The Puck Puck Go Podcast, September 24th Wrote:Nicky: "So that was pick number 2. Will Tomlander, just such a good young player, no question he's going to be a tremendous asset and, uh, if he switches to the right side, he's gonna-"

Caleb: "Yeah, yeah, second line player opening day."

Sadie: "I'm not convinced he doesn't start if he goes right."

Nicky: "I mean, maybe? I wouldn't hate it. But you gotta imagine he's going to move sides, like, it's just-"

Sadie: "Absolutely, it's just jammed solid on the left."

Nicky: "We good? OK, OK, cool, give us...OK, we gotta move on kids to pick 13. Finland but playing out of Sweden, Simo Jaska...Jurska...****, I feel bad, definitely going to screw up his name."

Caleb: "Simo, it's good, it's good."

Nicky: "Yeah, so Simo."

Sadie: "I got a story about him."

Caleb: "Yeah?"

Sadie: "Second hand, but I'm...like, 95% confident it's true. A buddy of mine works for a...shall we say less than reputable hockey based media conglomerate."

Caleb: "Whose name has a certain colourful reference? Who might like defense more than attack?"

Sadie: "It could be, it could be. Buddy tells me that one of the staff writers got fired over Simo because he couldn't, or didn't, I don't know, but he couldn't reach the guy to interview him so used AI to make up the quotes. But when he sent the interview to his boss, the dumbass left the email to HIS friend asking him for a link to an AI text generator."

Nicky: "NO!"

Caleb: *cackling laughter"

Sadie: "True! Guy got fired, like, immediately."

Nicky: "Incredible. What a moron."

Sadie: "It was a work of art. The AI made Simo sound like this emotionless killing machine."

Caleb: *still laughing*

Nicky: "Well, you can be the one to ask him about that. Friends of the podcast, we are being joined by the Falcons' second pick in the draft, number 13 overall, Simo Jaaskelainen."

Sadie: "Woo!"

Nicky: "Simo, thanks for taking time out to talk to us, everything must be hella busy for you."

Simo: "Not at all, not at all, thank you for the welcome. I'm very flattered."

Sadie: "Aw, that's sweet."

Caleb: "Gotta ask you first Simo, we were just talking about an interview you did via AI, and how-"

Simo: "Haha, oh yes. Yes, I heard about that."

Nicky: "Have you seen it, read it?"

Simo: "Bits of it, yes. I liked the part where I train by running through the forest every day. I think the people of Tampere would be surprised to know they had so much forest in the middle of the city."

Caleb: "And your promise to bring back the, uh, culture of fear? Was that the quote?"

Sadie: "No, no, 'environment of fear'."

Simo: "Hahaha, to be honest, that wasn't entirely wrong! If I do my job right, my opponents will definitely remember me and I want to keep them constantly worried about where I am. But the computer makes me sound like a serial killer!"

Sadie: "Do you think the game has become soft at all? You're a big hitter and a big guy, obviously."

Simo: "I would not say so, no. Perhaps it has become softer than it once was, but I cannot say that is a bad thing. Would fans truly want to return to the days where playing with a concussion was a sign of toughness rather than a sign of medical stupidity? I hope not."

Nicky: "Fair, man. Too many guys lose years to concussions."

Caleb: "Just to check, do you genuinely have a twin brother? Like, that wasn't all made up as well?"

Simo: "No, that is true, and in fairness the computer was not too far off there either. Ilmari and I do push each other a lot and he does play professional football as well, he actually played his first game for the Finland under-18 team last month. I am very proud of what he's accomplished and I think he is as proud of me."

Sadie: "That's sweet."

Caleb: "That is really nice. My brother's a dick."

Simo: "Ah, don't say that. You don't get them for long."

Nicky: "Do you feel like there's a rivalry between you two? If you're both trying to make it to the top level of your sport there's gotta be something going on."

Simo: "Well, yes and no. Football is very different to hockey, in the way it is structured, Ilmari could be signed by a team and play in the Bundesliga tomorrow. I have great hope that he will make it to a big team, a Bayern Munich, but this will hardly be a fair race. But my contract is worth more than his, so I think I am winning right now."

Caleb: "And you're already signed. No negotiations, nothing about your first-round status?"

Simo: "God, no, absolutely not. The Falcons staff were very open about the process when I was speaking to scouts over the last week or two, so I knew the numbers and really had no reason to argue about it."

Nicky: "But speaking of being picked in the first round, you seemed to come from nowhere. There were only a couple of mock drafts that had your name on them anywhere, were you expecting to be picked low down?"

Simo: "I had round four in my head. Plenty of teams reached out, but I understood there was very little...I suppose "hype" is the best word to use, there was very little hype around me as a player."

Sadie: "Some of that is just being a defensive defenseman though, I bet."

Simo: "It is. I was very clear to everybody that they should not be looking to make me into an offensive talent, and perhaps that contributed. My role is at the other end of the ice, and I personally do not see that changing."

Nicky: "No goalscoring titles?"

Simo: "Haha, none at all! No, I truly was caught by surprise when my name was called as early as it was. I can only thank Mr. Zilliams for putting so much faith in me like that."

Sadie: "This might be a difficult subject but Imma ask it anyway: you're going to be sitting behind Zeddie Zilliams, Dunkler, Gavin H and the Falcons picked Stormlord Imotekh in round 4, 5, one of those. You all play on the left side of the D, what do you have to say about that?"

Nicky: "Y'all can't see but he's shrugging."

Simo: "I really don't have anything TO say. Perhaps I could look at playing on the right rather than the left, but that is something for the coaches to make a decision on."

Caleb: "Very...professional answer, that."

Simo: "Haha, well. I will make plenty of people angry with the things I say in the future, I'm sure."

Nicky: "On Chirper?"

Simo: "On Chirper. It is a place to be lighter of heart."

Sadie: "Looking forward to it. I know you said you only had a little time, so thanks very much from the three of us for being here and if ever you're looking to get anything off your chest give us a call."

Simo: "Thank you, thank you all. It's been a delight."