June 4, 2025 • 56 mins
Welcome to the Reel Turf Techs Podcast, Episode 144.
Today we’re talking to Moe Rateb, Equipment Manager at Crowfield Golf Club, an 18-hole municipal course owned by the city of Goose Creek, SC. Moe is the lone tech in the shop, maintaining a mostly Toro fleet and managing it all with skill, heart, and a sense of humor.
We dive into Moe’s path into turf, from starting at a muni for the retirement benefits to learning the ropes of reel grinding and golf course equipment. He shares how his auto-mechanic stepdad inspired his mechanical mindset, and how he's found mentorship and fellowship within the equipment manager community.
Moe talks time management as a working dad and youth sports coach, and how he makes space for his own hobbies, including foraging, metal detecting, and creating healthy habits. Plus, we get into the importance of taking care of yourself in a role that often puts others first.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Trent Manning (00:05):
Welcome to the reel turf techs podcast for the
technician that wants to getreel follow along.
As we talk to industryprofessionals and address hot
topics that we all face alongthe way we'll learn tips and
tricks.
I'm your host, Trent.
Manning let's have some Welcometo The Real Turf Techs Podcast,
(00:27):
episode 1 44.
Today we're talking to Mo Ratib,equipment Manager at Crow Field
Golf Club and Goose Creek, SouthCarolina.
Crow Field Golf Club is an 18hole municipal course owned by
the city of Goose Creek.
Mo is the Lone Tech in the shop.
He has mostly Toro equipment.
(00:48):
Let's talk to Mo.
welcome MO to the Real Turf Textpodcast.
Thanks for coming on.
Moe Rateb (00:54):
Hey, thanks for having me.
Trent Manning (00:56):
How you doing today?
You hanging in
Moe Rateb (00:57):
good.
Oh yeah,
Trent Manning (01:00):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (01:00):
trying to get off of work, deal with kids and
practices and all that.
Trent Manning (01:06):
Well, I appreciate you taking some time
outta your schedule to be aguest today.
Moe Rateb (01:12):
Yeah.
What's funny is not my firsttime we did.
Trent Manning (01:17):
yeah.
We did we, we did a little thingin Myrtle Beach.
Hopefully we'll do one again ifChad will let us come over and
hang out.
That was a lot of fun.
Moe Rateb (01:25):
Yeah.
It was,
Trent Manning (01:26):
Yeah, that was I don't, Myrtle Beach is such a
good time and all the ttac, Imean, TT a's really fortunate to
have such a good group oftechnicians and so many people
show up.
I mean, it's just, it's reallyawesome.
Moe Rateb (01:40):
yeah.
Yeah.
I'm glad that Tacs around.
I found you in the beginning.
It was just like, I'm the onlytech.
So, at some point I was like,man, this sucks doing it all by
myself.
But then when I went to thefirst Myrtle Beach show and met
you guys, then things startedpicking up
Trent Manning (02:01):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (02:01):
and.
Trent Manning (02:01):
met Brian Harper.
Did you
Moe Rateb (02:04):
Yes.
Trent Manning (02:05):
It was, I don't remember when this was.
It was like right after thepodcast started.
Probably, yeah.
'cause we started in the spring,I think, of 21.
So it was that fall.
I met Brian Harper for the firsttime he come up to me and he's
man, your podcast changed mylife.
I'm like, what?
(02:26):
Really?
But it was like the same story.
Like he said, he felt so aloneand so isolated.
Being in the shop by himself andlistening to the podcast, he
knew he wasn't alone.
So, I mean, that's awesome.
I never dreamed that it wouldturn into something like that,
but here we are.
Moe Rateb (02:45):
Yeah.
I, oh,
Trent Manning (02:47):
it.
Tell us how you got into theturf industry.
Moe Rateb (02:51):
so I was a facilities guy at a youth sports complex.
You know it by the song.
But
Trent Manning (02:59):
The old YMCA.
Moe Rateb (03:01):
yeah, I know if I can bring that up or not.
Trent Manning (03:04):
Sure.
I don't, it don't matter.
Moe Rateb (03:05):
And then this opportunity came along to work
for the city of Go Goose Creekis where Crow Field Golf Club
is.
18 hole municipal course.
And he said, yeah, you get toparticipate in the state
retirement program.
And I went, it's a state job, soyou get all the benefits and all
that.
So I was like, yeah, sign me up.
Trent Manning (03:27):
Yeah, that sounds like a good deal.
Moe Rateb (03:29):
Not knowing anything about turf equipment other than
maybe a rotary mower.
Trent Manning (03:34):
But as a facility, guys you know, a guy,
excuse me.
Facility guy, you had a basicunderstanding of some of that
stuff, or not really?
Moe Rateb (03:44):
not really working on the equipment like I did.
I made baseball field, soccerfields, fixed toilets, stuff
like that.
So a general overall aptitude,mechanically.
So, and then my stepdad was amechanic, so summers I would
work with him.
And you know, just in general Ilike learning and have that
(04:09):
aptitude.
So it worked out,
Trent Manning (04:13):
Yeah.
So how long have you been there?
