August 8, 2025 • 35 mins
Tune in here to this Friday's edition of Breaking With Brett Jensen!
Breaking Brett Jensen kicks the show off with an exclusive interview with CMS School Board Member Lisa Cline during a live political event in Mecklenburg County. Despite never having interviewed her in her three-year tenure, Jensen and Cline reflect on her time on the board, discussing the whirlwind of hiring a new superintendent, adopting new goals, and navigating reassignment. Cline, the only Republican on the board, shared her insights on building relationships, bridging divides, and preparing students for life beyond school through initiatives like “enrolled, employed, or enlisted.”Cline emphasized ongoing challenges such as student achievement gaps, teacher retention, and financial transparency. Looking ahead, she stressed the need for continued growth and accountability.
Cline also highlighted her pride in contributing to safer schools and raising academic standards. The interview wrapped with a heartfelt message about CMS’s mission to serve all students, reminding listeners of the dedication shown by educators across the district.
Listen here for all of this and more on Breaking With Brett Jensen
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
News Talk eleven ten and ninety nine three WBT Brett
Jensen here on this Friday night edition of Breaking with
Brett Jenson. Seven oh four five seven oh eleven ten
is the telephone number as well as the WBT text
line powered by a Liberty buick GMC and guys, make
sure you follow me on except Bret Underscore Jensen for
all the latest and breaking news in and around the
Sharlotte area. And I tell you that every single day. Okay,
(00:23):
So some things that I want to get into. I'm
at a political event coming to you live, and I
want to bring in Lisa Klein. And in the three
years that she's been on the school board, I literally
have never interviewed her. So I figured now was a
good time to do it. So Lisa, first of all,
I really do appreciate you joining me tonight at such
short notice.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Thank you for meeting with me and inviting me onto
the show. It's actually the second time. Remember you interviewed
me the night that I won the election.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
That's right, because you're the only Candida to show up.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
You were the only candidate to show up at the
victory party. Because you were I had to show up.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I wasn't gonna come, and I was like, Okay, I'll come.
So I showed up.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Well, thank you you bailed me out that night. Otherwise
it would have been a long night for nothing. So
thank you for doing that. And all right, so let's
get into it the last three years. I know this
is a very broad question and it's not maybe one
not necessarily easy to answer, but how would you describe
your first.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Three years on the CMOS school board.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It's been a whirlwind.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
When we all came, there were five of us who
came on the board brand new, and we hit the
road running. You think about it. We hired a new superintendent,
we adopted new goals and guardrails, we went through I
hate to say the word, but reassignment. We went through
a lot. And so I feel like we're just now
(01:49):
getting a groove of how we work together, how we
deal with things, and it's it's been amazing three years.
And I've gotten to know a lot of my constituents
and gotten to know what their needs are. So it's
been it's been a wild ride.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Well, you talk about getting to know each other, and
with that, there will be at least one new school
board member because some er non's not running for reelection
and you know, other people are being challenged. So we'll
see how that plays out in the primary. So how
long does it take to be able to get to
feel comfortable with you know, whether you know you're a
retired CMS teacher, whether how long does it take to
(02:32):
get used to being someone like your principal or or
a fellow school board member? How how long does that
take to feel comfortable with each other?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Well, interestingly enough, we went out before we became true
board members, because you can't meet with more than four people.
That becomes quarm and it was nice to be able
to just get to know each other that we're human beings.
Being the only Republican, they kind of looked at me
like I was a little strange. And interestingly enough, the
(03:04):
time in which we were looking for the superintendent and
we were working late nights, we really got to know
each other and I think that was a bond. I
think also going to a couple of conferences where we
were just out and about and we weren't doing certain things,
we saw each other as people, and I think that
was really important. I'm truly going to miss summer. Summer
(03:28):
is in District six, we have a lot of the
same schools. Believe it or not, her children now go
to a school in District five, even though she's in six,
so I'm going to miss her. Melissa Easley and I
believe it or not, we're both educators, so we put
our children first. And it's really really going to be
(03:51):
a different board even with one person. And remember we
took on two new ones at the midyear, so that.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Makes a big difference to speaking with Lisa Klein of
the CMS school Board. In terms of going forward the
next three years. Let's let's assume what's the second or
the next four years. So let's assume for a second
that you get elected. I know what happens when you assume,
but let's assume that you get reelected.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Nothing's ever carved in stone.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Correct, But I want to play the what if game
going forward over the next two years. I don't want
to go too far down the road, but over the
next two years or so, what do you think are
some of the CMS is some of their biggest challenges,
but also some of their biggest needs.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
I think we still have to look at the growth
and closing the gap between all the students. Remember we
are a minority majority district. We have a lot of
children that still need to grow. I do like doctor
Hill's idea of employed, enrolled or enlisted, because it's really
(04:58):
important that we are preparing our children for post CMS life,
regardless of what they're doing. So we've got to look
at that. I mean, I know that we've had a
lot of good growth this year. I can say that much,
but that's still not enough because look at where what
we were where we were, so growth is expected. It's when
(05:22):
we get into the eighties and nineties that we still
continue to grow. And people who know me know that
I harp on that. Beth Thompson, who looks at data,
gets the questions from me every time. I already sent
a bunch of questions in for Tuesday Night. It's something
that we have to keep pushing. Also, teacher retention. A
(05:45):
lot of teachers are leaving pay. It's ridiculous that I
can go to rock Hill and make more money. Why
aren't we getting better pay in North Carolina. So those
are things that we have to look at. Also, being
financially trained parent, I'm big about that. I want to
know how every penny is spent and if it's not
(06:07):
spent correctly, people get a phone call from me and
already email which people cringe. But I'm responsible to our constituents,
not just in District five, but the whole district on
how we spend money.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
And wrapping it up here with Lisa Clients, CMS school
board member in terms of so we talked about going forward.
What are some of the things that you're most proud
of during your time on the school board.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Oh wow, I think some of the things that I'm
proud of, Oh, our new goals, because the old goals
were good, but we raised the bar. I also think
that that's a hard question. I'm proud of a lot
of things. Brett, and I think building the bridge between
(07:00):
the different people has been something that I'm really proud of.
And bringing in programs of people who've reached out and said,
you're an educator, would you look at this, and getting
it into a school free of charge just to help
the kids. So those are some things that I'm proud of.
Bring in safety, keeping that up. We are having safer schools,
(07:22):
believe it or not. I'm really proud of all of that.
I'm proud of the people that I work.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
With and finally here with Lisa kleinm a school board member,
and I asked this to I asked this Ti more
every two weeks when he's on the show.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
I asked this to.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Everyone from Pineville to anyone who's in politics. Is there
anything that you'd like to say to everyone listening, people
in your district, just people in Mecclbark County in general
about CMS.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
CMS is the fourteenth largest school district in the country.
Keep that in mind. We serve every child that comes
to us, and we have to remember that it's our
job to put the children first, and the families and
our staff. So we're doing that. Our teachers and staff
(08:15):
are putting in long hours. And remember school starts in
a couple of weeks. They're already there, they're already fixing
their classrooms. So keep that in mind. We have to
educate who comes to us. We can't pick and choose
and say we don't want you or we want you.
