and, you know, other people. I think it's a, it's a huge. thing for people to be able to see a different side. Yeah. Now, I don't want to focus too much on the hockey aspect because if anyone wants to hear that, they could go watch the documentary. But what do you think was the craziest story from your time, you know, being this young kid running the Danbury Trasher's hockey team? You know, we talked about this before, Ian, I'm naturally a kind of more of a private guy. And it's weird. It's kind of oxymoronic because I have a documentary. But I'm still like,

I'm in that mold growing up. Like, yeah, you just keep your mouth shut. Don't. And I'm still I'm getting better, but I struggle with it because there's so many stories. There's stories I still haven't even talked about yet because I'm like, oh, statute of limitations. You know, it's just, I'm weird. But I don't know, man, I just, that's just such a loaded question because there's just so many, there's just so many stories. And I would just say, like, really, you know, a lot of the pranks. I mean, it's childish stuff, but, you know, the pranks, you know, hockey's predominantly

played during the winter and we'd know we'd be we'd be looking at the weather forecast when it was going to be a cold night and you know anonymous people would allegedly pull fire alarms at the visiting team's hotels they'd be going out and their underwear's freezing their ass off i mean and it sounds like you know cheesy 90s humor but that's how it was i mean we just did things in to just we had like a little core circle and we just would be trying to outdo each other with these ideas and pranks and make each other laugh. And I think the biggest compliment, honestly, was when we would have guys the second season play with us that were against us the first year, I think the greatest compliment was, man, we're so happy to be on this side now because coming to, I never

forget this one guy said, look, we dubbed it the Danbury flu. Whenever guys were coming to play in Danbury, all of a sudden guys would be getting sick, they can't play. And that became a thing, the Danbury flew, visiting teams just did not want to play in Danbury because it was just like something's going to happen to you or your team one way or the one way or the other. Now on that note, you guys were known for being very violent. So what are like, what's like the craziest violent story you've heard from like the hockey aspect? I mean, probably our craziest player was Brad Wingfield. He played, you know, he was actually our first signee technically. And, you know, it was funny when, you know, when the adrenaline wears off after.

after my dad says, hey, I'm bringing a team and you're gonna be depressed. After all that adrenaline wears off and the reality sets in like, okay, we have to put a team together now. It kind of, you know, it's weird. There was no YouTube. You can't scout people. It was a different time.

And no one wanted to talk to us at first because they're like, who are these guys? They're coming in, you know, with all this bravado. I got nowhere with other agents because they didn't want to deal with us. So we had a crazy equipment manager who's featured heavily in the dock And he had been around the minor leagues.

And he said, listen, I don't know if he'll be available. He got arrested last month. But this guy, Brad Wingfield, is one of the, he's a minor league hockey legend. I'm like, why do you get in trouble? And he pulled out an article. He beat up like three or four corrections officers in a bar up in Elmira, New York. I'm like, oh, we got to get this guy. And we got him.

And he was, let me tell you something. Hockey enforcers are the sweetest guys off the. the ice the greatest like the guys you would bring around your families that's how great they are but on the ice this guy brad wingfield had a switch he was built like a vending machine and he just was no finesse just a brawler and and he just uh man i would see him sometimes um he had this little movie taught me in between your shoulder pads and your pants you have a little bit of exposed stomach and he would have this move where he'd get you on the ice and when the refs are jumping on you to break it up. He would pinch you so hard under your, I mean, he just had all these little dirty tactics,

and I loved them for it. I was like, this guy, but he was a violent player, man. I mean, broke a guy's nose. I mean, you don't see, it's funny, in hockey fights, you don't see brutal injuries like you'd expect, but for some reason, whenever he fought, there'd be a delay. They'd have to, you know, scrape off the splattered blood on the ice. I mean, just a total, total savage man he was he was he was something else could never work this day and age but it was fun while it lasted now i had heard like things from the doc and just like rumors that you guys would encourage fights to happen like people would get bonuses sure oh yeah on the chalkboard it was first fight five hundred dollars you know oh and these guys would be tripping over themselves to to

be the first ones to drop the gluck now here's the thing what people don't understand is it's one thing to have a violent team you know we wanted the tough guys and this But the bottom line is if the other team, if guys don't want to fight, I mean, you could jump them, but it doesn't do any good. First of all, it's a weak move. And two, you're going to get a penalty and we're screwed because we still wanted to win, you know? So that first year, nobody really wanted anything to do with us. And it was tough for a lot of the guys to find a dance partner, I guess. That second season, though, other teams were loading up with some tough guys and insurance.

And the second year was actually more fun because other teams were forced to get tough guys. to kind of counteract what we were doing. Yeah. Now, at the peak of this, how's your relationship with your dad? You know, it's, it's, it's, I thought it was good. I mean, it's, again, working father's sons are very tough to work.

First of all, nothing bad ever happened between us during those trashy days, but it's tough because he's still your dad, and he's writing the checks. So at the end of the day, it's, it's his stamper, there's nothing. And there'd be times where I'd have ideas and he didn't see it.

I'd be pissed or I'd be frustrated, but what can I do? And, you know, it's weird because like when you have a working relationship, you know, you could have a disagreement with someone. You go home, you sleep on it, you wake up, you're fine. I'd go home. You know, we live together. So it was a weird dynamic at times. When we'd lose a game, he'd re- Listen, no one in the history of sports in hockey,

let's say, has ever gone undefeated. 82 and no nobody but to my dad we should go 82 and no so we set a single season record as a like a rookie franchise for the most wins and stuff like that but still wasn't enough because we had like 14 loss every loss from the danbury ice arena garage back home was hell he ripped me this guy sucks why is he still on the team get rid of them and then the next morning don't get rid of them And I'm just like, what do you want me to do? So it's not easy at times. And there'd be times where he'd have ideas that I didn't agree with, but he's the boss.

And that's what it is. I think it's just tough when, you know, I'm still living at home. And you try to leave work at work, but you can't. It's impossible. You go home and we're talking. My mom would pull her hair out because all we're talking about is hockey, hockey, hockey, hockey, that was all it was. Where does your sister fall into play during this time?

Is she a part of it? My sister, so another story that no one's really told. And to me, it's the most underrated story of the two seasons of the team was. So our arch rivals was the Adirondack Frostbite. They're up in Adirond, three hours away. And that was like the Red Sox to our Yankees. We hated them. They hated us.

And after the first season, we had heard rumors that they were financially in trouble and they might fold. Now, in minor league hockey, the last thing you want is your closest rival to fold. because then it puts you in jeopardy because then your next closest rival six hours away and then it's just so I remember one day and this I was I got to tell you

legitimately I was mad at my dad I walked into his office one day and you know we're eating McDonald's but dad love McDonald's and we're eating McDonald's and he goes so I want to tell you something

before you hear from anyone else and whenever he starts with that I'm like oh God he goes I'm probably going to buy Adirondack and I'm like what you know and like like i you know it's like we hate like hate like hated them i'm like what do you mean well and at the time i didn't understand the business part of it now i see and it would have been he goes i'm going to make your sister the president of adirondack so i thought he was joking

and when i realized he was serious was when he pulled out he had like these six styrofoam boards with new logo concepts so he had spent money and i was like as a young kid i was I realized I was pissed because, one, my sister was going to outdo me. She was then going to become the youngest president in sports history, and that pissed me off bad. But two, it was just like, I grew up like it's either us or it's them. You know what I mean? Like, and I'm like, how the hell are we going to buy? Like, I hate that around and this and that.

He's like, well, that's what's great about it. You know, you and your sister will have this rivalry. And I was like, I'm going to kill my sister. You know what I mean? And my sister, you know, she's the patented little sister. I mean, she was what, 14 at the time? Yeah. I mean, I was like, I didn't talk to my sister for two weeks.

She's like, why are you mad at me? I was like, I don't want to talk to you. You're at Arondack. I said, dude, stay over there. I don't want to, I didn't want to eat dinner with her. It ended up, they ended up recovering on their own or whatever, thank God. But I think about, could you have imagined if that went through. That could have broke my family apart for a while because I'm telling you, I was pissed.

I was like, no, no, no, no, no. Candace is not outdoing me in any capacity. And I just said, well, fine, I'm going to, I was just like, I would have loaded our roster with so many nut jobs just to beat up Atarondack, like even more, like, it would have been bad. So, but that's just one of those stories. Like, and my sister would have done it because she liked it. She, she was like, oh, yeah, I'll be the youngest president of the, I was just like, oh, I was, I was hot about that, man.

That was crazy. Now, at this point in time, are you planning your future? Like, what's the future for AJ Galante look like at that age? I have no idea. Ian, to this day, I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow. Like, I, it's just like, I get into everything I, I've ever been into professionally, I've fallen into it. I've never planned for anything, never planned to be a hockey GM. I never planned after my father went away and he lost the garbage.

I never planned to be in the oil business, which I was for a little wet. I didn't plan to get into boxing. Nothing. I just, one day I wake up and I'm doing something. And I don't think that's the best advice to give someone, just wing it. But for me, it's just always how it's been. And yeah, but like you said, like, you know, when you're young and we were booming at the time, and it's just like, you never think it's going to go away. You're like, all right, well, it's trashers for life now. It's like bad boys for life. It's just this is what I'm going to do.

And as fast as we rose, we just fizzled out, you know, unfortunately. And that was the end of it. But there was no plan. I never got paid. You know, people thought I got paid. I didn't get paid to do myself with it. You know, we were, you know, the players were getting paid. My dad never got paid.