Moe Rateb (04:16):
Two and a half years now.
Trent Manning (04:18):
Okay.
Awesome.
good.
Are you getting more comfortable
Moe Rateb (04:23):
Oh yeah, like today, we talked to, yeah, today we
talked about how big the burshould be and.
Trent Manning (04:29):
yeah.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (04:30):
Yeah, I just do it now where I can just start
feeling it and I take, I willuse Bernhard.
So I take 10 off each time.
And that seems to be enough forwhat I do.
Trent Manning (04:42):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I don't
Moe Rateb (04:44):
I,
Trent Manning (04:44):
it in the WhatsApp group, but just so
everybody bring everybody up tospeed.
What your question was is howbig a bur do you need on the
reel after you have ground thereel?
And I think Tay came back withyou know, the more bur you have,
it doesn't mean it's any sharperor something like that.
Moe Rateb (05:04):
right.
Trent Manning (05:05):
Skip Hines telling me years ago that the
bigger the bur, that's the morematerial you wasted on that
reel.
Moe Rateb (05:12):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (05:13):
thought about it that way, but it does make total
sense.
Moe Rateb (05:17):
Yeah.
When I first started, it wasdemonstrated to me.
I.
Like it had a curl to it, and Iwas like, okay, this is the way
it's done.
Then we started talking aboutcut line and no contact, and I'm
like, there's probably not thatmuch going on there.
And then relief, grinding andall that, I don't have that part
(05:40):
of the equipment, so we justspin grind.
So after you spin, grind alittle, you feel it, see where
you're at, but I've gotten it towhere I can get it set up, take
the tent off, and I'm good togo.
No contact.
It's nice the first time.
And then after they go hit thesand, you know,
Trent Manning (05:58):
Yeah.
Yeah.
We
Moe Rateb (05:59):
We're getting there.
I was thinking about that today.
I was like, I'm coming on theinterview when everything's just
popping off.
Trent Manning (06:06):
yeah.
It's a good timing, I guess.
Luckily.
For you, you have grass?
I do not.
I'm still waiting.
I never thought I would say,man, I really want some grass to
be growing,
Moe Rateb (06:18):
Our rest started growing about two weeks ago.
Not fast, but this week it'scoming in.
So yeah, it's starting to pickup real good.
Trent Manning (06:27):
when, so we're under renovation, so we don't
have any grass
Moe Rateb (06:32):
Oh, okay.
Trent Manning (06:32):
We're still waiting to get some, hopefully
Moe Rateb (06:35):
Yeah.
Most of our course is Bermuda,so it's for this area a good
choice.
Trent Manning (06:42):
Oh yeah.
Well, and even for us, we have,or we will, we had, and we'll
have again, Bermuda Greens,Bermuda rough, but we're going
zoia fairways,
Moe Rateb (06:55):
Oh, okay.
Trent Manning (06:56):
that'll be a little bit of learning curve for
me.
But I do have zoia fairways atthe other course I.
That I'm not at all the time.
So I got a good resource downthere.
Moe Rateb (07:08):
Oh, okay.
Trent Manning (07:09):
Joel's got it figured out how to make 15 to 16
cuts on Georgia fairways betweengrinds, and
Moe Rateb (07:19):
After,
Trent Manning (07:20):
a long time to figure that out.
Moe Rateb (07:23):
yeah, after last year and getting pretty decent with
the grind.
My fairway units, when I went togo check'em, I don't know,
March, see where they were at,they were still cutting paper,
Trent Manning (07:37):
Wow.
Okay.
That's good.
Moe Rateb (07:40):
so I was like, okay, I guess we're moving in the
right direction.
Trent Manning (07:43):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Nothing wrong with that.
Well, what's your least favoritepart of the job?
Is it sand?
Moe Rateb (07:50):
No, you need that for the grass to grow bid.
Well, but least favorite.
I don't know.
It's a job and you know, there'sgonna be okay.
Things to do and not okay.
Things to do.
Oh.
Least favorite.
I do have one.
The decaying dead animals.
(08:10):
You gotta pick up off thecourse, not my, no,
Trent Manning (08:15):
You can't find someone else to do that.
That falls under equipmentmanager.
Moe Rateb (08:21):
sometimes it does.
Yeah.
Trent Manning (08:23):
it does.
Yeah.
It's amazing what falls underequipment manager.
Moe Rateb (08:27):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (08:28):
Yeah.
I was tasked with putting was,what was, it was like a 12 inch
Yeah.
12 inch HDPE pipe over eightinch a DS pipe.
To get water in our reservoir.
That was I don't.
What day was that?
That was end of last week.
(08:48):
Maybe Thursday or something.
You know, I mean, it's is thisreally mechanic work?
But honestly, I enjoy it becauseit's something different.
You know, it gets you outta theshop for a little while.
Some, something different.
Moe Rateb (08:59):
Oh yeah.
Cutting fairways on Friday inthe summer that,
Trent Manning (09:04):
Yep.
Always a fun chore.
Moe Rateb (09:08):
yeah.
And like you said, you weredoing the pipe thing.