We educate what is that in our classrooms each and
(08:38):
every day. So I think that's something people have to remember.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
It's not.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
No, I don't want you.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
We welcome you with open arms.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
List de Clent, I really appreciate your time tonight.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Thank you, Thanks again. Brett's good to see you after
all these years.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Exactly all right, when we come back, we're going to
have another interview as I'm coming to you live from
a political event here in Mechlmerk County, and we're going
to grab a couple other candidates as they come in
and out of the situation here where.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
I'm at.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
News Talk eleven ten and ninety ninety three WBT. Brett
Jensen once again coming to you live from a massive
political event here in Charlotte where about nineteen or twenty
candidates are showing up that are going to be running
in the local elections. And one of them that I've
been I've talked about quite a bit over the last
couple of weeks, and this is the first time we've
ever met in person, and that's Leon three, who's running
(09:29):
for the mayor in Matthews. He's currently a Talent commissioner,
but he's running for mayor. And I know why I've said,
without speaking to you personally about why I think you're
running for mayor, but why don't you tell the listeners
why you're running for mayor?
Speaker 5 (09:43):
Well, great to meet you, I think we met years
ago when we were running for other positions. You know,
I do believe that Matthews a great place to live,
and though we're only about three and a half percent
of the Beckenberg County, I moved there about thirty seven,
almost thirty eight years ago because I really value what
Matthews had to offer and I treasure that and I
(10:07):
think anything we value, we need to do all we
can to protect. And one of the things I think
is most urgently needed, certainly seen as I have served
for the last eighteen months as a commissioner, is I
think Matthews need some fresh leadership. No disrespect to anyone
who's served before us, certainly no disrespect to the ones
who are serving now. But I think where we're going
(10:28):
as a town, where we are as a region, I
think we need to be strategizing and leading forward. And
I think that's what I bring. My years of public service.
It brought me to a place where I believe that
leadership is an absolutely priceless necessity for where a town
(10:48):
or community is going and where it is, and I
think I bring a level of leadership. You know, Matthews
will have no less than three new commissioners, and I
think those three new commissioners, along with whoever else may
be an incumbent being re elected, we'll need leadership. And
I believe my level of leadership will make a profound
difference in Matthews and moving forward and making good decisions
(11:11):
and not only just leading as the mayor, but helping
those new commissioners or whoever's elected to make wise choices
for Matthews. And I think I can do that, and
we'll be doing that.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
I said a couple of weeks ago when I was
going through and breaking down each town and the people
that were running for mayor specifically, and I mentioned you,
and I said, you know, John Higden just recently changed
his affiliation from Republican to unaffiliated, but he really hasn't
been a Republican in a very long time, if ever,
and voting for all the tax increases and everything else.
(11:44):
And I said, if John Higden were a true Conservative
or a true Republican, LEO three would not be running
from mayor right now.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Is that a fair statement?
Speaker 5 (11:52):
Well, I would answer that by saying that I'm not
running against Mayor John Higden. I'm can just serve as
the next mayor of Matthews. My my race is not
against him, but for the people of Matthews. And I
believe I do bring something to the table that Matthews
is in need of. And whether whether Mary or Higden
(12:15):
would would change, did changes a part of the affiliation
or whether that's that's really not my fight. My fight
is that an attempt to serve the people of Matthews
bring my years of expertise, my years of leadership, my
devotion for making a community better, my commitment to elevate people,
(12:36):
that's my devotion, my commitment to Matthews and uh and
so uh. I think that what I bring is what
Matthews is is in need of. And I think that
we'll see a real positive step forward as well as
I become the next mayor of Matthews.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Speaking with Leon three eight here on this Friday night,
he's running for mayor of Matthews. What are the biggest
challenges facing Matthews?
Speaker 3 (13:01):
Is it growth? Is it transit? Is it taxes? Like?
What all the above?
Speaker 5 (13:06):
Like?
Speaker 1 (13:06):
What are we looking at in terms of Matthews over
the next two four six years.
Speaker 5 (13:10):
I think what's happening in Matthews is happening to the region.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
We are.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
The whole region is experiencing tremendous amount of growth, and
with that growth comes challenges and difficulties not necessarily caused
by Matthews. It's not a blaming, but the region is
experiencing tremendous growth. Therefore, with that growth must come wise management.
It must come people, decision makers and the communities working
(13:35):
together to attempt to mitigate some of the stresses and
difficulties with that growth. And certainly the traffic becomes a
great issue. The just the level of density that's attempting
to override the whole region. And so Matthews have got
to ask hard questions. What kind of town do we
want to be. Do we want to just be a
resemblance of Charlotte? Is there something that we believe is
(13:58):
intrinsically imported for Matthews And do we hold on to that?
And then if we're going to hold on to it,
how do we do it? How do we maintain being
Matthews thirty six or so thousand residents and hold on
to what we treasure in the midst of an urban
sprawl from Charlotte. And so that's part of our decision making.
(14:18):
That's what we've got to do. Who are we going
to be. Will we be just an extension or an
expression or continuation of Matthews, I mean of Charlotte, or
will we be able to maintain some of our own identity.
So it's all of those issues, and part of what
needs to happen must happen is that there must be
healthy collaboration with Mecklenburg County, with Dot, with the other
(14:41):
towns in Mecklenburg County, even with Union County, because we
east of us as Union County, which is growing beyond measure.
So much of the problems that Matthews is facing, or
challenges Matthews is facing, is from the growth around us
coming through Matthews. Much of the traffic issues that we're
facing is going through Matthew. Major theoroughfarees from forty five
(15:02):
to seventy four or Independence Boulevard all impacts Matthews And
so we've got to ask those hard questions, how do
we deal with that, How do we help move traffic
through us that it doesn't disturb and disrupt our normal
way of life? And so there's so many little pieces,
and yet we still want to be a part of
the healthy parts of the growth. Some of the developments
(15:23):
that's taken place in eastern part of Matthews. We're excited
about it. We're encouraged about some of the development. But
we must be strategic. We must be planning to wisely
as a town, and the elected officials coming in must
be thinking, Okay, how do we work together to do
what's best for Matthews.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
All right, So the last question here with Leon Thrid
is running for mayor of Matthews. And I know we'll
be talking many more times between now and November, but
is there anything and I and every interview this way
with people that are running for office or that are
currently in office, whether it's congressmen or people you know
running for mayor in Matthews, is there anything that you'd
like to say to all the listeners right now at
(16:02):
WBT and potential voters, maybe people are on.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
The fence at Matthews. Is there anything that you'd like
to say to them? Good question, good question. I thank
you for that.
Speaker 5 (16:11):
I think by this being a mid term, odd season election,
one of the frustrations is that it will be often
a very low turnout for this election. And now I
would encourage all of your listeners to please get involved
in this process, help us make the decisions. There are
a lot of things happening in this region in this
midterm election, not only for Matthews, but Mecinburg County and
(16:34):
school board and all other positions. So we certainly need
a good participation, a good turnout come no Vermber the eleventh,
excuse me, November the fourth. Early voting starts the sixteenth
of October. We need a good turnout. We need people
to get involved and know the issues, take the time
to know what's really going on.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
You know.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
One of the sad parts about politics is often we're
talking about low information voters, and we need to change
that narrative one last before our time runs out. One
of the things I've been saying, we need to return
as people, and certainly as elected officials or candidates, back
to a time of civility. Well we have honor, respect
for one another, that we treat people with a certain
(17:14):
politeness and regard. And so that's part of my commitment
as a candidate and certainly as the next mayor, that
I will treat not only the citizens, but also the
other candidate and candidates with the kind of respect and
regard that politics deserve to have, so thank you for
the opportunity to be a part of your program today.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Well again Leon three it was running from Mayor and Matthews.