I mean, we were just doing things, you know, and it's like. But you created a legacy. Yeah, I mean, yeah, I mean, but, man, I mean, it's like, you know, I guess when you, when you see success and success is subjective, man, some people think success is strictly money, but I look at success, like you said, a legacy thing, a landmark type of event or, you know, when you're at such height, you never think it's going to end. You're like, well, it's going to be a hockey gym. I figure in a few years I'll start making some money, the team it'll turn around and work at the garbage yard half time.

You know, it just, it was just, we'll see where it goes. And like I said, it's just like as quickly as it came, it went. So let's talk about the going away part. Yeah. You wake up one day and it's gone. What happens? What's like the turning point? Yeah, I mean, you know, so after our, so we only had two seasons.

So after the first season, the summer of the off season, there was a federal raid at my dad's yard. No indictments or arrest. It was just a raid. But you kind of know, you know, you know something's coming down the shoot. You know, they're not, they're not popping their head and showing their faces, you know, to say hello, how you doing? So we kind of knew something was coming. No one kind of knew, but we knew.

I was like, oh, man, I hope we could get through the second season, you know. We ended up going through the second season. How old were you during the raid? 18 18 years old were you comprehending at the time what the raid meant yeah at a young age I mean you know being younger like my dad was very unfiltered with me even at a young age it's kind of funny now you know what I mean and uh you know my dad had went away for a year and a day you know a year in a day sentence back when I was in eighth grade so my dad prepared me for that as a young you know in sixth grade he was like um there may become a time where daddy has to go away type of thing and

and i'd be like what do you mean and and i knew you know i just you know it's again is this a normal thing it was just like all right when the shoe drops it drops you know we'll deal with it um did you ever get to like talk about how you felt during that time like did your mom help you how did you get through that because that's a lot for someone that idolizes his dad it's it's it is a lot but it was just like, hey, Daddy didn't rat. I took it like a man. And I was like, superhero to me. You know what I mean? I was like, look, that's how I grew up. And I'm not condoning. I'm not saying good, bad, indifferent about people's situations. Everyone has to handle their situation how they have to handle it. But I grew up, you don't rat, you don't, you know,

you know, that's just, that's been ingrained in my head. Now I'm not, you know, now you see podcast guys have, it's weird to me. But I'm like, you know, I'm like, you know, I'm like, you know, I'm not going to judge anyone. It's got nothing to do with me, but it's just like when I grew, you couldn't tell me this stuff would be going on in the 90s, like so-and-so is going to have a podcast. I'd be like, what?

Yeah. But my point is, I just, to me it was like, all right, well, I'm the man of the house for a year and a day. You know what I mean? And I'm in eighth grade. What am I doing as a man of the house? But, you know, it's just not. We didn't really talk about it.

It was just kind of like. Just another day in the life. I guess. And, you know, you'd make the trips on the weekends. and, you know, the first time wasn't that bad. It wasn't even that long, you know. And then the second time, it was, so going back in 2006, you know, almost a year to when they had the initial raid, they came down with indictments.

It was like 30 guys rounded up. And, you know, we kind of sort of writing was on the wall. Either the league was going to kick us out, you know what I mean? Or it just wasn't going to work. We actually talked about at a spite just doing one more season. My dad was going to be on house arrest for, you know, he ended up being on house arrest two years away in trial and stuff. So we even had a spite we're thinking about doing a third season, but we're like lawyers, you know what I mean? So it was kind of like, and that was it, you know what I mean?

What's that feeling like when you first found out your dad was arrested? I know it sounds weird or I'm trying to downplay it, but it was just we were prepared. Like my dad, we just were prepared. You know, I was prepared for it. I think it was tougher on my sister. My dad would prepare her to an extent, but not like I was prepared for, I guess. And it was tough because, you know, it's like you know it's coming, but when it comes, it's, it's, you realize it's going to be disastrous one way or the other.

You know what I mean? And it was a high profile case and, you know, good old news times every other day, something. And it was, it was kind of, it was sad, man. And it was, you know, those were the days where you'd have news articles online and people could comment. This was before Facebook and all that. And it was tough reading the, I was always taught, don't read the comments. These are all cowards.

But you'd read it anyway. And it was sad. It kind of prepared me for trolls now because it was something, you know, I was still young. I was still 19 going on 20. And it was still tough. It was still tough to endure. and uh but we were we were prepared for it and as as prepared as you can be you know now it's not just like local cops this is like the FBI yeah no no no it was definitely um it was yeah it was it was

it was a huge case man it was um and what was it exactly rusted for what was going in the media um attack stuff you know all that all that it was it was it was it was it was it was he was second on this chart of guys they wanted. There was someone above him, allegedly, and, you know, how it works. You know, you sweep that ocean, you pick up as many fish, and then, you know, everyone kind of has a mind of their own, and they say, okay, who's going to cooperate, who's going to take plea. And, you know, it's, you learn to stretch, you know, when I was young, I, you know, even at that time, I mean, I was, I was, I was always taught, you know, be, you know, respectful to

law enforcement, you know, and I was to an extent, but there was times I'd get kind of pissy in front of people. And I was still a young kid, but I get it. They got a job to do. And, you know, you didn't understand this legal strategy. You know, at the time, I was just like, if someone was cooperating or taking a plea, it was kind of like, why did you do that, you know? But you get it.

You know, everyone's, you learn the legal strategies, and that's what the, you know, the feds do. They want someone to set a precedent what they're pleading to. And now it, that's when shit runs uphill. You know what I mean? And now it's like that takes one card out of the equation that you're going to have to plead to to if it comes to that, you know. Now on the media aspect, you guys went from, you know, idolized in the news to now, like,

hated. How did that feel? You know, looking back, looking back, I think the idolization or the before the raid and the arrest and the indictments, I think there, you know, it was mostly positive stuff about us, but I think it was a lot of fake positive. I think looking back, I don't think it was as positive as we thought. I think there was a lot of jealous people, malicious people out there. And then when an indictment or negativity comes in, it's like, yeah, now we don't have to hide our feelings.

It was tough, though. You know what was tough on me? It was something my father couldn't understand because he wasn't in my shoes was, you know, when he went away, I got into the oil business. and he had an old, old buddy, a guy who used to work with him that started an oil company. Again, I thought I was going into garbage my whole life. I wake up one day. I have, now it's like, what do I do? Like, I went to school for business management, you know.

Did you graduate? Yeah, I mean, that's as generic as it gets, business management. So I'm like, what am I going to manage? You know, like, so it wasn't like hockey execs were looking to hire me. You know what I mean? But so, you know, I was, you know, up until the day my dad went away. October 15, 2008, I just remember he was always looking out for me. He had an old manager at one of his garbage yards at the 90s, started an oil company,

Carmel, New York, got me a job. I didn't know what I was doing, but it was something. And I would go visit my dad and he'd be like, all right, well, go see this guy, this guy, this guy, they'll give you the accounts. And, you know, my dad, you know, in the old days, he'd just snap and people here, does that count? You know what I mean? So now I go out and no one wants anything to do with you. you know i said hi i'm a j galanti you know beep pop pop they look at you like oh yeah come back in a week

and then i'd have to go on visit and be like hey did you see uh jo blow uh for the account i'm like yeah yeah did you get it no well why and in a way i was trying to protect my dad because i know without ever been in the prison i knew how he must have been crawling out of his skin you know going from where he was to where he was now, it was like I knew he'd be crawling out of his skin if I told him, hey, you know, so-and-so just been putting me off. And I didn't want to drive him crazy. I know he was going crazy enough.

So in certain senses, I was trying to protect him because I knew he, you know, the control he had to what he had now, it was just so different. And I'd get reamed. He'd reamed. He'd reamed, oh, you're lazy. You're not doing this. You're not doing that.

And I'd be like, I know, I'm lazy, I'm a bum, and, you know, some of the times it wasn't that, it was just that no one was looking to deal with us. And then I think the hardest thing for me when he first came out, then all of a sudden, oh, AJ, why didn't you come see me? I would have gave it. I remember I curse this one guy out, and I usually don't get like that because, you know, I'm always a reflection on my father and I don't want to get anyone jammed up. I lost it, man, because it was like, I've been trying for almost. 10 years to get you. And now you, now you want, I mean, it is what it is.

And that's all because of the situation surrounding your dad. I'm assuming. I mean, it has to be. You know, P. And then, you know, it's just like, it's the only thing that adds up because, I mean, I was, I was like, I had the plague when he was away. No one wanted to say boo to me, be around. And only certain people understand that.

Like, I felt what you were saying about the comments. I used to read all the Facebook and news times. You tell yourself you're not going to read it. I don't care what this guy says. But you're going to look. And it's heartbreaking. And then when you see people you are close with in high school, that shit. I mean, it drives certain people to suicide.

It's funny. It's funny because back when the news times were running these articles and half of them were hit pieces, they weren't even, some of them weren't even factual, but that's okay. You'd read the comments and it's not even, it's not like Ian Bick says this. It was like, you know, asshole 101. You know what I mean? And come to find out, we had an anonymous guy that was a tech guy, and we found out that some of these screenings were people close to us.