We've got, I don't know, likesix, eight guys.
They don't work all at the sametime.
But when I hear about some ofthese crews and.
I've seen some of those garageswith 60 walk mowers and all
that.
I'm just like,
Trent Manning (09:28):
yeah,
Moe Rateb (09:30):
I think we're doing good for what we got.
Trent Manning (09:33):
yeah.
No it's crazy.
There's definitely some highlevel operations like TPC
Sawgrass.
they have the players.
It's, I mean, it's a machinedown there.
Moe Rateb (09:44):
Yeah,
Trent Manning (09:45):
they have and their shot.
I mean, it is crazy.
All the walk mowers they have.
Yeah.
I don't see how they do it.
And I mean, they never slow downeither.
I mean, there is
Moe Rateb (09:55):
no.
Trent Manning (09:56):
off season in Florida.
All those guys in Florida justwide open.
Well, I don't, yeah, I seen JohnMichael was talking about
they're getting ready to shut itdown, you know, for the summer.
Well that might be nice, butthen they're doing all their
airification and, you know,verica and top dressing and all
(10:16):
that stuff.
So I don't think it's much of abreak for those guys.
They might not have golfers onthe course, but
Moe Rateb (10:23):
Yeah, they're out there doing work,
Trent Manning (10:25):
Yep.
They're staying busy.
Tell us what your favorite toolis.
Moe Rateb (10:29):
probably the internet as far as using it as a tool.
I'm an information guy, so youknow, I use it to, you know,
look up diagrams and parts andcrossovers and all that stuff.
And then, you know, social mediameeting you guys, you know, that
has been immensely helpful.
(10:52):
And then I do appreciate a goodsharp blade.
I am surprised at how many timesthroughout the day you have to
cut something or scrapesomething off,
Trent Manning (11:01):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yep.
Always.
Do you
Moe Rateb (11:05):
and then.
Trent Manning (11:06):
particular blade that you carry?
Moe Rateb (11:09):
Yeah, I had, I got a new Cutco folding knife.
I saw it and I was like, I'vegot Cutco in my kitchen lifetime
warranty.
I mean, how come they don't havea pocket knife that is out
there?
Everybody talks about thedifferent brands and Gerber
bench made and all that goodstuff.
And Cutco was just cream of thecrop to me.
Trent Manning (11:33):
Okay, you've been happy with it?
Moe Rateb (11:36):
Oh yeah.
The other day I had to fix adeadbolt with it.
It was getting stuck because thehole was the bolt was running up
against the hole in the, so Ijust carved it with the knife
and carved off the hole.
Works perfect.
Trent Manning (11:50):
Yep.
Moe Rateb (11:51):
And I did break the tip off, so,
Trent Manning (11:54):
Amazing everything that a pocket knife
can be used for when you putyour
Moe Rateb (11:58):
but yeah, like.
All the gadgets and stuff thatwe talk about and you know, just
mechanic gearhead guys ingeneral.
All those things that you canhave a million dollars worth of
stuff that you might use at onetime, but it makes your life
easy.
but what I really like about thetools is like a cheater bar, for
(12:20):
example, this could be a pipe onthe end of your ratchet and it
gives you super human strengthand you feel like a genius being
able to use it.
Trent Manning (12:31):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (12:31):
But,
Trent Manning (12:32):
if that's not enough leverage, you can take a
pry bar and stick it in thatpiece of pipe that you got your
ratchet and really try to breaksomething.
You know, you never know.
Moe Rateb (12:42):
and if you have a snap on one and you do break it,
you were prying something withit.
Trent Manning (12:48):
yes.
But they don't care.
You can just it, take it back tothe truck and there you go.
Moe Rateb (12:55):
Yep.
Trent Manning (12:56):
fix it right up for you.
I mean, yeah, I won't getstarted.
Snap-on is very expensive, but Iam a snap-on guy.
I like my snap-on stuff.
Moe Rateb (13:05):
I'm a craftsman guy.
It just, back when Sears wasaround, my stepdad used to take
broken sockets and stuff, walkright into the Sears, and they
were like, okay, just go get youone
Trent Manning (13:17):
Yep.
No, and I mean there's nothingwrong with the craftsman, but
issue that I had like, I had aratchet one time that broke and
I took it into Sears and theydidn't have that exact model
ratchet, so they're like, sorryfor your luck, you know, try to
(13:37):
come back sometime,
Moe Rateb (13:39):
really.
Trent Manning (13:40):
yeah.
Yeah.
I'm like, okay, this is notreally what all it's cracked up
to be.
But yeah, I mean, I've gotsockets changed out and that
kind of stuff, and I'm sure now,I don't know if you just mail it
in since there's no more seriesaround I'm, I don't know what
Moe Rateb (13:55):
No, you go to Lowe's.
Trent Manning (13:57):
Oh, you can get it done at Lowe's now.
Okay, nice.
Awesome.
That's good stuff.
But like Mac tools, I got a goodbit of Mac stuff that you know,
is forever old.
got on a Mac tool truck.
This was, you know, last year orsomething with some broken
items, and the guy on the trucksaid, just mail those in.