I really do appreciate your time tonight and I know
that we'll be talking like I said many times between
now and November, so I really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Thank you, Brent.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
All Right, when we come back, we'll continue our look
at what's going on here locally News Talk eleven ten
and ninety nine three WBT. Brad Jenson here with you
again on this Friday Night of Breaking with Brad Jenson.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
Seven oh four five, seven oh eleven ten.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
That is the telephone number and that is also the
text line driven by Liberty Buick GMC and guys, make
sure you follow me on x at Brett Underscore Jensen
for all the lettuce and breaking news in and around
the Charod area. So almost exactly three years ago, like
three years in like three days, I was in Ukraine
(18:15):
and I think I left Ukraine actually two day, three
years ago Kiev. It took me what nineteen hours to
get out of the country. I was there four days
longer than I was supposed to be. It was what
five months after the war had started when Russia and
had invaded Ukraine and you know, had gotten to go
to the close to the front lines and seeing a
(18:36):
lot of the bombed out towns. Well one of my
very as matter of fact, I think it was my
first full day in Kiev that I met Alex a
university student who spoke some English. And you know, with
all the news lately about how there's a possible maybe
mediation going on between Trump and Putin and Zelenski, you know,
(18:57):
there's a lot of talk that maybe the Ukrainian war
will be coming to an end.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
I don't think so.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
On many levels, One, Russia wants to be able to say, hey,
all the land that we've captured, we want to keep it.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Zelensky has said from day one, you're not keeping our.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Land, although all the land that Russia wants is completely
bombed out and useless. Number Two, Russia wants to take
over the largest nuclear power plant in the entire continent
of Europe, and Ukraine is like saying, no, that's our
nuclear power plant. We need that nuclear power plant, and
(19:32):
so I don't think that's gonna happen. And then on
top of it, all all the reports Forbes, Bloomberg everything
coming out of the media outlets in Europe is that
Russia is on the brink of completely collapsing financially, especially
as they get closer and closer into the fall and
winter months. Like they're truly on the brink of complete
(19:54):
and utter financial collapse. And they've already announced hardships on
state TV. Hey, get ready, because the hardships are coming.
Vladimir Putin reportedly has already frozen a lot of the
bank accounts of some of these Russian oligarchs and reportedly
has taken about what fifty billion dollars from these people
to try and prop up the Russian economy. Like things
(20:16):
are not going well in Russia, you know, they're not
going well in Ukraine either, that's the thing. And you know,
scores and scores of people are still dying, Like Russia
over a million people so far, over a million, well
over a million casualties, and I think Ukraine's somewhere around
three four hundred thousand casualties as well. And obviously Russia
has way more people than Ukraine. And they can just
(20:37):
keep throwing people in there. And don't forget they were
taking soldiers from North Vietnam and excuse me North Korea
and just using them and throwing them into the meat grinder,
using them as cannon fodder. So things are not going
well and for either country. Russia, like I said, is
on the verge of financial collapse, like truly collapsing.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
So I started thinking about that three years ago.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Today I think I was leaving Ukraine, and like I said,
I met Alex and Alex was, you know, a very
interesting guy, very smart. He was going to the university
there in Kiev, the biggest university in all of Ukraine.
And I just wanted you to hear the interview that
I did with him three years ago while we're standing
in downtown Kiev about things going on, and honestly, very
(21:25):
very little has changed.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
So why did you decide to stay in Kiev with
the war? Why didn't you leave Ukraine?
Speaker 7 (21:34):
I didn't live Ukraine because I think that it's very
important to stay with like my nation, with our people, Ukrainians,
and to do what we can to grow up our
economic and just to work and to do all our
(21:55):
best to support our army with some some mind. And
I think and as for me, as for students, I
need to grow up as a good specialist in the future,
and yes, to make Ukraine great again.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
Do you ever get scared?
Speaker 7 (22:19):
Yes, of course, first weeks it was a little bit scary.
Scary because I was in the western part. Yes, but
you know, rockets can fly everywhere. They just need to
lunch and someone pushing the button and did lounge and
it flies.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
You don't know where.
Speaker 7 (22:38):
We had a lot of a lords, and yeah, it
was scary, but you know, maybe the bravery of our
of Ukrainians it's yeah, you're scared, but you stay and
you fight like this.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Is there. Do you think.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
Do you think the West is doing enough to help Ukraine?
Speaker 7 (23:08):
H I think not because like we have right now,
twenty Higher's, twenty Himher's. They're given Himer's like four Himer's
every probably week or two weeks something like this, and
we need more weapons because now we just can you
know Russia, yeah, it didn't invade Ukraine as they wanted
(23:34):
to do the Bleiss Creek to get to Kiev and
to capture it. But it's they have just a lot
of tanks right now, it's destroyed like near to two
thousand tents, but they still have a lot of tanks
and a lot of weapons. And we don't wear a
(23:58):
smaller country. We don't have just so many money like
them and so many weapons. We don't want to like
we didn't want to have the war. But yeah, I
think that we need some some planes, like maybe even
(24:20):
the mix mixed twenty nine. Our pilots know how to
how to drive it, and yeah, we need more.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Have you had any friends that have died in the
army or other friends?
Speaker 7 (24:34):
Oh, I have one girl in my group in university.
And when the war started, she was in Marriopol. We
was like texting her every day. But then at the
seventh of March, we didn't have any how to say
connection to her and we was trying to form her friends,
(24:58):
her family, but no result for probably one month or
one half months. But then she moved to Berdyansk and
she charged her phone and she said that yes, I
am alive, it's okay, thank you very much. That you
was like trying to help, trying to know what with me.
(25:21):
And she was in some camps like where's the Russian
was checking if she has something Ukrainian and maybe some
time too, you know, something like this, And when she
was in this camp, she was like she took off
(25:42):
her seam card. She deleted all her social webs like Instagram, Telegram,
because they can have a look at it and just
maybe kill her.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
I would say, there are a little bit of audio
issues here and there in the middle. You know, that's
what happens when you don't have very good Wi Fi
and you're trying to rely on Wi Fi for you know,
like a couple of microphones wireless microphones, and so you know,
that's what happens. You try to rely on Wi Fi
and WiFi is not very not very good. I think
they have three G is what I think they had
(26:19):
at the time, if I'm not mistaken, and if you
are lucky in very certain areas you can maybe get
up to four G. But we were in the middle
of the town square, so I had no internet to
connect to. So it was it was very sketchy audio
and sometimes it would go in and out. But nonetheless,
again again, that was my interview with Alex almost exactly
to the day three years.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Ago when I was in Kiev.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
And I'm trying to figure out if I'm maybe even
gonna go back to Ukraine again this year. I've been
thinking about it. Maybe in the next couple months, maybe
I'll head back to Ukraine. I'm trying to plan my
trips for this upcoming like September ish, you know, type
of trips where there are gonna be many chorists because
people travel obviously during summer, and it won't be aside.
I remember the last time I was in Kiev, it
(27:04):
was like ninety five degrees every single day. Even when
I was in Chernobyl a year prior to that, four
years ago, it was like ninety five ninety six degrees.
So and by the way, that is in Ukraine as well,
right near the Belarus border.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
But so I'm just trying to figure.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Out what I'm going to do this year and some
interesting places that I'm looking at, you know, I don't
you know, yes, do I want to go to Paris
at some point?
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Of course I do.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
In the south of France and Italy and all that, absolutely,
but that will come in due time. I like to
get some of the more unique places out of the.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
Way, all right, when we come back.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
The Carolina Panthers are playing against the Cleveland Browns tonight
at Bank of America Stadium. I believe the game starts
right at seven o'clock tonight, right at the end of
the show, So we're going to talk a little bit
of Panthers and Hey, Bryce Young, how are things looking?