And they don't even know that we know, you know. And it's kind of like, wow, I can't believe this guy or this woman said this. You know what I mean? And it's like I've never to this day have told certain people, hey, I know that was you back in 2006. You said this, that, and the third. You know, you just kind of keep it. your memory bank and, you know, you go from, but it's sad because, you know, you know, and then

they're dragging your mother into it, your sister into it. They have nothing to do with anything. You know what I mean? And it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's toughens you up a little bit and, um. Why do you think people do that? Like, they're so quick to ask people out, like they can never redeem themselves in those situations. Because you're not supposed to, man. You're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're supposed to for some reason have that stain the rest of your I you know to this day there's still people that you will have something to say um you know even about my father and I'm like what is he supposed to do so so now you know he comes out so he's just supposed to do nothing now now he just

has to sit put him in the town square and egg him every like is that what you I mean it's it's just um it's stupidity and especially young people go away I know plenty of young guys that go away come out and it's like what are they supposed to do they're just supposed to just live with this the rest of i mean people screw up and and um it's just listen my i never forget my dad's lawyer told me once he said a jay they can indict a ham sandwich if they want to it's just a matter of who they're no one's perfect man and uh if they dig deep enough we're all gonna get locked up some way one way or the other everyone has shit i mean it's like it's just it's sad man but again it's um it really takes a special person, especially anonymously to comment on another person's situation, especially

if they have nothing to do with that person, you know, but... When did you like really... Bonjour, compadre. It's the... Priceline negotiator! How do I negotiate so many great travel deals? My greatest gadget. The Priceline app. It's got hotel deals, flight deals, rental car deals, all of those deals in a bundle, deals, game day deals, concert trip deals. No one deals more deals than Price Line. Hold your horses. There's more. The app let you filter hotels by neighborhood, vibe, star level, and amenities like pools and spas and beach fronts

and wait, I'm not done. Stop cutting the ice line. Crack a Cayman Jack margarita and taste your escape. It's America's number one for a reason. Cayman Jack is a premium mall beverage with flavors. Please drink responsibly. Camin Jack beverage company, Chicago, Illinois. Realize you and your family that your dad was looking at serious time and the gravity of the situation.

I would say, about it. a year, so in 2006 he got and died and then, you know, he, he, um, he was on house arrest. Maybe a year later, he still had another whole, another year until he, you know, he made a a plea deal, didn't cooperate, a plea deal. And I just remember like a year before he, you know, he had like a whole little war room downstairs in the basement. It was like, um, he could have been a lawyer at this point. He had all his, you're getting to 302s, you're listening to all the wiretaps. He's fighting for his life. Yeah. And. And it's like people don't know that.

Like you're, you're, and, um, it's frustrating because you're just, my dad told me, I never forget, he goes,

I actually in a way wish those first two years I was away and they could have credited me, you know, take it off my, being home was worse in a way, he said, because it's like, you're,

you're home, you're, you're, you're, you're, it's people think, oh, house arrest,

great, you know what I mean? You know, and plus for some, weaker minded people, your car's right outside. You know what I'm saying? And,

And, but anyway, no, I just, I just feel like, I'd be there a lot when the lawyers would talk to him. And it's like, listen, you know, you know how the system's set up. You go to trial. You got a 8% shot to get acquitted. You know what I mean? Like some assonine number. And, you know, I think, you know, of course in the papers, he's looking at 150 years, you know, when you add the maximum. So realistically, if he went to court and lost.

which was very realistic, obviously, with the stats. I think he was looking at like 25 years. And it was like, how do you even fight that? I mean, it's crazy. You know, it's just, and I just remember at one point, he was like, you know, I'm never going to cooperate, but I'll see the best deal I can get. And it ended up being like, Jesus.

End up all things considered like eight, nine years or something like that. Around eight years, I want to say. You know, he didn't do the full eight, thankfully. How did that make you feel like that's your idol? That's the person you left up to. You know, look, one day is a long time away. And that's another thing. People like, oh, you only did six months.

Six months is six months. You know, most people can't do a day. But when you hear like over five years, that to me is like, whoa, that's a pretty good number. That's a chunk of your life. You know what I mean? And it was sad. It was kind of like, you know, and I still was in limbo.

Now I'm like, I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm graduating, you know, the two years he was on house arrest. fighting this, I was in my last few years of college, which was hell. I just, I went to school, came back, and I just didn't want to do anything. You know, you go through a little bit of a depression, and those were tough years. But it's kind of like the day he got to go off, it's kind of like, well, this sucks, but it's moving forward now. Now it's like, all right, let's let the countdown start at least, you know what I mean? It's like Christmas Eve. It's like getting there, you know what I mean? And then, you know, listen, and you know from a different perspective, but it's like, then,

You go on visits every weekend, you go, and then eventually it just becomes normal. It's just like, all right, well. Did you and your sister get closer over this traumatic situation? Well, she would never drive. I always have to drive. So she was always sleeping in the back, but yeah, no, I think we definitely did. Like you guys were there for each other. Yeah, no, definitely.

You know, we were there. And, you know, we didn't miss a visit, you know, it was. So what's visiting like in federal prison? Visiting is fun. Funny, where we were in Allenwood, you know, there was a, there was a lot of high profile guys there. People that I've heard word of mouth through the years, there was a lot of different characters over there. And, you know, it's one of those things that you weigh, and, you know, it's whatever, listen, the front desk, it's like, it's like a video game. If you could get through the front desk at the bottom floor, you're going to make it.

You know what I'm saying? And it's like, you know, the strict dress code, especially for women. You know, it's whatever mood they're in. You know what I mean? You go in some days and it's, oh, hello, Mr. Galante, hello, this and that. Then some days you get there, oh, there's like half a millimeter of your stomach showing you can't come in. There was a Walmart down the street. Women would have to go to Walmart, buy new shoes, buy, you know what I mean?

Like, they were like it's, but if you could get through that first checkpoint, you're going to make it up there. And in Allenwood, you know, you'd go through, you'd stamp your hand, you go through, like seven checkpoints. You'd go up a hill and, you know, you'd go in. And, you know, they had like a, mind of me of like a high school cafeteria, just all the chairs and the vending machines and everything. And then it was just like, in my situation, it was like, flip a coin. My dad's coming in. It's going to be a hilarious, funny visit, laughs.

Or it's going to be, it's not going to be a good visit. Because of his mood. Yeah, it was like, well, even before prison, my dad will dictate the pace of wherever things are to go, you know, he's going to dictate the mood, the pace of things. But, you know, with my dad and we had a different, we still have a different relationship than most father-side. And it was just like, ah, God, what's he coming out with? And he'd come in and sometimes he'd have a smirk or he'd be ball-breaking with one of the

guys. And then some days you come in, he'd go check in. And I'm like, oh, this is going to be a long six to eight hours. This is going to be a bad one. So it's, it's Russian roulette, bro. That's what, that's what it. Did he ask you to get him stuff from the vending machine? Because that's always big. So yeah. No, no, no. So you get there. God, my mom would want to wake up five in the morning. Let's get there early. We'd get up there. And, you know, a few times we were the first, first people there. And we'd go in. And my dad's got a sweet tooth. So cupcakes, reases, snickers. You know, we'd load up. Like, I. And they had like a refrigerated vending machine with wings and, like,

like ham and it got to the point where I actually enjoyed these wings I'd get out of the vending machine that was like a treat for me I was like that's how you know you're kind of losing it even as a visitor and yeah you'd you'd like to have it ready for him you know depending on especially if he was in a bad mood you'd like to just try to give him a hostess or something like hey you know his cupcake but yeah no no vending machines are uh you know it's like a vacation for us like us inmates like to get that. Yeah. And that's what it was. I mean, my dad loves snacks, bro.

I mean, he loves it. And as mad as he would be, take a snickers, rip it, eat it. You know, he'd be all right. Or hot chocolate. He loves hot chocolate. The hot chocolate machine was down. It was something. It was, it was, dude, it was a lot of pressure, man.

It wasn't ever fun. It wasn't like, oh, I get to go see my dad. I loved it. I was happy to see my dad. But it was a lot of pressure. because I was going to get reamed. I used to take a lot of brunt of the frustration. And hey, that's just, it is what it is. Now, what I've noticed about you is you're someone that always pays attention to, like, the room and your surroundings. What are you seeing, like,

in the visiting room, like with other people interacting with women and men? Yeah, yeah. It's funny because it's like, you know, your first time there, you're the newbie, right? So it's like, you don't know how to act. You don't know what you're supposed to do. Then again, it comes normal. Then you'd always like, I'd always, when I was waiting from to come in, I'd always look around and see who the new person was because I could tell just by how they were acting, like waiting or, you know what I mean? You're not supposed to touch each other. You know, the women would be coming. And I'd always know when it was a new woman, they'd be dressed like they're going to the club. I'm like, oh, man, this woman's not getting through.

Got perfume up the yin yang. I'm like, oh, my God, this woman has no idea what's coming. Sure enough, nah, you can't come in, go to Walmart, get some shoes or, you know. But no, you meet these guys. You start meeting family. You start seeing the same people. You start seeing the regulars. And you know, you start getting accepted by the regulars when they see you start coming in.

Because you're all bonding over the same thing. Yeah. You meet people at the vending machine. Oh, Pete. How are you doing? How was your week? You know, it's crazy, bro. It's crazy how those dark times bring people together, though.

Because there's only so many. people that, you know, especially currently, like if you have a loved one no way, there's only so many people that can truly understand how it feels and, you know, but my dad was, my dad loves breaking balls and he'd be in there and, you know, he'd, like, spitball someone real quick. In the visiting group? Yeah, sometimes he'd be like, are you crazy? And then, but I'll tell you, the funny story I was telling you before is, I got to say, this was probably 2009, I'm 20, I'm going on 23 and I just got out of a, you know, long relationship. I was

between my dad going away, losing the trash, so I had a long time high school girl. I thought that was going to be the, you know, my wife and I'm just, I'm going through it. And my dad, you know, he's, this was before core links and email, so he was writing me letters, hey, don't worry about it, blah, blah, blah. And I remember one day I'm at visit. I never told this story. If my wife's listening, I love you. You're the only woman for me. All right. So I'm in visit. You know, this is God 15 years ago or so. I'm in visit. And I know it's a cute girl, you know, pretty decent looking girl. I've never seen her before. Again, I'm looking around who's here, who's coming out. And I see a, you know, kind of cute girl. So my dad comes out. And again, even, you know, I'm a

visitor, you know, but I know, you don't keep staring at people. I'm not trying to cause any, you know, I don't know if it's someone's wife or daughter or girl. I don't know who I'm... So my dad notices me keep kind of like, you know, looking and looking. And he's like... And he's like, oh, what, what are you looking at? I was like, no, none. And he goes, oh, you like that girl?