(14:21):
And he wouldn't change'em outfor me.
I'm like, really?
Moe Rateb (14:24):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (14:25):
you know?
And I mean, it wasn't likeoddball stuff.
I mean, it was, you know,sockets that he should have
Moe Rateb (14:30):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (14:30):
on his truck, but he didn't wanna mess with it.
So there's a lot to be said foryour your dealer too.
Moe Rateb (14:38):
Yes.
I.
Trent Manning (14:40):
What do you do to relax or find your balance?
Moe Rateb (14:44):
I like to take long walks in the woods.
I, well, I started out likemetal detecting and then, you
know, here in Charleston, civilWar, revolutionary War I mean, I
even find stuff from thirties,forties, fifties, sixties,
Trent Manning (15:02):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (15:02):
bottles, like people trash and stuff.
And then I got into foraging,mushrooms, plants, and now that
everything's starting to turngreen, you know, it's just like
you walk out and you can findsomething to eat or something
that you can use medicinally.
But yeah, I just like beingoutside.
(15:23):
And the worst part is when I goout on the course and, you know,
you're just driving your MDXaround looking at everything I.
So it takes a little bit longerto get to where you need to be.
Trent Manning (15:33):
Oh, well, yeah.
You gotta check it out.
See?
See what else you can find.
Nothing wrong.
Nothing wrong with that.
That's good.
I don't How bad are themosquitoes in Charleston?
Moe Rateb (15:43):
August
Trent Manning (15:45):
Okay.
August.
August is the month.
I don't wanna be there.
Moe Rateb (15:49):
Yeah.
The bugs are starting to comeout now, but they're not too bad
yet.
But on the beach, the no seas,
Trent Manning (15:59):
Oh,
Moe Rateb (15:59):
doesn't matter.
Yeah.
Trent Manning (16:00):
yeah.
No CM since, yeah.
Is there a good time of year forNo cms?
Moe Rateb (16:06):
December,
Trent Manning (16:07):
December Okay.
Is
Moe Rateb (16:08):
January.
Trent Manning (16:09):
Yeah.
don't, so Kelly and I were therelast November, and it was really
nice weather-wise, and Yeah.
The bugs were not bad.
I mean, and it was right atThanksgiving too, so that's
almost December.
It, it was beautiful.
Moe Rateb (16:27):
Yeah, it's still good up until the end of December and
then January it starts gettingcold.
January, February, March andApril are still chilly, but not,
Trent Manning (16:37):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (16:39):
now, yeah, it's beautiful.
Trent Manning (16:41):
what's been one of your biggest challenges?
Moe Rateb (16:43):
My biggest challenge in life in general, time
management, trying to doeverything that two kids, they
do their sports.
My wife does sports.
We both coach at various timesof the year.
You know, I like being outdoors,so, you know, I try to do that,
get some exercise that way.
(17:04):
Yeah, just, you know, doingeverything.
It is that I'm at that point inmy life where it's going,
Trent Manning (17:12):
No, that's good.
Yeah.
Yep.
No.
Downtime,
Moe Rateb (17:15):
no, very little.
Yeah.
Trent Manning (17:17):
yeah, for sure.
What's one of the strangestthings you've seen out there on
the course?
Moe Rateb (17:23):
when I first started watching them cut the grass in
the dark with little headlampsI'm like how do you know that
you're cutting it the way it'ssupposed to be?
You know, when you watch golf ontv, everything is smooth and
flat and perfect.
They did figure it out somehow.
Trent Manning (17:44):
Yeah, that's funny.
I remember.
and this was early on in my, Icareer at the golf course, but
it was 95.
So like the year I started thatfall, we had the Nike Tour
Championship, which you know, iskind of like minor league of the
PGA.
(18:04):
I don't even know what it isnow.
I guess it's Korn Ferry now.
but back then it was the Niketour.
So anyway this guy, we had bentgrass greens and we had a
fringe.
So a fringe is a cut, just alittle higher around the
perimeter of the green.
this guy was mowing and he wasdefinitely the really nervous
(18:27):
type.
I'm holding a flashlight walkingnext to him we don't have lights
on the mowers, any of thatstuff.
And he's man, don't let me scalpthe fringe.
Don't let me scalp the fringe.
And he said that every pass forall five greens.
I'm like, dude it's gonna beokay.
I got you.
We're, it is gonna be all right.
(18:49):
But yeah, just his stress levelof mowing the fringe.
I don't know why.
Maybe think of that fun
Moe Rateb (18:55):
Oh yeah.
Some of those operators, youknow, they're anxious like that
and they're stressful andwhatever, and then you get that
guy in the crew that doesn'tcare and just will cut a stripe
right through the rough.
Trent Manning (19:13):
Oh yeah.
Yep.
Definitely.
That happen, I don't, the one ofthe funniest things I'm, I need
to get the picture and I don'tknow if.
I think I might have shared iton Twitter back in the day,
'cause it's been a bunch ofyears ago, an operator was
mowing for green and for greento the left side of the green,
there's a river and the mower,is going on the green.
(19:36):
It went, I think, I'm trying toremember.