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Bryce Young? You know, at this time last year things
were looking rather poor, but here we are a year
later coming off a really good year.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
So we'll look at in his situation as they head
into their first preseason game.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
Tonight News Talk eleven ten and ninety nine to three WBT.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Bret Jensen here with you on this Friday night of
Breaking with Brett Jensen for a few more minutes. Okay,
So basically right at the end of this show, that's
when the Carolina Panthers played their first preseason game of
the twenty twenty five season. They're playing the Cleveland Browns
here in Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium, and.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
You're gonna see the first teamers. You're gonna see Bryce Young.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
You're also gonna see the first team defense going against
the much Ballyhood and much also media maligned Shadoor Sanders
of the Cleveland Browns. So Bryce Young met with the
media to talk about this upcoming game as well as
how things are going so far this preseason.
Speaker 6 (28:46):
How will will you benefit can you benefit from playing
this first preseason game and the second one, whereas last year,
you did, know.
Speaker 4 (28:55):
Yeah, I'm super excited. I think it'd be great for us.
Speaker 8 (28:58):
A lot of familiar faces, but some some new pieces,
and every year, you know, we're a new team. So
I think it's just a great opportunity for us to
at the first opportunity we can, we can go out
there and you know, try to establish ourselves, get more
and more comfortable, get reps, and I think it'll be
a great thing for for myself, for all of us
just to kind of get our feet wet a little
bit in the preseason, and you know, we're gonna make
(29:20):
sure that we do everything we can to execute and
take advantage of that opportunity.
Speaker 5 (29:25):
Last year in the preseason, did you did you and
Dave talk about, you know, maybe changing the format this year.
Speaker 8 (29:32):
You know, he coached Canals and and everyone in the
front office they make those decisions, you know, whatever it
is that that you know they ask of me as
us as as an offense, as a team, you know,
that's chain of command of what we do. But again,
I'm excited to be playing, you know, I think again
it's a great opportunity anytime we get to go out there.
You know, we get to go into the bank. Uh,
(29:52):
we get to go out as a team. I don't
take that for granted. It's a blessing no matter.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
What it is. So I'm definitely excited.
Speaker 5 (30:00):
Team where it seems like y'all are on different pages,
but then the next play you went right back to
and the same play.
Speaker 8 (30:05):
How you see him kind of respond.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
To those moments where you know it'd be easy to
get frustrated but.
Speaker 4 (30:09):
Have to go straight on. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (30:11):
Yeah, Team Mac's done a great job, and really I'm
super grateful the entire receiver room has that next play attitude,
which is huge just as a team, as offense we
talk about a lot of as a as a coaching
staff and as a unit. You wanna learn from the
last play. We come back and we have conversations on
the sideline, but that's not you don't wanna take that
last play into the next play, good or bad. And
(30:32):
everyone has that mentality. So whenever there's something that we
have to recalibrate, we come to the sideline, we talk
about it, we get better from it. And then there's
from my standpoint, there's zero loss of confidence, loss of faith,
trust anything. You know, if a a play doesn't go
our way, that's gonna happen, and you know we have
to turn the page get to the next one.
Speaker 9 (30:48):
So what you guys learn today about your offense as
you're playing guys you hadn't played before, but you didn't
know going in.
Speaker 8 (30:55):
Maybe Yeah, I think it's it's good to watch us react,
watch us react to different things. Obviously our defense does
a ton of things, but you know, you get very
familiar with who you're going against. You get familiar with matchups,
and you know when you come in against a team
that you're not familiar with and you know, uh, you
don't know what's what's gonna come, it's good to see
where our natural reactions are. So I think this is
(31:15):
just a great learning experience for all of us.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
I have.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
I love how how we responded to things.
Speaker 8 (31:21):
You know, obviously there's things to clean up, things you
want to get better at, but all in all, I
think it was just a great learning opportunity. I haven't
watched the film yet, so excited to go in too
meetings and do that. But anytime we get the opportunity
to it's a good thing.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
You had the opportunity to talk to J c at
all about that car accident that he had, has the
lot program and feeling.
Speaker 6 (31:38):
You had a chance to do that.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
Yeah, yeah, talk to him.
Speaker 8 (31:41):
You know, he was out there even without practicing, just
as much energy as he always has. You know, that's
and that's the person he is. You know, I know
he would have led to be out there but doing
everything from his sideline staying.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
Uh, they got him a script.
Speaker 8 (31:54):
He's he's falling with the with the play calls, making
sure he's engaged, and you know that's g it is. Uh,
you know what happened. Obviously, I don't know the specifics
of everything going on, but uh, yeah, I mean that's
our guy. We know he's always gonna do everything he can,
so I'm grateful he's he's on our side.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
On preseason games.
Speaker 4 (32:13):
Do you think not playing Manny Snaps last year in
those games might have impacted y'all early in the season. No,
I think that.
Speaker 8 (32:21):
Again, I trust the coaches and the decisions they make,
and I'm sure that you know, they look at things
from a year to year basis, whatever they feel like
the team needs. You know, the decision they make is
we talk about them in the quarterback a lot whatever
decision is made, that's the best card in the house.
So there's there's no point fingers, there's no no blame it.
And again all that's last year. This was a decision
(32:43):
for this year. I'm I'm I'm happy, I'm excited for it,
and that's all focused on working.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
Together with Austin and k Do you notice any major
difference that's between the two.
Speaker 8 (32:53):
When yeah, no, which is which is saying a lot
for how well they uh the position physically, but also mentally,
great communicators, both of them. They do a great job
in the run game, in the past game, and you know,
the center position, there's so much that you don't see
from the outside looking in. You know, they have to
be the people who who drive so much all the
(33:14):
you know, the run game points, pass game communications. They
have to not just see who's in front of them,
but they have to see the whole contour of the defense.
And both of them do it at such a high level.
Both super smart guys, great communication with with me and
the rest of quarterbacks whoever's in So yeah, I have
all the comfort the world and whoever it is that's
in there.
Speaker 6 (33:34):
Race. You talked about the chain of command and coaches
make the decision and you're happy with all that. But
last year was your first year with coach Canal Is
is you is he? I know you guys have a
great line of communication, but are you able to use
your voice a little more and offer up or is
that is that still at two way Street? Is there
(33:54):
a little bit more or less?
Speaker 4 (33:56):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (33:57):
Yeah, Well coaching now has is always pride to the
open having open dialogue with all of his players, which
is something that I'm super grateful for. And really, uh,
he's he's always around, always in rooms, always want to
hear things. So he's definitely made it for an environment
for myself or for everyone, uh, to voice how we feel,
voice opinions. So that's something you're super grateful for.
Speaker 6 (34:18):
As a Q, you get that kind of input when
it comes to or does is he listening to you?
He say, look, I want to play a little more
in the preseason or you know, I'd like I'd like
to you kind offer those suggestions.
Speaker 8 (34:28):
That's stuff that I leave up to the front office,
leave up to the coaching staff. You know, I haven't asked,
not asking, and I trust them they they know it's
best for a team. It's not just about me, It's
about everyone, so yeah, trusting them in.
Speaker 9 (34:39):
That yesterday on an interview that you weren't happy about
being finished last year, but it was the way you
handled it or really impressed him. Can you kind of
expand on that and just like what what were you're in?
Where were you unhappy? What were you thought for that?
Speaker 4 (35:02):
And that's something from last year? You know, we're all competitors.