You want me to set it up? I'm like, no, no, no, I'm just... He's like, no, no, no, no, no, no, I know, no, no, I know, no, no, I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, dad, really, no, no, no, no, no, no, I'm going to take care of this for you, you know? You need to get out there, meet a nice girl or something. I'm like, no, no, dad, for real. No, no, no, no. Okay, okay.

So, sure enough, no BS. I get a letter in the mail. Again, halfway through my dad's sentence, it turned into emails and core links. But I get a mail, I open it, and there's like a school picture in it. And I'm reading the letter. He's like, hey, AJ, this is the girl you were looking at.

I know, I don't want to say the name. This is, you know, B-pop-Bop's daughter. I gave him the number to give to... I'm like, first of all, the first thing I noticed was I told him, don't do it. He did it anyway, which I had a weird feeling.

But I'm looking at the picture. That's not the girl. It's not the girl I was looking at. You know what I'm saying? And again, the girl wasn't... I'm not saying the girl was ugly, but it wasn't the girl I was looking at that visit. And I'm like, oh, my God.

I was like... And I don't want to be rude. Like, sure enough, I swear to God it was like this was like planned like this. Like two days later, I get an email. from this girl. She's from the tri-state area. And, oh, my, you know, here we have someone

that's something in common, he-he, and I'm just like, and I'm looking, and again, again, she wasn't an ugly, she was an attractive girl, wasn't an ugly girl, but not necessarily my tight. So I'm like, I cannot believe, my dad couldn't get this right either. Like, that's not the girl I was looking at. But I'm not going to be like, you know, F off, and she tells her dad, and it becomes a thing.

So now I'm like, now I got to entertain. I'm like, I got to entertain this girl. So like, hey, how you doing? Ba, blah, blah. And she's like, are you going? And she becomes very clingy, bro. Like, are you going this weekend? And I'm like, ah, Christ.

I'm like, yeah. And we end up, so my, I go to visit. She's there. I go to the Vending Machine. She goes to the Vending Machine. Hey, how are you? I'm like, oh, good, good, oh, my God. I go to visit.

My dad comes out with us grin. And like, he's just like played matchmaker. I'm like, It's like, what's the matter? I was like, Dad, I was like, she's a nice girl, but that's not the girl I was looking at. Well, who are you looking at? I don't know.

I'm not in there. I don't know who it was. Oh, she's a nice girl. What are you worried about? I was like, he was like, so I'm just like, and I know who the daughter. I know who her father was, so I'm like, I'm not going to ever be disrespect. So I'm like, I got to entertain this girl now because of this. So, so sure enough, I go up to the vending machine.

She goes up to the vending machine. I'm like, oh, Ming, like this girl, she's like, hey, do you want to to meet next week? You want to meet in the city for dinner or something like that? I'm like, sure. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, all right. Sure, let's do it. And I'm like, oh, my God. And again, it wasn't her fault. I was going through a lot. She was a nice girl, but it was just not a right situation for me. So sure enough, she emailed me, you know, and I met her in the city. We go get pizza and I'm just like, oh my God, this is crazy. And she's like sitting next to me. She's like, like hugging on me and I and again I'm in case anyone's watching the internet's big she was a very

nice girl she's probably a great girl now hope she's happy but it wasn't for me and and she's just hugging on me and and I'm just like I got to go and and she's like oh you want to come back to the house I'm like no no no no and then um and I'm just I'm like dad I'm like I'm letting you know now I'm like I got to cut this I can't do this it's like well you got to keep entertaining for at least two months. I was like, no, I can't, I can't do that. I was like, we're like making a deal. Like, all right, a month. She said, all right, I'm a month. And then luckily, that gentleman ends up get transferred, I don't know where. And I was just like, oh, my God, thank God. And never saw the girl again. And I did love at the prison vending machine. Yes, sir.

If you married her? So you want to hear something funny? True story. My wife, my wife, Kimberly, the only girl for me. Her father did 10 plus years, did a stint in Allenwood. the same time as my father. We never saw each other. She's from Danbury. Do they know each other? When they got out, when I started dating my wife, we started talking and, oh, my dad was away.

She's like, my dad was away, too. I was like, oh, okay. It's like, where do you go? A couple places at Allenwood. I was like, what? I was like, my dad was in Allenwood. What years? They knew of each.

Like, then when we got married, they're like, oh, yeah, I knew him from, you know, you know what I mean? and crazy. And we probably, and she went every weekend. We probably, for all I know, that was the girl I was looking at at the visit that I wanted to meet. And my dad hooked me up with, you know, someone else. Do you think you guys were drawn to each other because of that shared experience?

I don't know, but I, she's very similar to me in personality. And she's very super humble and respectful and would always, you know, always write back to her. You know, she's just, you know, some people, it's weird. I would hear horror stories about guys who families want nothing to do with them. And again, I don't judge. I don't, you know, but it's like, man, that's got to be torture, you know. And it's like we would always make sure. Then when Corlinks came, you know, we'd be emailing.

God, I remember Corlinks. Yeah. How does prison emailing work? Can you explain that from like an outside? Yeah, like, so I remember one day I went to visit and he's like, hey, we're getting emails. And I was like, what? My dad's a funny guy. He goes, hey, we're getting email soon.

I said, oh, yeah? He goes, yeah. He goes, in the rec room, they put this, you know, they got the, the phones, but now they got these like computers. I was like, oh, yeah? My dad doesn't know how to type. My dad never had a computer, like in his, you know, so I'm picturing him going like, you know, typing.

I was like, you sure, like, you'll be faster to write a letter. He's like, all, wise ass. I'll have someone type it for me, this and that. So you'd get a notification like, hey, you know, you'd see core links and it would be like, AJ, it's dad. Like, I don't know. Like, I don't know. It's my dad.

So then you'd have to log in. There was a whole lot. And then, you know, we'd go back. back and forth all day sometimes, you know what I mean? But it was funny. His subject line was always, AJ, it's dad. That's funny. Now, when you went to visit him, are you curious about, like, what's going on?

Do you ask him? And does he... No, I never ask him. He, he... That's just growing up, like, I never ask him questions. Sometimes he'll tell me things. Sometimes he does it, but I never, I would ask, hey, what's, you know, what did you eat today?

You know what I mean? Like, hey, I was... Were you curious? Oh, sure, of course. But I just, it was just so ingrained to me. You just don't ask questions. I just would just, I just would just would. never ask and

but he would you know as he got in there as years gone by he'd be like oh I got this kid he lives in Connecticut he's coming out soon

I told him you're into boxing he you know and you know guys in prison there's a lot of stories you know he was a huge boxer huge boxer you got to sign him I'm like

all right I was but my number out all willy nilly I'd be getting calls from guys hey you know this and that And, you know, again, you've got to do the right thing because I don't know if it's going to get back to him

if I'm ignoring a guy or this and that, but it's characters, man. You know, it probably kept your dad going, though. Yeah, oh, yeah. I would meet a lot of guys that are so proud of, like, their kid and this and that. That probably helped him more than you knew. Yeah, and I think, you know, listen,

and I could tell, without him telling me, I could tell, like, some of the stuff he was doing, whether he was in a law library and, you know, this or this. I know it was him. He was finding a rhythm. He was finding, you know, he would make lemons out of, you know, lemonade out of lemons. You know what he would find, you know, and you got to find something, you know, and that's what he always tell me. He's like, look, I wake up, I walk, you know, I do my thing and meet with the guys.

I sit and watch them play basketball. He didn't play, but, you know, he just, like you said, you just find away. Same thing on visits. You have the place you sit, you know, and you kind of have, like, your place. And it's weird. It just happens so naturally. It's not like you're like, hey, this is my table. You know, you just go and it's kind of like, all right.

Like, you see the regulars and everyone kind of knows where everyone is. It's weird. It's its own little world. It's a whole different. And it's like a lot of things are just unsaid. You just know, you know what I mean? Like, they had a nice little outdoor patio. For visit, yeah.

But my dad would never want to. I'm not going out there. So-and-so's out there. I don't want to go. I mean, I was like that the same way. And I think our visitors don't understand that. And I mean, like, for so long, I didn't like talk about prison.

So like I understand your dad. No, and I always would tell like, I would always tell, you know, it was always so when we would leave, my mom and sister would cry almost every time. And I'd say, look, everything's all right. It's going to be okay. And even when there was some frustrations from the family. And I beg, you guys don't know what he's going through. I don't know what he's going.

But no one knows. So, you know, we got to be patient because, I mean, this is a tough situation. And, but no, visits were tough, man, because. I tell you, when he was hot about something, I would get it. And it was not fun. And it was like, then you'd get reamed five hours and 59 minutes, the last minute. Hey, I love you. Bye.