Yeah, we had a collar.
So it went straight through thecollar, straight through the
rough down all, it didn't quitego in the river but close.
And it got hung up.
So it's like, what is thisoperator doing?
And this was yeah, before thebale system, so you know,
(19:57):
operator presence and all that
Moe Rateb (19:58):
Oh yeah.
Trent Manning (19:59):
I think he just let go.
I don't know if he was on hisphone or what, but he just, it
just kept going.
Yeah,
Moe Rateb (20:07):
Yeah.
I mean, there's nothing you cando after that.
Trent Manning (20:10):
Now well, do you have a mentor in the industry?
Somebody you look up to, you gota bunch of mentors.
Everybody in the
Moe Rateb (20:20):
it.
Trent Manning (20:20):
group.
Moe Rateb (20:21):
Yeah, all you guys.
But I mean, as far as like themechanicing wrenching, probably
my stepdad is my biggestinfluence.
You know, working with him inthe summer, you know, during
high school really paid off for,you know, one of those things I
didn't know would pop up againin my life when he's like, when
(20:42):
you need to stay in school, soyou're not doing this when
you're my age.
But here I am almost his age.
Trent Manning (20:47):
That's funny how that works out, but yeah.
Did was, so I'm assuming he waspretty handy.
Did he work on cars or
Moe Rateb (20:55):
Yeah.
He was an auto mechanic for 50years.
Trent Manning (20:58):
oh wow, okay.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (20:59):
I remember him being like.
65 under a car, one handing atransmission, trying to line it
up.
And I'm just like, this is nuts.
I'm in my mid twenties and I'mlike, I don't even think I can
do that.
Trent Manning (21:14):
That's cool though.
Yep.
Good stuff.
Moe Rateb (21:18):
But yeah, as far as mentors, like all you guys, like
you've been doing it forever.
And John Bozos, he's like a, hereminds me of a buddy of mine
that, you know, all the car workthat he does and everything and
him, Kayla and her safety talks.
Trent Manning (21:38):
Yep.
Safety first.
No, that's good stuff.
Yeah.
John's something else because,yeah, I mean, at the course all
day long and then he goes homeand he just keeps doing it.
Can't,
Moe Rateb (21:49):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (21:50):
enough, I guess.
But taught itself body work.
I mean, it's pretty impressive.
And I do think that's fun aspectwhen you kind of go down
different rabbit holes, whetherit's, you know, auto body or
cutting units or you know,whatever it is, wherever your
passion leads
Moe Rateb (22:08):
Oh yeah,
Trent Manning (22:09):
And you start learning new things and it makes
it interesting.
it fun anyway.
Moe Rateb (22:15):
yeah.
For me, lately it's just beengetting into the plant aspect of
just being in Charleston is atropical subtropical area and
just all the plants and nativestuff and trying to be healthier
in general.
And you're like, more plants inyou the better.
(22:35):
Right.
Trent Manning (22:36):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
What would be your dream job oropportunity?
Moe Rateb (22:41):
Probably something right now, baseball turf related
being a crew, like managing acrew at a minor league field or
even major league,
Trent Manning (22:54):
Oh
Moe Rateb (22:54):
whenever I go to baseball games, whether it's, we
got Charleston RiverDogs here inCharleston, I went to Yankees
preseason in Tampa, and they alluse the same equipment,
Trent Manning (23:07):
Right, right, right.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (23:09):
sand pros and yeah,
Trent Manning (23:12):
Yep.
All the same things.
Moe Rateb (23:15):
I just need to find a city job so it'll continue my
retirement years
Trent Manning (23:21):
Well, surely the city has some parks and wrecks
and,
Moe Rateb (23:25):
that, yeah, there is one near me.
I just don't know if thesituation would be better than
what I've gotten now.
I like being in sports, whetherit's golf, because I'm not a big
golfer, but baseball is like myjam.
And
Trent Manning (23:40):
Yeah,
Moe Rateb (23:41):
I like that.
But yeah, golf's not bad either.
Trent Manning (23:45):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (23:45):
I,
Trent Manning (23:45):
if you gotta pick a sport, I mean, it's not too
far from baseball.
I heard the swing's a lotdifferent.
Moe Rateb (23:52):
it is.
Trent Manning (23:53):
Yeah.
That's what I've heard.
I wouldn't know'cause I would'vesucked at baseball and I really
sucked at golf, so it didn'treally matter
Moe Rateb (24:02):
I play golf September, October, and then
tournament in November.
Trent Manning (24:06):
Okay.
That's, I mean, nothing wrongwith that.
I don't, honestly, I've beenthinking about that because the
T tac guys, like maybe I shouldjust buy a cheap set of clubs.
I.
just go play when, you know, atthe tournament, like the one for
Eric Duncanson memorial, I wasat it last year, and then y'all
have the one before theconference there at Myrtle
(24:30):
Beach.
Maybe that would be fine.
I don't know.
I mean, y'all seem to reallyhave a good time doing it,
Moe Rateb (24:37):
Oh, it is fun and everybody is not awesome as you
think they are.