Speaker 8 (35:04):
I want to be what's best, but just like now,
I want to do whatever's best for the team.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
All right, everyone that's gonna do it for us tonight
as well as this week. Again, thanks to everyone who
joined me as my guest this week. Also thanks to
all those that joined me tonight. I really do appreciate
it and look look forward to doing this all over
again next week Monday, as we're gonna have a lot
more stuff coming at you as we do every single week.
So until Monday, everyone, have a great weekend. My name
(35:32):
is Brett Jensen, and you have been listening to Breaking
with Brett Jensen
News Talk eleven ten and ninety nine three WBT Brett
Jensen here on this Friday night edition of Breaking with
Brett Jenson. Seven oh four five seven oh eleven ten
is the telephone number as well as the WBT text
line powered by a Liberty buick GMC and guys, make
sure you follow me on except Bret Underscore Jensen for
all the latest and breaking news in and around the
Sharlotte area. And I tell you that every single day. Okay,
(00:23):
So some things that I want to get into. I'm
at a political event coming to you live, and I
want to bring in Lisa Klein. And in the three
years that she's been on the school board, I literally
have never interviewed her. So I figured now was a
good time to do it. So Lisa, first of all,
I really do appreciate you joining me tonight at such
short notice.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Thank you for meeting with me and inviting me onto
the show. It's actually the second time. Remember you interviewed
me the night that I won the election.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
That's right, because you're the only Candida to show up.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
You were the only candidate to show up at the
victory party. Because you were I had to show up.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I wasn't gonna come, and I was like, Okay, I'll come.
So I showed up.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Well, thank you you bailed me out that night. Otherwise
it would have been a long night for nothing. So
thank you for doing that. And all right, so let's
get into it the last three years. I know this
is a very broad question and it's not maybe one
not necessarily easy to answer, but how would you describe
your first.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Three years on the CMOS school board.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It's been a whirlwind.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
When we all came, there were five of us who
came on the board brand new, and we hit the
road running. You think about it. We hired a new superintendent,
we adopted new goals and guardrails, we went through I
hate to say the word, but reassignment. We went through
a lot. And so I feel like we're just now
(01:49):
getting a groove of how we work together, how we
deal with things, and it's it's been amazing three years.
And I've gotten to know a lot of my constituents
and gotten to know what their needs are. So it's
been it's been a wild ride.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Well, you talk about getting to know each other, and
with that, there will be at least one new school
board member because some er non's not running for reelection
and you know, other people are being challenged. So we'll
see how that plays out in the primary. So how
long does it take to be able to get to
feel comfortable with you know, whether you know you're a
retired CMS teacher, whether how long does it take to
(02:32):
get used to being someone like your principal or or
a fellow school board member? How how long does that
take to feel comfortable with each other?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Well, interestingly enough, we went out before we became true
board members, because you can't meet with more than four people.
That becomes quarm and it was nice to be able
to just get to know each other that we're human beings.
Being the only Republican, they kind of looked at me
like I was a little strange. And interestingly enough, the
(03:04):
time in which we were looking for the superintendent and
we were working late nights, we really got to know
each other and I think that was a bond. I
think also going to a couple of conferences where we
were just out and about and we weren't doing certain things,
we saw each other as people, and I think that
was really important. I'm truly going to miss summer. Summer
(03:28):
is in District six, we have a lot of the
same schools. Believe it or not, her children now go
to a school in District five, even though she's in six,
so I'm going to miss her. Melissa Easley and I
believe it or not, we're both educators, so we put
our children first. And it's really really going to be
(03:51):
a different board even with one person. And remember we
took on two new ones at the midyear, so that.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Makes a big difference to speaking with Lisa Klein of
the CMS school Board. In terms of going forward the
next three years. Let's let's assume what's the second or
the next four years. So let's assume for a second
that you get elected. I know what happens when you assume,
but let's assume that you get reelected.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Nothing's ever carved in stone.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Correct, But I want to play the what if game
going forward over the next two years. I don't want
to go too far down the road, but over the
next two years or so, what do you think are
some of the CMS is some of their biggest challenges,
but also some of their biggest needs.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
I think we still have to look at the growth
and closing the gap between all the students. Remember we
are a minority majority district. We have a lot of
children that still need to grow. I do like doctor
Hill's idea of employed, enrolled or enlisted, because it's really
(04:58):
important that we are preparing our children for post CMS life,
regardless of what they're doing. So we've got to look
at that. I mean, I know that we've had a
lot of good growth this year. I can say that much,
but that's still not enough because look at where what
we were where we were, so growth is expected. It's when
(05:22):
we get into the eighties and nineties that we still
continue to grow. And people who know me know that
I harp on that. Beth Thompson, who looks at data,
gets the questions from me every time. I already sent
a bunch of questions in for Tuesday Night. It's something
that we have to keep pushing. Also, teacher retention. A
(05:45):
lot of teachers are leaving pay. It's ridiculous that I
can go to rock Hill and make more money. Why
aren't we getting better pay in North Carolina. So those
are things that we have to look at. Also, being
financially trained parent, I'm big about that. I want to
know how every penny is spent and if it's not
(06:07):
spent correctly, people get a phone call from me and
already email which people cringe. But I'm responsible to our constituents,
not just in District five, but the whole district on
how we spend money.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
And wrapping it up here with Lisa Clients, CMS school
board member in terms of so we talked about going forward.
What are some of the things that you're most proud
of during your time on the school board.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Oh wow, I think some of the things that I'm
proud of, Oh, our new goals, because the old goals
were good, but we raised the bar. I also think
that that's a hard question. I'm proud of a lot
of things. Brett, and I think building the bridge between
(07:00):
the different people has been something that I'm really proud of.
And bringing in programs of people who've reached out and said,
you're an educator, would you look at this, and getting
it into a school free of charge just to help
the kids. So those are some things that I'm proud of.
Bring in safety, keeping that up. We are having safer schools,
(07:22):
believe it or not. I'm really proud of all of that.
I'm proud of the people that I work.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
With and finally here with Lisa kleinm a school board member,
and I asked this to I asked this Ti more
every two weeks when he's on the show.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
I asked this to.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Everyone from Pineville to anyone who's in politics. Is there
anything that you'd like to say to everyone listening, people
in your district, just people in Mecclbark County in general
about CMS.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
CMS is the fourteenth largest school district in the country.
Keep that in mind. We serve every child that comes
to us, and we have to remember that it's our
job to put the children first, and the families and
our staff. So we're doing that. Our teachers and staff
(08:15):
are putting in long hours. And remember school starts in
a couple of weeks. They're already there, they're already fixing
their classrooms. So keep that in mind. We have to
educate who comes to us. We can't pick and choose
and say we don't want you or we want you.
We educate what is that in our classrooms each and
(08:38):
every day. So I think that's something people have to remember.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
It's not.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
No, I don't want you.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
We welcome you with open arms.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
List de Clent, I really appreciate your time tonight.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Thank you, Thanks again. Brett's good to see you after
all these years.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
Exactly all right, when we come back, we're going to
have another interview as I'm coming to you live from
a political event here in Mechlmerk County, and we're going
to grab a couple other candidates as they come in
and out of the situation here where.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
I'm at.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
News Talk eleven ten and ninety ninety three WBT. Brett
Jensen once again coming to you live from a massive
political event here in Charlotte where about nineteen or twenty
candidates are showing up that are going to be running
in the local elections. And one of them that I've
been I've talked about quite a bit over the last
couple of weeks, and this is the first time we've
ever met in person, and that's Leon three, who's running
(09:29):
for the mayor in Matthews. He's currently a Talent commissioner,
but he's running for mayor. And I know why I've said,
without speaking to you personally about why I think you're
running for mayor, but why don't you tell the listeners
why you're running for mayor?