Then I'd have to drive three and a half hours like, it was just wacky times, man. Now, do you think, like, from your perspective, watching, like, content, like mine say, helps you understand what, like, a loved one's going through in that scenario? Absolutely. I think what you do, not blown. smoke I think it's great because listen it's funny you know growing up I would know guys that were in prison came out and this and this it's almost like um it's a badge of honor in a way to you know for you

because I think as men we all wonder could I make it in prison like I think at a young age at least I don't know what this generation's like nowadays but I remember growing up it was kind of like man could like prison that's that's some serious shit like I think every boy, every man has always said like, oh, could I survive? You know what I mean? Like, could I do it? And then when you know a guy that's gone and come out, it's kind of like, man, you know, Ian did, you know, he took his time like a man. I don't care if it's a day in a camp or 10 days or 10 years in a max. It's like, there's something to that. And it's like, it's good to get the perspective. Like my dad never wanted us to come on holidays. He had a thing, like holidays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. He didn't

want anything a week up to it. And I'm like, he's like, it's just too hard for me right now. He goes, I don't want, it's tough. My dad loves the holidays. My dad loves Thanksgiving and Christmas. And, you know, you would think you'd want to see us. And at first I was like, what does he not want to see us? But I realized it was just too hard. You know what I mean? And, you know, we're home with a fire going, eating nice. And he's, you know, eating friggin, whatever. And I realized, as time went on, I was like, I understand. My mom took that heart. It's like, why, what do you mean? You don't want to see us around Christmas. Nah, just come like beginning of December and don't worry about it. But I get it. You know, I can,

I can't imagine. I hope I don't have to experience it, but I can't imagine what, what holidays were like, you know? While he was away, were you thinking of like going to work a nine to five? Like, what were you thinking of your life? You must have been a little bit unhappy with where you were at to go from top of the world to this. Yeah, I mean, I definitely thought at one point I was top of the world. And then it was kind of like, you know, I did kind of, you know, with the oil company, was kind of a quasi nine to five job. And, um, listen, I was okay with it. You know, I was like, you know what? You know, I had enough of the rush and, you know, living on this little pedestal. And I don't mind living a regular, quote, regular life. Regular, I kill for a regular life

right now, you know, guys that, but I just don't think I'm built for it. I'm always in the mix with something. And it's not like I do it for any other reason other than that's just how I'm built. Your brain's always turn. Always. And, you know, like, and I catch myself. You see, like, sometimes it's hard to look at people in the eye. That's my dad's fault, and I'll tell you why. But I'm always thinking, like, it never, and it's, it's a gift and a curse because I can't turn it off. At home, I'm just, like, thinking, what can I do? What can I do? But I have trouble looking people in that because of my dad, because growing up, whenever I get yelled at, you know, I had, like, a nervous little giggle or laugh, and my dad would be screaming.

screaming like a maniac and um he'd be like look at me in the face when i when i talked to and i look at him and he goes oh you staring me there where you think you're bad you want to you want to swing on me or something i'm like i don't know do i look at you do i not so i got this thing where we're looking at p it's it's funny but um yeah but like the brain churning part like i feel that because that's me like i'll be in the moment and i'll be so happy but i'm thinking of like what's next like you're with some you're with a girl you're with a project anything what's next? Yeah, and I try really hard. I really try to have some, like even if it's an hour to just turn off, but it's impossible. With the phones, it's impossible. It's not, I tell my dad all the

time, you guys had it easy back in the day in certain respects. You go home and now that's pretty much it. You don't text messages, social media, you need content, you need to post and my phone behind. Where's my followers? It's like, dude, it's like, and you're, you know, obviously we all have teams, But at the same time, like, we're the type of guys where we're hands on. We're doing it. You have to be. And it's like, it's never off. And it's like, it's kind of sad in a way sometimes.

But I just think guys like us, like we just, some people just built for that. And I know I can handle it. It's not easy, but I know I can do it. But you know, AJ, when I think about it, I wouldn't have it any other way. Like, I think about where I was a year ago working at Whole Foods. And I love this shit, man. Like, I love the grind. I love doing it.

You know what it is, man? it's embrace the chase it's like a big you know you see people go hunting they they take pictures with these bears and frigging deers or whatever and you're like that's not my thing but it's like that's what we we're hunting it's sometimes you don't even know what you're looking for but it's it's like a grind the hunt um you know it's that chase and sometimes there's no like you don't really have an end game sometimes it's just sometimes it's just what what are you going to pass on this road you know what I mean and that's a lot what I deal with man it's like I I end up in things where I'm like, how the hell did I end up doing this?

And it's just, just is what it is. What was it like when your dad got out of jail? Like in the community with your family, your relationship with him? It was, you know, it was a long stretch. I think it was tough for all of us. You know, my dad's my, I look at my dad's my boss even now. I mean, if he says to do something, I'm going to do it, whether I agree or not. That's just how it is.

But I think it was different this time around. A lot of time went by, even though we saw each other weekly, basically. You know, he came out and, listen, we all aged. You know, he came out, how old was it? I mean, I was late 20s. My sister's a grown woman now, you know, and I think, you know, the world didn't stop. Technology, cell phones, smartphones. He's like, what the hell is this?

You know what I mean? And it's true. It's like you, when he got an eye, when he got a smartphone like two years ago, I thought hell froze over. You know what I mean? It was like, you know what I mean? Like, we used to have next tells, you know? So it was just, I think it was tough transition for all of us because, you know, even

though I look at my dad as my father and, you know, boss or whatever you want to call it, you know, my partner or whatever, it's, I'm still a grown man now and it's like sometimes I feel like he still sees us as 15, 14, 12. But, you know, I don't know. It was tough transition. I think same thing. My dad, my dad's funny. You know, before he came out, like two months before, he's like, you know, I just want to go home, I want to lay back.

I'll come to the oil company. I don't want to do anything. I want to sweep the floors. It's bullshit. My dad is a, my dad is a leader and an alpha, man. He is not coming and sweeping floors or not that he's afraid. My dad gets up. My dad's 70 years old.

He gets up 4 a.m. He's on the oil truck pulling a hole. I'm like, my dad, you know, not. He's just, he is just. he is just Bill different. And I hope at 70 I'm not doing that. But you know what? I'm realizing more and more I probably will be doing something at 70.

Like I just... It's in your blood. It's just us, you know? But my dad is... He's a dog, man. He's... But it's funny. He kept convincing people.

No, no, it's going to... When I come out, it's going to be different. I'm going to just... Like, okay, sure. And he comes out. A minute his foot hits the door, he wants to buy an oil truck, wants to do that. And I'm like, oh my God.

And it was, I think that's a natural thing for guys. I know a lot of guys who came out, and it's kind of like, you want to make up for time. And it's, you're watching from the outside, and you're like, dude, relax. But at the same time, you're like, you know, you don't know what it's like. I know, I couldn't imagine if I was away eight years or so and then I came out. I mean, if I'm away from my gym for two days, I'm, like, crawling out of my skin. So I cannot, I just, it's just all perspective, man. Or were you, like, walking on eggshells to try to help him adjust?

Sure, sure. I mean, um. I think the toughest thing for me was what we said earlier is then all of a sudden everyone wanted to be my friend again or be, and I was just like, and again, you know, I kind of feel like a caged zoo animal sometimes because it's like I always grew up. My dad's like, don't ever do anything disrespectful to people. Don't, you know, your reflection of me, your reflection of the family, you know, don't get yourself jammed up.

People look at you differently. If you spit out the window, you're going to get arrested. Like I always had, so I would always be respectful. Even if I disagreed with someone or didn't like someone, I'd always be overly respectful to people, but I'll never forget this one guy all of a sudden. He's making me look stupid in front of my dad, you know? Oh, why, AJ, why didn't you come see me years ago? I would have gave you the account and I just, I lost it, dude.

I'm like, are you crazy? I came to you 10 times. I saw you in the window. Your secretary said you weren't here. You know what I mean? It's like, but that's like all the people that reached out when Netflix did yours, when HBO did mine. Like it just people.

Then all of a sudden it's, but again, I was primed and prepped for, You know, when the documentary came out, I think I was just primed and prepped for. I've seen all that stuff before. So it doesn't, it doesn't bother me as much. And it makes you tougher. And it's like time heals everything, but it doesn't for the person affected by it. No, it does. It's just all band-aids.

And, you know, some band-aids are more affected than others. Unless you really work through the trip. Yeah. And, uh, but it's, it's just some stuff, some people's, um, circumstance is, sticks with you forever. And it's, uh, I think you got to kind of pick and choose. All right, what problems can I work through? what can I just deal with? You know what I mean?

It's like cancer. Some people have cancer and it's there. It's like, all right, well, chemo's not helping me. How am I just going to live? Like, how do I make the most of it? And that's certain circumstances is like that. It's like, there's things that I've gone through that I know that I won't fully get over. But, you know, you just, you got to choose what you want to do with it.

Now, when your dad went away to prison, how did, like, your home lifestyle change, like, financially? Was it, did you guys live the same way you did before? To an extent, sure. I mean, you know, what's funny is, you know, my dad had a very successful company, crazy successful. But we still, I mean, we had things, but we weren't. You know, my dad's weakness was cars. He always had a nice car. But we had a nice house, nice cars, but I mean, I see people with less money living a lot more extravagant.

You know what I mean? Vacations every other week. And we weren't like that, man. I mean, it was just like my family and my dad, and I'm just like, we don't drink. We don't smoke, nothing. You know, so it was kind of like nothing really chameen. We were lucky in a sense that, you know, we saw food on the table. We still had the house, obviously.

We didn't lose the house, thank God. It was pretty public record that he got to keep some money. Yeah, yeah, no, he was, you know, and that was part of, you know, he had a good lawyer, good part of the plea. And, you know, thankfully, we didn't lose the house, you know, lost a lot of money, obviously. I mean, before my dad got indicted, I believe that his company was appraised at like $120 million. You know, the agents took it over after the indictment and sold it for nine and a half million dollars. So it's like, oh man, it's just like, you can't let those numbers mess with you because it's

kind of like, oh, if I sold it a year earlier, I could have had a hundred something, you know, but you can't think like that. That's like the stock market. Oh, you can't, you can't, but it'll drive you crazy. And I knowing my dad, I'm sure it crosses his mind every once in a while. Yeah. Now, during the time of like him getting out and you guys rebuilding your relationship, you were able to put your energy into a new project you came onto boxing yeah i mean you talk about another random i mean

i wasn't a boxing fan growing up i never boxed i don't box now um it was just uh the short end of the story how i got involved what it was um my barber at the time who was not my barber anymore but my barber at the time was singing the blues to me one day it was 2011 and he's like oh my car and you know and I know when people are fishing and I'm like, this guy, think I'm going to buy him a car or something. You know what I mean? Like, I'm like, this guy is this guy insane? Oh, do you think you could co-sign for me?