Trent Manning (24:42):
Well, no, I mean, and I mean honestly I've I've
seen some of them place.
kind of makes me think, well,hey, maybe, you know, maybe I
could sink a pot here or there,you know,
Moe Rateb (24:52):
Yeah.
All it takes is one.
And you're the hero.
Trent Manning (24:54):
right, right.
Yeah.
Just one.
So I mean, that, that could becool.
Do you have a technician you'dlike to work with for a day?
Moe Rateb (25:04):
Yes.
Christopher from Canada.
Trent Manning (25:08):
Oh yeah, for sure.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (25:10):
Yeah, he laughs at all my WhatsApp posts.
So yeah, I definitely would wanthim around.
Trent Manning (25:16):
Chris Whitaker yeah, one of the nicest guys
you'll ever And he works.
I hadn't been to his coursepersonally, but I first met him
in Canmore, which is justoutside I'm going to go blank on
the name of that, but it's inAlberta, Canada Calgary.
(25:37):
So I flew into Calgary.
I drove over, I drove pastCanmore and went to Banff.
And that's the Rocky Mountainsin Canada.
And it is the most beautifulplace I've ever seen.
And since then I've been toYellowstone.
And Yellowstone is reallybeautiful, but I don't know.
There, there's just somethingabout area there where
(26:01):
Whitaker's at, that it'ssomething else.
It's I just couldn't believe it,you know, seeing mountains that
tall and I'd never seen anythinglike that in my life.
So maybe that was, had somethingto do with it, but really
beautiful place and I'm sure ifhe wanted to go, he'd be more
than happy to host you.
I,
Moe Rateb (26:20):
but yeah, as far as.
Like people to work with.
When I first listened to yourpodcast, you had JR Wilson on
and he was talking about doingsomething with Arduinos and all
that, and I went to school formath and electronics and I was
like, yeah, that's what I likedoing, but I haven't figured out
(26:41):
how to integrate it yet.
But you know, stuff like that.
I was like, yeah, that'd be coolto, you know, see how they do
it.
And then you guys, with the 3Dprinting and the CNC stuff
that's cool.
Kayla is pretty chill, I imagineshe'd be fun and safe.
Trent Manning (27:00):
Fun and safe.
Moe Rateb (27:02):
so yeah, I mean most I feel like most of us get along
well enough where if we workedtogether and you had a tag team
in the shop, I mean, it wouldjust be cake job.
Trent Manning (27:15):
oh, yeah.
Yeah.
No, it would it would be a lotof fun.
Me, and we hadn't talked aboutthis in forever, but skip Hines
brought it up and trying toremember, yeah, it was Monster
Garage, right?
You remember that show?
Garage, Jesse James, you know,they just like Frankenstein some
(27:35):
kind of something.
but Skip Hines, his idea was tohave a monster garage.
Yeah.
And have it at Hector's shop inMichigan just like a whole group
of us go up there and see whatwe could build in a week.
Moe Rateb (27:54):
Oh yeah.
Trent Manning (27:55):
Just something outrageous.
And that would be so much fun.
That'd be, you know, super coolif we could do that.
And just the comradery, youknow, I mean, that's what's
great about the T tac togetherin Myrtle Beach and the National
Golf Show, you know, for theG-C-S-A-A just getting
(28:16):
like-minded people in the sameroom and who knows what you're
gonna end up talking about.
It's a lot of fun.
Moe Rateb (28:22):
Yeah, I wanna try to make it down to Orlando this
year or next year.
Just coming up here.
Trent Manning (28:29):
What do you know now you wish you'd known on day
one?
Moe Rateb (28:33):
I had to set up a reel when I first got there.
Our then assistantsuperintendent who was the
mechanic for eight months beforeI got there he played golf in
high school, but setting up amower was not his jam.
(28:54):
So, I mean, it got me started,but as far as, you know, getting
the bed bar even, and I thoughtlight contact meant like.
You can still hear it rubbingthe reel and the bed knife.
And now I know after goingthrough cut line a couple times,
(29:17):
you can get it to cut withouteven touching.
Trent Manning (29:21):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (29:21):
you, you won't even hear it.
But yeah, Mike's helped out alot with that.
Being able to change the anglesand getting that cut line going
across the bed knife, that'sbeen a big but yeah from now to
back then, I mean a millionpercent better as far as being
(29:43):
able to keep the equipmentrunning decently, not spending
more money than you have to onbed knives and reels and
replacing'em and all that.
You know, I went on to some ofthe John Deere training and some
of those guys are like, yeah,I've had this set of reels for
seven years and I'm like.
They last that long, you know,because I mean, you're using
(30:05):
them every day and just beatingup grass and you know, that
stuff just takes a beating.
Trent Manning (30:14):
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
For sure.
So how did you come aboutfiguring out how to set up a
cutting unit?
Moe Rateb (30:24):
a lot of cut line.
And then just the WhatsAppgroup, the guys talking about
the different things, sometimesarguing about it.
But you know, you pick out whatyou need and then you go back
and you tinker and you see whatworks for you and what doesn't
work for you.
And great example was the otherday.