Speaker 5 (09:43):
Well, great to meet you, I think we met years
ago when we were running for other positions. You know,
I do believe that Matthews a great place to live,
and though we're only about three and a half percent
of the Beckenberg County, I moved there about thirty seven,
almost thirty eight years ago because I really value what
Matthews had to offer and I treasure that and I
(10:07):
think anything we value, we need to do all we
can to protect. And one of the things I think
is most urgently needed, certainly seen as I have served
for the last eighteen months as a commissioner, is I
think Matthews need some fresh leadership. No disrespect to anyone
who's served before us, certainly no disrespect to the ones
who are serving now. But I think where we're going
(10:28):
as a town, where we are as a region, I
think we need to be strategizing and leading forward. And
I think that's what I bring. My years of public service.
It brought me to a place where I believe that
leadership is an absolutely priceless necessity for where a town
(10:48):
or community is going and where it is, and I
think I bring a level of leadership. You know, Matthews
will have no less than three new commissioners, and I
think those three new commissioners, along with whoever else may
be an incumbent being re elected, we'll need leadership. And
I believe my level of leadership will make a profound
difference in Matthews and moving forward and making good decisions
(11:11):
and not only just leading as the mayor, but helping
those new commissioners or whoever's elected to make wise choices
for Matthews. And I think I can do that, and
we'll be doing that.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
I said a couple of weeks ago when I was
going through and breaking down each town and the people
that were running for mayor specifically, and I mentioned you,
and I said, you know, John Higden just recently changed
his affiliation from Republican to unaffiliated, but he really hasn't
been a Republican in a very long time, if ever,
and voting for all the tax increases and everything else.
(11:44):
And I said, if John Higden were a true Conservative
or a true Republican, LEO three would not be running
from mayor right now.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Is that a fair statement?
Speaker 5 (11:52):
Well, I would answer that by saying that I'm not
running against Mayor John Higden. I'm can just serve as
the next mayor of Matthews. My my race is not
against him, but for the people of Matthews. And I
believe I do bring something to the table that Matthews
is in need of. And whether whether Mary or Higden
(12:15):
would would change, did changes a part of the affiliation
or whether that's that's really not my fight. My fight
is that an attempt to serve the people of Matthews
bring my years of expertise, my years of leadership, my
devotion for making a community better, my commitment to elevate people,
(12:36):
that's my devotion, my commitment to Matthews and uh and
so uh. I think that what I bring is what
Matthews is is in need of. And I think that
we'll see a real positive step forward as well as
I become the next mayor of Matthews.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Speaking with Leon three eight here on this Friday night,
he's running for mayor of Matthews. What are the biggest
challenges facing Matthews?
Speaker 3 (13:01):
Is it growth? Is it transit? Is it taxes? Like?
What all the above?
Speaker 5 (13:06):
Like?
Speaker 1 (13:06):
What are we looking at in terms of Matthews over
the next two four six years.
Speaker 5 (13:10):
I think what's happening in Matthews is happening to the region.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
We are.
Speaker 5 (13:14):
The whole region is experiencing tremendous amount of growth, and
with that growth comes challenges and difficulties not necessarily caused
by Matthews. It's not a blaming, but the region is
experiencing tremendous growth. Therefore, with that growth must come wise management.
It must come people, decision makers and the communities working
(13:35):
together to attempt to mitigate some of the stresses and
difficulties with that growth. And certainly the traffic becomes a
great issue. The just the level of density that's attempting
to override the whole region. And so Matthews have got
to ask hard questions. What kind of town do we
want to be. Do we want to just be a
resemblance of Charlotte? Is there something that we believe is
(13:58):
intrinsically imported for Matthews And do we hold on to that?
And then if we're going to hold on to it,
how do we do it? How do we maintain being
Matthews thirty six or so thousand residents and hold on
to what we treasure in the midst of an urban
sprawl from Charlotte. And so that's part of our decision making.
(14:18):
That's what we've got to do. Who are we going
to be. Will we be just an extension or an
expression or continuation of Matthews, I mean of Charlotte, or
will we be able to maintain some of our own identity.
So it's all of those issues, and part of what
needs to happen must happen is that there must be
healthy collaboration with Mecklenburg County, with Dot, with the other
(14:41):
towns in Mecklenburg County, even with Union County, because we
east of us as Union County, which is growing beyond measure.
So much of the problems that Matthews is facing, or
challenges Matthews is facing, is from the growth around us
coming through Matthews. Much of the traffic issues that we're
facing is going through Matthew. Major theoroughfarees from forty five
(15:02):
to seventy four or Independence Boulevard all impacts Matthews And
so we've got to ask those hard questions, how do
we deal with that, How do we help move traffic
through us that it doesn't disturb and disrupt our normal
way of life? And so there's so many little pieces,
and yet we still want to be a part of
the healthy parts of the growth. Some of the developments
(15:23):
that's taken place in eastern part of Matthews. We're excited
about it. We're encouraged about some of the development. But
we must be strategic. We must be planning to wisely
as a town, and the elected officials coming in must
be thinking, Okay, how do we work together to do
what's best for Matthews.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
All right, So the last question here with Leon Thrid
is running for mayor of Matthews. And I know we'll
be talking many more times between now and November, but
is there anything and I and every interview this way
with people that are running for office or that are
currently in office, whether it's congressmen or people you know
running for mayor in Matthews, is there anything that you'd
like to say to all the listeners right now at
(16:02):
WBT and potential voters, maybe people are on.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
The fence at Matthews. Is there anything that you'd like
to say to them? Good question, good question. I thank
you for that.
Speaker 5 (16:11):
I think by this being a mid term, odd season election,
one of the frustrations is that it will be often
a very low turnout for this election. And now I
would encourage all of your listeners to please get involved
in this process, help us make the decisions. There are
a lot of things happening in this region in this
midterm election, not only for Matthews, but Mecinburg County and
(16:34):
school board and all other positions. So we certainly need
a good participation, a good turnout come no Vermber the eleventh,
excuse me, November the fourth. Early voting starts the sixteenth
of October. We need a good turnout. We need people
to get involved and know the issues, take the time
to know what's really going on.
Speaker 6 (16:52):
You know.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
One of the sad parts about politics is often we're
talking about low information voters, and we need to change
that narrative one last before our time runs out. One
of the things I've been saying, we need to return
as people, and certainly as elected officials or candidates, back
to a time of civility. Well we have honor, respect
for one another, that we treat people with a certain
(17:14):
politeness and regard. And so that's part of my commitment
as a candidate and certainly as the next mayor, that
I will treat not only the citizens, but also the
other candidate and candidates with the kind of respect and
regard that politics deserve to have, so thank you for
the opportunity to be a part of your program today.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Well again Leon three it was running from Mayor and Matthews.