And I'm like, this guy's really lost his mind. So I'm like, and I'm thinking about it as he's, you know, got a razor to my face in a way. I'm like, let's wait till after he edges me up to tell him I'm not doing it. You know what I mean? And, uh, but I'm a sucker. And I'm like, I see this guy every week. Sometimes I go to the barbershop almost every week, you know?

I'm like, I see this guy more than family. You know what I mean? And I'm such a sucker, bro, that I'm like, I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I said, I'll give you a down payment. You pay me back weekly plus free haircuts until it's paid type of thing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He ends up buying a car from a used car dealer that happened to be Fernelli Felice, Sr., who was an ex-heavyweight boxer in Danbury, never knew Fernelli, big guy, strong.

and, hey, you know, here's this guy's money. Thank you. Shook hands. That was our interaction. I thought I'd never see this guy again, you know. Like two days later, I get a call from Freneli, and I was like, don't tell me this guy jerked him around with. Like, don't tell me this barber jerked him around with something with the car. I'm like, like, what I don't?

He goes, hey, champ, you ever get into boxing? I'm like, what? What's this guy talking? I didn't know. He was a box. He goes, you know, I used to box, and I'm working with a boxer. He's a local guy, and he's on, you know, he's trying to revive his career. And have you ever been a boxing manager? And I'm like, what? I don't know what a boxing? Ian, long story short, a week later, I'm this guy's manager, the boxer. And I'm going to meet promoters. I'm making deals. And I'm like, what the hell is going? But what happened was I realized this was just reigniting something I've lost with the trashers. flame inside. The competitiveness, the rush, the, the, the, how in boxing, how I was able to just come in and be a manager.

Like, you, I can't tomorrow be like, I'm an NFL agent. You know, I can't just wake up and be like, hey, you know what? I'm an NFL agent. Sign with me. Dude, boxing is nuts, bro. And then, like, my obsessive personality, it went from wanting to manage one fighter to now I want two guys. Now I want three guys.

Then it was like, maybe we get a gym. You know what I mean? And I've been in boxing now almost 13 years. and champs boxing club, our gym is half years old. You opened a gym and Danbury. I mean, there was no, and you know what? I like doing things from the ground floor. I mean, there's been boxers from Danbury,

but Danbury's not a boxing town. It wasn't when I got into it. So I'm like, how do we make this a culture thing here? You know, just like we did with the Trashers. I mean, Danbury's a major hockey hub right now in the Northeast. It's like a culture. And, you know, I like to say the Trashers was a big part of building that culture. So I'm like, how do we create a culture of business?

boxing in Danbury and we, Frinelli showed me this spot and ended up being champs. And his sons are both professional. Yeah, his son is a professional and his other, his youngest son is the alternate for the Olympics right now. So we went from this little, random little gym in Danbury, Connecticut to now there's people relocating the Danbury to train here.

And it's like such a humbling thing. and it's a big team effort, and we got great coaches, as you know. I mean, how much you weigh in now? You're going to be the next middleweight champion of the world at this point. I'm 190. Yeah, so you're working down to light heavy. But I mean, it's just like to be able to connect with people and give people something, because especially the kids, that's where I get the most joy is, you know, growing up as a wrestling fan,

you know, you see a ring when you walk in. Like, the first thing I want to do is jump off the top rope, you know what I mean? when kids see it, they get excited, you know, and it's my baby, you know what I mean? It's like, it's like, it's not, you know, for some people, it may not be a lot, but for me, it's like, that's everything. That gym is, you know, it's, it's home and it's, it's home for so many people. And the type of people I grew up around, you know, I mean, that's, you just got such a mix of people in there, you know, and everyone's a team, you know, you got, you got, you got,

guys with checkered pass in there with, with doctors and lawyers and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, And it was just like, it just all seems to come full circle, you know, it's, but it's a lot of work because I don't, you know, I don't rest on just, oh, we got a gym, cool. Like, how do we take it to that next, like, keep doing it? And, you know, it's, it's, it's, it's been, it's, it's, it's been a huge, I met my wife there, you know. Oh, you met her at the gym. She, uh, she brought her two nephews and, um, come to find out, she used her two nephews to meet me. Because she did contact me first on DM. So she slid in my DMs first, but she did come to the gym and it was, I guess, love at first sight at the gym. We got married at the gym during COVID. We were set to get married

May 2nd, 2020, which we ultimately did. But because of COVID, we had to push back the wedding ceremony. And I was like, you know what? Why changed the date? We got married in the ring with the, you know, Mayor Bouten at the time and got married during COVID and had the wedding a year later. Crazy. And you know, that's about the time I first started meeting you because HBO filmed the scene. And boxing has been like it more recently now that we're training a lot heavier and we're trying to get me to that next level. It's like it's therapeutic. And like I relate to it in so many levels. It's a good like what my mind's running at a million miles.

I wish it. I wish Champs was around when I was younger because it would have been something even, you know, because I was very aggressive when I played sports. And, you know, mental health is so big now, you know, especially in schools. and I'm telling you boxing training, you don't have to have any contact. See, the mothers get nervous. My mother every week, do you make sure the mothers know they're not fighting? I'm like, I know.

But people don't realize like the non-contact training of boxing. It's like you said for it. When people do it for the first time, I'm like, oh, man, I love this. And same thing. When we get people through the door, it's very rare we lose them. And you know, you've become part of the family there. And it's just like a big family over there. Lots of action.

There's pro. there's amateurs, there's random people. And nobody cares what's outside the door. Like everyone's there to like... It's its own domain. It's like, you know, it's like when I used to go on White Street where my dad's, you know, that garbage yard is still there. It's not him, obviously, but...

Look, when you went those gates, it was like another city. It was like its own rules and laws kind of like prison. You know, it's a whole other... You know, when you went to AWD, it was like a whole other world. And same thing with champs in a way. You know, it's our own little community. And I love that it represents the underdog because that's what I relate to. That's all I just want to deal with underdogs.

I don't, because we are underdogs in the realm of boxing, Danbury, Connecticut, like, who the hell's from Danbury? You know, but we're the underdog, when people see us, it's like, oh, you know, they're making moves now. And I love it. I like, it's got to be gritty, not pretty. You know, I want guys that are dogs and guys that just care. And we got a good cast of characters over there. Yeah. Now, do you think starting champs and what you've been able to build help give you peace from your past of the trashers and what you lost? Yeah, I think, you know, it's funny before the documentary came about, I didn't, after we lost the trashers, I didn't want to talk about the trashers. I didn't want to, I didn't want to, I didn't want to, I didn't want to, I didn't want to, I didn't want to, I didn't want to, when boxing came, I wasn't even thinking about the trashers. I kind of put two and two together, hey, I'm, I got.

got something back that I lost, but I would never say the word trashers. And of course, people every once in a while, hey, can you tell us about that? I'm like, I don't want to. You know, it's funny. It's like, Seinfeld's my favorite show of all time. But I heard if you ask, like, George Costanza about being George, he hates it. He doesn't want to talk. That's how I felt.

And then when the documentary came about, you know, when they reached out to us the holiday season around 2018 and I was going to say, you know, they reached out to me. And I was like, I really didn't want to do it. I'm like, I don't want to do this again. I told this story. Like, what do we gain out of this? And me and my dad talked and we weren't sure. And then we really fell in love with the producers, man.

The two brothers, Mac and Chapway, the great guys. And they kind of gave us a lot of assurances that we were going to be able to tell our side of certain things. And, you know, obviously, look, you can't tell the story without a lot of negative and ugly in the end because it's just part of it. but we never felt like there was a lot of positivity. And then we're like, you know what, Dad, screw it. Let's just do it. And we did it. They did a great job.

And I tell you, when it came out, I tell you, bro, it brought so many emotions out at me. Like, I felt like I was back in 2004, you know. I felt like we were back on Ives Street right at the rink. And I just almost immediately I fell back in love with hockey. Was it therapeutic also talking about it? Yeah. Yeah. It was.

It was. it was and I felt good with the people we were talking because I you know people even before the Netflix thing you know you'd have people hey we want to make a movie about this and I know where they're going with it I know what they want and I don't want to feed into certain things and um sleazy people and but these guys from the first day I was like these guys are good guys I don't think they're going to sandbag us and it ended up being pretty you know I guess successful and well that's an understatement it's a major Netflix It's weird, man. It's like, I don't like that even like it's, I don't. But it's a part of you.

Yeah, it is. It is. And like something that's crazy too is that that year, the HBO doc came out on me. And then three months later, Netflix. So it's about two people in the same town. And you just said it, the ice arena was a street over from where the nightclub was. It's all there. It's like people used to go from the ice arena there. You know what I mean? It's like it's crazy. And it's like we never really crossed. Thankfully, probably for the both of us, we never crossed at the time. But, nah, man, it's true. And it's, I remember when, I remember when your doc came out and the story. I remember a guy from HBO reached out and wanted permissions to you. I'm like, yeah, absolutely. You mean, he's a great kid, blah, blah, blah.

And, you know, it was, it was, you know, it was awesome. The doc was, and then it's like you said, like Danbury, Connecticut, like two major documentaries in one. I mean, that's. And then you have Glover, Texera. Yeah. And then you have the John Oliver stuff with the mayor. Yes, yeah. I mean, it's just like,

Denver is just one of those random cities that just always. No one ever heard of it. But there's just always something going on. And it's just, uh, sometimes the stars align, man. It just, I find it like so, so crazy to the day because. I think any, I think, I mean, unless you're from like New York City, I think where, you know, where you're from somewhere when you see it in the news, it's kind of like, oh, shoot, you know, that's where I'm from.