I had a bed knife that was notlining up with the reel and you
(30:48):
guys were talking about thecompression spring on the QA
five.
So I got, I put a new spring in,it only moved it like a 16th of
an inch and I was just like,okay.
But you know, I couldn't move itover with a pry bar to even make
it work that way.
So I just went and I got a wholenew set of bearings and races
(31:12):
and put it in and then likemiraculously it fixed itself.
Trent Manning (31:17):
Yeah, I don't know.
Yeah.
Maybe one of those races wasmisaligned a little bit or
offset something, you know?
Who
Moe Rateb (31:25):
I'm just glad it worked.
Trent Manning (31:27):
you?
Yeah, right.
Yeah, exactly.
What have you noticed with yourbed knife angles, did you make a
change that has helped you like
Moe Rateb (31:40):
yeah,
Trent Manning (31:41):
Yeah, go ahead.
Moe Rateb (31:43):
when I started it was 10 on the top, five on the
front.
And I would get these, I wouldget where, from the front to the
back of the bed knife, you know,and then it hits the valley.
I mean, it would be scraped allthe way.
And then I go see Mike do hispresentation and he's talking
about this little line and I'mlike, okay, what do I do?
(32:07):
And then they're talking aboutmessing with the angles, and
then I'm like, I don't know yet.
You know,'cause I'm just new tothis, but I did it.
I'm like 15 five for me.
I can get a nice thin lineacross.
But yeah, it
Trent Manning (32:26):
on the top.
Moe Rateb (32:27):
yeah, 15 on the top
Trent Manning (32:29):
Okay.
Moe Rateb (32:30):
on, yeah, five on the front.
So it's steeper down than it ison the front.
Trent Manning (32:35):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yep.
Interesting.
Moe Rateb (32:38):
even on Bernhard on the back of the, the bed knife
grinder, you know, it's got asticker and it tells you like
what you should do and all that.
It's a good starting point, butI don't think it works for a lot
of guys.
So you have to be able to takethat leap of faith and try
something new.
Trent Manning (32:57):
yeah.
Yeah.
And I mean, I think it's, Ithink that's the way we learn,
right?
Is we try it and it either worksor it doesn't.
Or maybe
Moe Rateb (33:06):
And,
Trent Manning (33:07):
result
Moe Rateb (33:08):
but for the longest time I was hooked up on it being
a science.
'cause you know, it's amechanical thing.
It should be a certain way,everything should be set up and
it would just work.
And then when everybody talksabout it, they got their own
view of how it should be doneand you know, you just kind of
(33:30):
go with it.
Trent Manning (33:32):
Yeah.
I don't I guess it's probablymore of an art, if you will,
than a science,
Moe Rateb (33:38):
Yeah.
I hate saying that, but yeah.
Trent Manning (33:40):
Yeah.
Well, and I mean, it sounds likeyou're kind of a number guy, and
I'm a number guy too.
I like hard cold facts,
Moe Rateb (33:48):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (33:48):
things should be, and maybe we can get there one
day, but there's this, it goesback to the old saying there's
more than one way to skin a cattoo.
You know, a lot of differentways
Moe Rateb (34:04):
Oh yeah.
Trent Manning (34:04):
of doing what we do.
it's, you know, you have theguys and gals that are grind
only, no contact.
And then you have another groupis contact.
They grind, they relief, grind,and they lap.
(34:26):
And some of'em lap daily, or notdaily, but every time they cut,
Moe Rateb (34:32):
oh yeah.
Trent Manning (34:33):
and they're both able to put out a really good
product.
So it isn't like you can say,well, that group is wrong.
They're doing it wrong.
But there is people in theindustry that like to say that,
or like to think that they
Moe Rateb (34:51):
Yes,
Trent Manning (34:51):
do it like me, Mo, you're doing it wrong.
And say that?
Moe Rateb (34:56):
I've seen them say it directly.
Trent Manning (34:59):
Well, right.
Yeah.
People people get prettypassionate about these things.
Moe Rateb (35:04):
Yeah.
I mean,
Trent Manning (35:05):
camp of if it works for you, just keep doing
it.
Moe Rateb (35:09):
yeah, that falls under the category of giving
yourself grace.
I mean, you know, if it worksfor you, great.
If it, you know, if I trysomething and it doesn't work,
which happens a lot in life ingeneral, you know, you just
gotta, you know, not be so hardon yourself.
Just like you talked about, youknow, the operator that was
(35:30):
anxious about cutting the grass.
He just wants to do a good job.
Trent Manning (35:33):
Well, right, right, right.
Yep.
Moe Rateb (35:35):
And, you know, as long as you talk nice to the
grass, it'll come back.
Trent Manning (35:41):
Yes.
Yes.
Just gotta sweet talk it.
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(36:23):
Let's get back to the episode.
Get ready for tips and tricks.
Let's do
Moe Rateb (36:27):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (36:27):
and tricks.
What tips and tricks you wannashare with us.
Moe Rateb (36:31):
Tips and tricks.
Where did I wrote'em down.
Oh.
I.