I really do appreciate your time tonight and I know
that we'll be talking like I said many times between
now and November, so I really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Thank you, Brent.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
All Right, when we come back, we'll continue our look
at what's going on here locally News Talk eleven ten
and ninety nine three WBT. Brad Jenson here with you
again on this Friday Night of Breaking with Brad Jenson.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
Seven oh four five, seven oh eleven ten.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
That is the telephone number and that is also the
text line driven by Liberty Buick GMC and guys, make
sure you follow me on x at Brett Underscore Jensen
for all the lettuce and breaking news in and around
the Charod area. So almost exactly three years ago, like
three years in like three days, I was in Ukraine
(18:15):
and I think I left Ukraine actually two day, three
years ago Kiev. It took me what nineteen hours to
get out of the country. I was there four days
longer than I was supposed to be. It was what
five months after the war had started when Russia and
had invaded Ukraine and you know, had gotten to go
to the close to the front lines and seeing a
(18:36):
lot of the bombed out towns. Well one of my
very as matter of fact, I think it was my
first full day in Kiev that I met Alex a
university student who spoke some English. And you know, with
all the news lately about how there's a possible maybe
mediation going on between Trump and Putin and Zelenski, you know,
(18:57):
there's a lot of talk that maybe the Ukrainian war
will be coming to an end.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
I don't think so.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
On many levels, One, Russia wants to be able to say, hey,
all the land that we've captured, we want to keep it.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Zelensky has said from day one, you're not keeping our.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Land, although all the land that Russia wants is completely
bombed out and useless. Number Two, Russia wants to take
over the largest nuclear power plant in the entire continent
of Europe, and Ukraine is like saying, no, that's our
nuclear power plant. We need that nuclear power plant, and
(19:32):
so I don't think that's gonna happen. And then on
top of it, all all the reports Forbes, Bloomberg everything
coming out of the media outlets in Europe is that
Russia is on the brink of completely collapsing financially, especially
as they get closer and closer into the fall and
winter months. Like they're truly on the brink of complete
(19:54):
and utter financial collapse. And they've already announced hardships on
state TV. Hey, get ready, because the hardships are coming.
Vladimir Putin reportedly has already frozen a lot of the
bank accounts of some of these Russian oligarchs and reportedly
has taken about what fifty billion dollars from these people
to try and prop up the Russian economy. Like things
(20:16):
are not going well in Russia, you know, they're not
going well in Ukraine either, that's the thing. And you know,
scores and scores of people are still dying, Like Russia
over a million people so far, over a million, well
over a million casualties, and I think Ukraine's somewhere around
three four hundred thousand casualties as well. And obviously Russia
has way more people than Ukraine. And they can just
(20:37):
keep throwing people in there. And don't forget they were
taking soldiers from North Vietnam and excuse me North Korea
and just using them and throwing them into the meat grinder,
using them as cannon fodder. So things are not going
well and for either country. Russia, like I said, is
on the verge of financial collapse, like truly collapsing.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
So I started thinking about that three years ago.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Today I think I was leaving Ukraine, and like I said,
I met Alex and Alex was, you know, a very
interesting guy, very smart. He was going to the university
there in Kiev, the biggest university in all of Ukraine.
And I just wanted you to hear the interview that
I did with him three years ago while we're standing
in downtown Kiev about things going on, and honestly, very
(21:25):
very little has changed.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
So why did you decide to stay in Kiev with
the war? Why didn't you leave Ukraine?
Speaker 7 (21:34):
I didn't live Ukraine because I think that it's very
important to stay with like my nation, with our people, Ukrainians,
and to do what we can to grow up our
economic and just to work and to do all our
(21:55):
best to support our army with some some mind. And
I think and as for me, as for students, I
need to grow up as a good specialist in the future,
and yes, to make Ukraine great again.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
Do you ever get scared?
Speaker 7 (22:19):
Yes, of course, first weeks it was a little bit scary.
Scary because I was in the western part. Yes, but
you know, rockets can fly everywhere. They just need to
lunch and someone pushing the button and did lounge and
it flies.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
You don't know where.
Speaker 7 (22:38):
We had a lot of a lords, and yeah, it
was scary, but you know, maybe the bravery of our
of Ukrainians it's yeah, you're scared, but you stay and
you fight like this.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Is there. Do you think.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
Do you think the West is doing enough to help Ukraine?
Speaker 7 (23:08):
H I think not because like we have right now,
twenty Higher's, twenty Himher's. They're given Himer's like four Himer's
every probably week or two weeks something like this, and
we need more weapons because now we just can you
know Russia, yeah, it didn't invade Ukraine as they wanted
(23:34):
to do the Bleiss Creek to get to Kiev and
to capture it. But it's they have just a lot
of tanks right now, it's destroyed like near to two
thousand tents, but they still have a lot of tanks
and a lot of weapons. And we don't wear a
(23:58):
smaller country. We don't have just so many money like
them and so many weapons. We don't want to like
we didn't want to have the war. But yeah, I
think that we need some some planes, like maybe even
(24:20):
the mix mixed twenty nine. Our pilots know how to
how to drive it, and yeah, we need more.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Have you had any friends that have died in the
army or other friends?
Speaker 7 (24:34):
Oh, I have one girl in my group in university.
And when the war started, she was in Marriopol. We
was like texting her every day. But then at the
seventh of March, we didn't have any how to say
connection to her and we was trying to form her friends,
(24:58):
her family, but no result for probably one month or
one half months. But then she moved to Berdyansk and
she charged her phone and she said that yes, I
am alive, it's okay, thank you very much. That you
was like trying to help, trying to know what with me.
(25:21):
And she was in some camps like where's the Russian
was checking if she has something Ukrainian and maybe some
time too, you know, something like this, And when she
was in this camp, she was like she took off
(25:42):
her seam card. She deleted all her social webs like Instagram, Telegram,
because they can have a look at it and just
maybe kill her.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
I would say, there are a little bit of audio
issues here and there in the middle. You know, that's
what happens when you don't have very good Wi Fi
and you're trying to rely on Wi Fi for you know,
like a couple of microphones wireless microphones, and so you know,
that's what happens. You try to rely on Wi Fi
and WiFi is not very not very good. I think
they have three G is what I think they had
(26:19):
at the time, if I'm not mistaken, and if you
are lucky in very certain areas you can maybe get
up to four G. But we were in the middle
of the town square, so I had no internet to
connect to. So it was it was very sketchy audio
and sometimes it would go in and out. But nonetheless,
again again, that was my interview with Alex almost exactly
to the day three years.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Ago when I was in Kiev.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
And I'm trying to figure out if I'm maybe even
gonna go back to Ukraine again this year. I've been
thinking about it. Maybe in the next couple months, maybe
I'll head back to Ukraine. I'm trying to plan my
trips for this upcoming like September ish, you know, type
of trips where there are gonna be many chorists because
people travel obviously during summer, and it won't be aside.
I remember the last time I was in Kiev, it
(27:04):
was like ninety five degrees every single day. Even when
I was in Chernobyl a year prior to that, four
years ago, it was like ninety five ninety six degrees.
So and by the way, that is in Ukraine as well,
right near the Belarus border.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
But so I'm just trying to figure.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Out what I'm going to do this year and some
interesting places that I'm looking at, you know, I don't
you know, yes, do I want to go to Paris
at some point?
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Of course I do.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
In the south of France and Italy and all that, absolutely,
but that will come in due time. I like to
get some of the more unique places out of the.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
Way, all right, when we come back.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
The Carolina Panthers are playing against the Cleveland Browns tonight
at Bank of America Stadium. I believe the game starts
right at seven o'clock tonight, right at the end of
the show, So we're going to talk a little bit
of Panthers and Hey, Bryce Young, how are things looking?
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Bryce Young? You know, at this time last year things
were looking rather poor, but here we are a year
later coming off a really good year.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
So we'll look at in his situation as they head
into their first preseason game.