But like, with our situations, I mean, like you said, some Netflix, HBO, like, those are some heavy hitters. I mean, it's like, when you see that, it's like, oh, my God, it's like. And you've been able to create a brand for a hockey team that doesn't even exist anymore. And it's one of the biggest, the well-known hockey teams. Every day, every day, are the trash just coming back? No. Are the trash just come back?

No. And it's like, I tell you, I've gotten the itch, bro. Like, like, you know, my love for hockey kind of came back. And I'm trying to find ways to give back to hockey. and look you never know man you never know what can happen but i just feel like if the trash ever came back it would be like the horrible sequel that it's just like it's like it's a different time hockey's a different game it's not as aggressive like i could never put a team together like we i mean but we find different ways we find different ways to keep the name alive

and and do um different things and it didn't just stop with netflix drake hits you up can you tell us the drake story like what happened truth to god like so the So Netflix, it was August 31st our episode came out. It was a Tuesday. That next day to Wednesday, I'm sitting there. And, you know, it was the day after the doc first came out. So, you know, our Instagram followers went from 400 people to a few thousand. It was, you know, getting DMs all over the place.

It was overwhelming, to be honest with you. It was insane. I'm sure you went through the same exact thing. And all of a sudden, this random guy, you know, DM and me, first of all, it just shows you how regular of a guy I am. I thought you had to answer every single DM. So I'm like, Ming, I got to stay home today. I can't go to the gym.

I got to answer thousands. So I'm answering it. And this one guy is like, hey, that's pretty cool. Drake's following you. And I was like, what? And he screenshotsed it. And I was like, and he followed the gym. He follows champs too.

So I'm like, what the hell? So I'm thinking to myself, I'm looking if he messaged me, he didn't. And I'm just like, listen, man, this guy, if he follows you, he wants you to reach out to him. You know what I mean? Like maybe he doesn't want to be the first to reason. So I got no pride. I don't care. I'm like, hey, thanks for the follow.

Dash AJ. You know what I mean? And dude, within 30 seconds, he reaches out. Oh, my God. I just watched this doc last night. Blah, blah, blah. This is crazy. I need a jersey.

He was releasing an album like that Friday or Saturday. Certified lover boy. He's like, I need a jersey. And I'm like, I don't have jerseys. It's frigging 20-21, you know. So I'm like, yeah, yeah, I'll get you one. You know what I mean? And then I'm thinking myself, like, how the hell am I going to get them jersey?

Then in the gym, I had the inaugural trasher jersey. When we were doing the demo, they used my high school number in my name. And it's framed. It was in a nice frame. I broke the glass. I took that shit right out. Didn't know you could just go behind and undo it nice, but I broke it because that's what we do. It's a trashy way to open a frame.

I broke it. I was just like, hey, I got the jersey. And he's like, bro, I need it. I leave. And he goes, I leave in two days to Houston and this and that. I'm like, well, first of all, it's got my name on it. He's like, no, I want what your name on it. I'm like, it's 3x.

That's how I used to wear it? You know, he goes, I don't care. So I'm like, how am I going to get this to him? Because, again, there was still COVID parameters. He's in Toronto. I'm like, I was going to take a flight. I didn't have my COVID vaccine. I'm like, so sure enough, he's like, I'll tell you what.

He goes, I'll send a. driver to Buffalo right over the border at this casino. And if you could get someone there, you know, I had a guy sent him up, gave the jersey, and that was the end of it. And I was just like, all right, didn't talk to him. His album comes out that Friday night, I think, in midnight. Ian, no exaggeration. You can ask my wife, like 1 o'clock in the morning, I'm watching Seinfeld. and my phone, like a Christmas tree, starts lighting up. Like, dude, I'm like, honestly, the first thing I thought about was like, oh my God, is someone pass away.

Like, this is, I'm scared. I'm like, Ian, the notifications, and I'm not trying to sound funny or cool, I'm telling you, there were so many notifications coming in. I couldn't operate the phone. So I go up to my wife. I'm like, Kim, can you call my mom? Like, I think something's wrong. And my mom's like, why are you calling me?

nothing. I was just like my phone. So finally, Kim goes on and she starts screaming. She's like, oh my God. I was like, what? And this guy takes a picture with the trasher jersey on. And I'm just like, dude, I felt like, I was like, dude, it was one of the weirdest sensation. I was like, this is the craziest. And my phone for an hour, I couldn't even operate it. There were so many things coming in. We jumped up to like 20,000 followers. I was like, what the? First thing I'm thinking about is I don't have any jerseys to sell people. Because that's, Everyone's like, oh, where can I get a jersey? Where can I get?

Dude, it was the craziest. I mess up. I'm like, oh, man, thank you, man. That was cool. You know, you probably brought, you know, a whole other level of attention to this. Real humble guy. No, no problem. I loved it.

Ba, blah, blah, blah. And it changed your life. Dude, the next day, I swear to God, you couldn't tell me anything. I'm very humble, but you couldn't tell me anything the next day. I'm driving. I'll be honest with you. I didn't really listen to Drake that much. I liked him.

I'm not saying I was like a super fan, but, you know, dude, I was playing his album, I'm driving around. I'm just like, I just couldn't believe it, man. And it was just a talk of Danbury. I remember going on. It was absolutely. I don't think to this day people still can believe it. That was probably the most shared photo in Danbury history.

I mean, it was insane. And I was just like, how did this like happen? And then again, he just brought it. It just shows you the power of marketing and social media. I mean, he just brought the attention to a whole other level. Because then it was people who were not even hockey people, like loving the team, watching it. It re-ignited the trashers.

It was, it was insane, man. It was, I mean, I can't. The stars align, I can't. Exactly. Sometimes it's just luck. And you created this massive merch brand too off of it. Yeah, and again, it's like, damn, I wish I, I had a head start. If I knew he was going to do something like that, I would have been ready, ready, you know,

but then it's like, oh, God, all right, let's get some shirts out. But then it probably wouldn't have worked that way. Yeah, of course not, no. And people could still buy merch now, right? Yeah. Excuse me. Yeah. Yeah.

And again, I still get requests for jurors. It's crazy because it's like, it's like, it's just weird. You know what I mean? It's like you don't expect it to be a big thing. And it's become a whole other thing. What did your dad think about this? First thing he said with Drake. With everything, the documentary, Drake.

You never know how to read my dad. See, my dad, he's never going to be overly happy about anything. So we watched it. So the other thing people don't know is Netflix didn't give us like a sneak peek at us. It wasn't like we got an advanced viewing. So we were all on a little bit of pins and needles, you know what I mean? Because we're like, say, these guys sandbag us and it becomes like a hit piece or something. And so the day before, I remember we woke up early, we're watching it.

And my dad just stared at the TV. And I could tell he liked it. He was just, but we're always on guard waiting for the other shoe to drop. Like, you know, these people are scummer to your, you know, it never happened, thank God. But then when Drake happened, he was just like, you know, he didn't, he was like, who's Drake? I was like, and then, you know, I was just like, dad, it's a big thing. And then, you know, he just, I'm happy for him because it's like, I know deep down he gets a lot of pride out of it. And, you know, it's, it's ultimately was his creation.

I mean, he's the one who had the idea and the balls to do it. Not a lot of, I mean, just like you, you had the balls to do something. It's, you know, everyone has ideas. It's, you have the balls to do it. And really, I really believe from that doc is when he wanted to create, you know, Danbury's first San Giro Festival on Ives Street. And we had it last September and we're going to have our second one the end of August. And, you know, even you, we're like architects, you know, it's in a different way.

And it's just like, I think he just kind of, it reinvigored him to be like, I want to create something again, like special. I have to meet your dad. I still have never met him. Oh, yeah, yeah. And, you know, another way we're connected is because he delivered oil to my parents' house. There you go. And he helped my dad kind of like get through with me being in prison. Yeah, no, I mean, it's just, you know, you do right by people.

You just do it. You respect people. You never know where you're going to. I was once taught. Look, the backs you step on today are going to be connected to the ass. You've got a kiss tomorrow. So you treat everybody. I try to keep it very even keel with people and respect.

And it's the same thing you learn. Like, you know, I hope I never see prison. But God forbid, I was always taught you. Just be respectful. Please, thank you. Excuse me. You know, just be respect. Mind your business.

Be respectful. And it's the same thing in the visiting room. You know, I couldn't tell this crazy girl to, you know, leave me alone because I knew it was going to create a whole, a whole war in there. You know what I mean? When you were put back in the spotlight a second time in your life, because not many people even get it the first time. You got it twice.

Are you navigating it differently? Because everyone's coming out of the woodwork. I don't take it as, you know, I don't. Are you cautious of who you surround yourself? Yeah, yeah, very, very cautious because it's funny. You know, the doc comes out and obviously there's, you know, things in there about, you know, what my dad was allegedly involved with or not involved. And then all of a sudden people come.

They want to start talking, you name dropping. Oh, you know, this guy, you know, that guy. And I'm like, oh, you know, I'm very, you know, it's weird. It's, it's, um, ultimately the reaction to the dog. documentary and everything that's come from it has been very positive, but I'm very gun-shy, and I just remember old times. And it's like, I'm very, it's almost like I don't want to get too happy with things because it's like, I know just like that, it can, it could be gone, man. So I'm very, very cautious, very cautious, to be honest with you. And, you know, it's just a way

that it's better that way. But, you know, I navigate it where I don't, I don't get too high, I don't get too low. You know, my life has changed from the documentary, but it hasn't changed. I still go to work. I still eat the same stuff every, you know, I still, you know, nothing. I'm not trying to be something I'm not. I'm not, you know, taking trips to Miami or Dubai. You know, I'm not, I'm not trying to be a celebrity, dude. Like, I'm just, you know me. I can, you find me at the gym every day, basically. You know, I'm very, almost too accessible, but that's just how I am. I really don't care, you know? You know what I realized?