Speaker 3 (28:02):
Tonight News Talk eleven ten and ninety nine to three WBT.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Bret Jensen here with you on this Friday night of
Breaking with Brett Jensen for a few more minutes. Okay,
So basically right at the end of this show, that's
when the Carolina Panthers played their first preseason game of
the twenty twenty five season. They're playing the Cleveland Browns
here in Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium, and.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
You're gonna see the first teamers. You're gonna see Bryce Young.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
You're also gonna see the first team defense going against
the much Ballyhood and much also media maligned Shadoor Sanders
of the Cleveland Browns. So Bryce Young met with the
media to talk about this upcoming game as well as
how things are going so far this preseason.
Speaker 6 (28:46):
How will will you benefit can you benefit from playing
this first preseason game and the second one, whereas last year,
you did, know.
Speaker 4 (28:55):
Yeah, I'm super excited. I think it'd be great for us.
Speaker 8 (28:58):
A lot of familiar faces, but some some new pieces,
and every year, you know, we're a new team. So
I think it's just a great opportunity for us to
at the first opportunity we can, we can go out
there and you know, try to establish ourselves, get more
and more comfortable, get reps, and I think it'll be
a great thing for for myself, for all of us
just to kind of get our feet wet a little
bit in the preseason, and you know, we're gonna make
(29:20):
sure that we do everything we can to execute and
take advantage of that opportunity.
Speaker 5 (29:25):
Last year in the preseason, did you did you and
Dave talk about, you know, maybe changing the format this year.
Speaker 8 (29:32):
You know, he coached Canals and and everyone in the
front office they make those decisions, you know, whatever it
is that that you know they ask of me as
us as as an offense, as a team, you know,
that's chain of command of what we do. But again,
I'm excited to be playing, you know, I think again
it's a great opportunity anytime we get to go out there.
You know, we get to go into the bank. Uh,
(29:52):
we get to go out as a team. I don't
take that for granted. It's a blessing no matter.
Speaker 4 (29:56):
What it is. So I'm definitely excited.
Speaker 5 (30:00):
Team where it seems like y'all are on different pages,
but then the next play you went right back to
and the same play.
Speaker 8 (30:05):
How you see him kind of respond.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
To those moments where you know it'd be easy to
get frustrated but.
Speaker 4 (30:09):
Have to go straight on. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (30:11):
Yeah, Team Mac's done a great job, and really I'm
super grateful the entire receiver room has that next play attitude,
which is huge just as a team, as offense we
talk about a lot of as a as a coaching
staff and as a unit. You wanna learn from the
last play. We come back and we have conversations on
the sideline, but that's not you don't wanna take that
last play into the next play, good or bad. And
(30:32):
everyone has that mentality. So whenever there's something that we
have to recalibrate, we come to the sideline, we talk
about it, we get better from it. And then there's
from my standpoint, there's zero loss of confidence, loss of faith,
trust anything. You know, if a a play doesn't go
our way, that's gonna happen, and you know we have
to turn the page get to the next one.
Speaker 9 (30:48):
So what you guys learn today about your offense as
you're playing guys you hadn't played before, but you didn't
know going in.
Speaker 8 (30:55):
Maybe Yeah, I think it's it's good to watch us react,
watch us react to different things. Obviously our defense does
a ton of things, but you know, you get very
familiar with who you're going against. You get familiar with matchups,
and you know when you come in against a team
that you're not familiar with and you know, uh, you
don't know what's what's gonna come, it's good to see
where our natural reactions are. So I think this is
(31:15):
just a great learning experience for all of us.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
I have.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
I love how how we responded to things.
Speaker 8 (31:21):
You know, obviously there's things to clean up, things you
want to get better at, but all in all, I
think it was just a great learning opportunity. I haven't
watched the film yet, so excited to go in too
meetings and do that. But anytime we get the opportunity
to it's a good thing.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
You had the opportunity to talk to J c at
all about that car accident that he had, has the
lot program and feeling.
Speaker 6 (31:38):
You had a chance to do that.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
Yeah, yeah, talk to him.
Speaker 8 (31:41):
You know, he was out there even without practicing, just
as much energy as he always has. You know, that's
and that's the person he is. You know, I know
he would have led to be out there but doing
everything from his sideline staying.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
Uh, they got him a script.
Speaker 8 (31:54):
He's he's falling with the with the play calls, making
sure he's engaged, and you know that's g it is. Uh,
you know what happened. Obviously, I don't know the specifics
of everything going on, but uh, yeah, I mean that's
our guy. We know he's always gonna do everything he can,
so I'm grateful he's he's on our side.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
On preseason games.
Speaker 4 (32:13):
Do you think not playing Manny Snaps last year in
those games might have impacted y'all early in the season. No,
I think that.
Speaker 8 (32:21):
Again, I trust the coaches and the decisions they make,
and I'm sure that you know, they look at things
from a year to year basis, whatever they feel like
the team needs. You know, the decision they make is
we talk about them in the quarterback a lot whatever
decision is made, that's the best card in the house.
So there's there's no point fingers, there's no no blame it.
And again all that's last year. This was a decision
(32:43):
for this year. I'm I'm I'm happy, I'm excited for it,
and that's all focused on working.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
Together with Austin and k Do you notice any major
difference that's between the two.
Speaker 8 (32:53):
When yeah, no, which is which is saying a lot
for how well they uh the position physically, but also mentally,
great communicators, both of them. They do a great job
in the run game, in the past game, and you know,
the center position, there's so much that you don't see
from the outside looking in. You know, they have to
be the people who who drive so much all the
(33:14):
you know, the run game points, pass game communications. They
have to not just see who's in front of them,
but they have to see the whole contour of the defense.
And both of them do it at such a high level.
Both super smart guys, great communication with with me and
the rest of quarterbacks whoever's in So yeah, I have
all the comfort the world and whoever it is that's
in there.
Speaker 6 (33:34):
Race. You talked about the chain of command and coaches
make the decision and you're happy with all that. But
last year was your first year with coach Canal Is
is you is he? I know you guys have a
great line of communication, but are you able to use
your voice a little more and offer up or is
that is that still at two way Street? Is there
(33:54):
a little bit more or less?
Speaker 4 (33:56):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (33:57):
Yeah, Well coaching now has is always pride to the
open having open dialogue with all of his players, which
is something that I'm super grateful for. And really, uh,
he's he's always around, always in rooms, always want to
hear things. So he's definitely made it for an environment
for myself or for everyone, uh, to voice how we feel,
voice opinions. So that's something you're super grateful for.
Speaker 6 (34:18):
As a Q, you get that kind of input when
it comes to or does is he listening to you?
He say, look, I want to play a little more
in the preseason or you know, I'd like I'd like
to you kind offer those suggestions.
Speaker 8 (34:28):
That's stuff that I leave up to the front office,
leave up to the coaching staff. You know, I haven't asked,
not asking, and I trust them they they know it's
best for a team. It's not just about me, It's
about everyone, so yeah, trusting them in.
Speaker 9 (34:39):
That yesterday on an interview that you weren't happy about
being finished last year, but it was the way you
handled it or really impressed him. Can you kind of
expand on that and just like what what were you're in?
Where were you unhappy? What were you thought for that?
Speaker 4 (35:02):
And that's something from last year? You know, we're all competitors.
Speaker 8 (35:04):
I want to be what's best, but just like now,
I want to do whatever's best for the team.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
All right, everyone that's gonna do it for us tonight
as well as this week. Again, thanks to everyone who
joined me as my guest this week. Also thanks to
all those that joined me tonight. I really do appreciate
it and look look forward to doing this all over
again next week Monday, as we're gonna have a lot
more stuff coming at you as we do every single week.
So until Monday, everyone, have a great weekend. My name
(35:32):
is Brett Jensen, and you have been listening to Breaking
with Brett Jensen
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