It's like when I got out of prison, I wanted to be famous and, you know, I thought it was all about my story with the club and this and that. And I got the taste of it from HBO. And when I stopped chasing that, that's when things finally came together for me. Like, I'm so much more humble now and just rooted in the fact that this is bigger than me. Yeah. And not focused on me being famous. And that's the thing is the people that have the longevity in life are the ones who it's not about them. You know what I mean?

It's about what's the mission? What am I taking this locked in podcast? It's not about Ian Bick. It's about you. You're the creator. But like you said, different perspectives, getting different sides of it. Because I know. Trust me, I know.

Like guys go to prison and it's like in girls, you know, they're pieces of shit. You know, that's, and it's not, you know. I know a lot more pieces of shit that never seen a jail cell that are worse than people I know that did some real serious stuff. So it's just, like you said, it's like you're creating something that's bigger than yourself. And that's the longevity of it. And it's the same thing. I mean, I think people like to trash a story because it was very authentic. We weren't trying to go viral because there was no viral.

You know, nowadays, like I said, you see people want to be famous so bad, dude. It's like they'll do anything. Let me eat a bag of rocks. You know what I'm saying? TikTok does that. Dude, let me, dude. And it's like, and it's like, and it's not these kids. kids is full. It's just what they see, you know? I mean, it's just like, you know, let me,

let me step on nail. I mean, it's just, but I don't, you know, I'm not one of these older guys. I mean, I'm not old, but I feel like I'm 80, but I'm not one of these different generation guys. Like, all these kids are dumb. It's just what they know. I mean, I was wrestling, backyard wrestling in the 90s, jumping off ladder. I mean, I was an idiot too, you know, but it's just what the kids see, but these kids, they just, they want to be famous so bad. And then you say to yourself, all right, let's say you go viral. Let's say you get picked up. What are you going to do? Now what? What, what's, how are you going to make it better for the people around you or what are you going to build from that? You know what I mean? And a lot of these kids wouldn't

know what to do. Yeah. And that's the thing. It's like, yeah, everyone wants to do this and that, but all right, so what are you going to take? What are you going to, what are you going to make with what the ingredients you're giving? And we're constantly evolving, constantly changing. Like, I'm not that kid six months ago that was posting selfie videos about owning a nightclub. Yeah. It's just so much different. You have to. You have to. And that's the thing with the trasher story is there was only two seasons.

So it was wild. It was crazy. There's some stories that still haven't been told yet. But frankly, bro, there's only two. There's not much more I can say about this team because we only had two years. Not even. Where do you go next? Because you're always thinking, you know, you have that entrepreneurial mindset.

What's next for AJ Galante, the trashers, everything? You know, I think when it comes to the trashers, it's how do I make the trashers, and it maybe it half asses there already, but how do I make when people hear trashers, what do they think aside from the dock or hockey? Like, how can I expand it into, you know, something, you know, how does it become like an adjective? Oh, he's a trasher. You know what I mean? Like, how do I, how do I, how do I keep the brand visible? without the documentary. You know, how in 10 years can people still, like, it's still relevant?

And there could be a 5-year-old in 10 years from now that wasn't even alive for the documentary that know what the trash. I don't know. I don't know if there's an answer. I don't know if there's an end game, but just pushing that, like, that trasher brand, what does it mean? Like, you know, like, yo, I want to be like, yo, you're a trasher. You know what I mean?

Like, it sounds stupid now, but how do we make it? Like, how do you, like, how do you make it where it's like, you know, it stands for something other than a trash can and a hockey stick, you know what I mean? So, but I don't know. I don't, Ian, I swear, I wish I had a better handle on, I wish I had a 10-year plan. I don't know. I just, I just, dude, you know what? My favorite movie possibly of all time was Dark Night. I'm a huge Batman fan. I love Dark Night. Heath Ledger has a line that I think is the greatest line of all time and honestly describes me to a T. He says, when he's talking to Harvey Denny, He goes, you know what I am?

I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one. I just do things. You know what I mean? I don't have a plan. And that's really, and it's kind of scary to say that, but it's true. I mean, I'm a father now. I want to be able to provide a good life for my son.

I want him to learn a lot of the old school values I was taught. But I know he's going to be different. And I don't want him to follow me to a team. I want him, you know, everyone says, oh, he's going to play hockey. I hope not. I want him to play golf. You know, I want him to play golf. play tennis or something. You know, I got a little softer. I shouldn't say that, but I softened

when my son was born, I got a little softer. And I can't imagine him skating around like I used to do and running into people going crazy. You know what I mean? And it's like I want him to have certain value, but I want him to just be his own guy. You know what I mean? I don't want him to ever feel like I'm in the shadow of dad or grandpa. I just want him to just be healthy, happy, you know. What's your message to the people that are different to the people that are like you, like me, that are creators, creative, and maybe are afraid to take that risk or think outside the box? I would say, dude, fail, fail. Put it out there, fail. And you know what? You were going to learn so much from failures. Because look, I've failed. I've had so many ideas that have, like, one out of

every hundred of my ideas seem to work. But I keep shooting. I will keep throwing shit to the wall. fail because if you start off right off the bat success you're going to get comfy you're going to think it's sweet fail put it out there fall on your ass get up keep going man shoot the shots you know what i mean i'm not saying lose all your money or your life savings but i'm saying put it out there just i know it's scary because there's there's things now like i have my my best friend in the world um in case they're both watch i have two best friends in the world but One of my best friends in the world came out with his own clothing line in a year. And I remember right before he was flirting with the idea and I could see he was unsure.

And I'm like, man, do it. Just do it. Just do it, bro. And in one year, he's done stuff with ex-NFL players. He's got, he's been working with this big NASCAR guy. Just do it. And you know what? What's the worst that's going to happen?

I mean, don't throw your life savings away. but just go for it, man, and you're going to learn from the failures because trust me, I mean, I've had more failures than success. I mean, but that's where you learn. The best lessons are the most expensive or the most time costly. That's my opinion.

And you don't know what's going to be your next win. I mean, I've failed. Like you just said, you're never going to know when the wind's coming. You know what I mean? You just keep, look, if you show up every single day, eventually the stars are just, you know, that full moon, the stars, I mean, You could just, I tell the young kids all kinds,

dude, just keep showing up. You got to, people want consistency. If they know you're going to be there and you're going to be in the corner and they know, they look behind you there, the opportunities are going to come. The trainers, dude, I got young kids training guys. And look, there's a couple kids in particular.

They're always there. I just know, I'll give him to this guy. I know he's going to be there. And he's a couple of my trainers now, they're booming. They've got 20, 30 kids. You know what I mean? and that's making a lot of, you know, making good money for a boxing trainer.

You got to keep crying. Just keep, just fail, just fail, bro, because, you know what? It sounds like a weird thing to say, but just fail because that is where you're going to know if you're built for this, because if you fail once and you're done, you weren't built for this. If you fail and say, you know what, let me feel bad for a day or two. I get up, learn, tweak, and then you're going to be successful. That's how you're going to learn.

Yeah, it took me 10 years to figure it out. Yeah. Like 10 years. And in one year, I guarantee you're going to be in a position, you personally, where you're like, damn, I couldn't even believe like a year ago I'm here now. I mean, you might just think that now. But in a year, I guarantee you, you personally are going to be in a position where it's like, I wasn't even thinking like this was possible.

I mean, I'm just so blessed and grateful for like how this is, because this could have been another failure because the whole Danbury knows I failed a lot, you know. But that's, but you know what? Dan Barry's a blue collar. and Dan Berry should realize, hey, listen, you know what? He's one of us. And you know what? Kids make, you know, your kid, dude.

I mean, half these Dudley do rights when they were our age were doing way worse stuff than we were. You know what I'm saying? That's the truth. I was 17 years old. And I was 17 when I started. So, so you know what? Kids, listen, I don't, you know what? You know, bird in the hand, bro.

You got to, the people that are in your corner, that's who you got to center it around. And everyone else who doesn't like it. it's a reflection on their failures and they just realize, hey, I'm never going to do anything worthwhile and you know what? Welcome, brother. AJ, where can people find you at? Oh, at DB Trashers on Instagram.

Yes, I control the Instagram. So I try to answer everybody. Oh, God, I came out with a person. We talked about this. I actually came out with a personal Instagram a few years ago. I think it's ad official underscore. Yeah, please, I don't even know. I'm there.

Check out the festival. Yeah, yeah. You're working on a podcast. Yeah, working. Yes, working. You've inspired me too, man. And same thing. Going into something.

No idea what I'm doing. We're going to throw it to the wall and see where it all, see where it all ships out. And getting me a fight too. Well, that's going to be easy. The way you've been working. And listen, don't let Ian fool you. I get the reports and, you know, that's the best way to sneak up on someone. They don't see it coming.

So they're coming to a ring near you, for sure. Dude, we're going to sell out the ice rate of it. Oh, I see it. It's in the, it's in the atmosphere. I see it, bro. AJ, thank you so much, man. Of course. You've been a great friend to me.

Same here, man. I'm looking forward to, you know, continuing our friendship, our relationship. Absolutely. Yeah, thank you so much, bro. And I'm excited to get this episode out here. Appreciate you guys. You know, really inspire some people. Hopefully, let's see.

Thank you, guys.