So in preparing for this yougave me a set of questions and I
typed them up and startedanswering them.
And in Microsoft Word, I learnedthat if you scroll your mouse up
to the top and then run thescroll wheel, it'll flip through
(36:52):
all the ribbons.
Trent Manning (36:55):
No
Moe Rateb (36:56):
I know you do.
Yeah.
See.
Trent Manning (36:58):
knew that.
Learn something new every day,man.
That's good stuff.
Moe Rateb (37:03):
But I mean, as far as tips and tricks in the shop, I
mean, it is just all thoseweird, like using a socket to
align the screw in by flippingit backwards and stuff like
that.
You know, all that stuff Iappreciate and you just kinda
put it in your mental toolbox.
(37:23):
There's just so many that it'shard to pick one that's your
favorite to talk about.
But it makes life easier.
Trent Manning (37:32):
we can we can talk about as many as you want.
Seriously.
Moe Rateb (37:39):
But yeah, that one really stood out when I was
doing this.
I was like, you can do that,
Trent Manning (37:44):
All right.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (37:44):
but
Trent Manning (37:45):
One of my favorite shortcuts on the
keyboard control shift V.
You know, control V is paste,
Moe Rateb (37:55):
right.
Trent Manning (37:55):
in Google, if you're in a Google Doc or a do a
Google sheet, you do controlshift V and it only paste the
text, not the format.
Because sometimes if
Moe Rateb (38:12):
okay.
Trent Manning (38:13):
something, you know, off a website or whatever,
it's in whatever format, and youdon't want to copy that into
your, or I don't want to copythat into my spreadsheet because
it really drives me crazy if allmy fonts aren't the same.
Moe Rateb (38:26):
Oh yeah.
Trent Manning (38:27):
all got these weird quirks, right?
Just being vulnerable with youand the listeners
Moe Rateb (38:34):
Oh yeah.
No, I,
Trent Manning (38:35):
my fonts and size is the same spreadsheets.
Moe Rateb (38:40):
and another tip, since I was using Word a lot
this morning, the Windows keyand period.
You can put emojis in your textnow.
Trent Manning (38:53):
Oh, that's hot tip there.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (38:57):
Yeah, that one I like.
Trent Manning (38:58):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (38:59):
But yeah, that was, 'cause I was on the computer a
lot longer than I wanted to bethis morning.
Trent Manning (39:04):
Okay.
Well, I'm sorry the.
Moe Rateb (39:06):
No, that's okay.
Trent Manning (39:07):
you to be on the computer more than you wanted
to, but hey, at least you pickup some new new tricks
Moe Rateb (39:12):
Yeah.
But yeah, it's the tips andtricks are those things that you
pick up, you know, throughoutyour years of being on this
planet, whether it's working orliving or, you know, those life
hacks, you know, those are greattoo.
Trent Manning (39:28):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Gotta have some of those.
Moe Rateb (39:31):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (39:32):
about some mental health and mental, you said
physical wellbeing, I think.
Moe Rateb (39:38):
Yeah.
So, I guess my first TTAC, TimKrieger comes up and he is
talking about his heart attack,you know?
Okay.
That's his thing.
And then I guess two Christmasesago now, Michael Henderson from
Pebble Beach, you know, he kindof put it out there.
And I think that really kickedit off for the group.
(40:01):
Like all the guys were, once youget to be a certain age you've
had people die and weird stuffhappen to you and you've made
bad decisions and Yeah, it somepeople get in a bad way, but,
you just gotta work through it.
But, being mentally healthy andphysically healthy, it puts you
(40:21):
in a lot better position to dealwith adversity where, you'll get
through it and things like that.
And the longer you live, themore something horrible is gonna
happen in your life that you'regonna have to deal with
Trent Manning (40:37):
Yeah, for sure.
No, it's,
Moe Rateb (40:39):
and
Trent Manning (40:40):
it's tough.
It is.
Li Life's
Moe Rateb (40:42):
a lot.
Yeah.
And we work in the sportsindustry so there's, it's
entertainment.
And people are so wound up aboutdoing a job of, I don't wanna
say it's just cutting grass, butyou're trying to provide, the
best product for the peopleplaying and Yeah.
(41:02):
Things aren't gonna work your goyour way all the time.
So, you're just gonna have tochalk it up, fix it, and move on
Trent Manning (41:10):
That's I think a lot easier said than done
depending on, you know, whereyou're at,
Moe Rateb (41:16):
it.
Yeah.
It's, yeah, it's tough.
Trent Manning (41:20):
I think another thing that you're kinda leading
to there is I think they kindawork hand in hand.
Moe Rateb (41:27):
They do.
I mean, yeah.
The better you feel physically,mentally, you're gonna feel
better.
Trent Manning (41:35):
Yeah, for sure.
Well, and so the episode thatjust dropped David Gummo was
basically talking about thatbecause he was super depressed,
he was way overweight, he wasdepressed, so he would eat, you
know, and I mean, it was justkept a never ending circle.
And I've noticed if I do setaside some time and go for a
(42:01):
walk, yeah, normally outside, inthe woods like you're saying
somewhere, and, you know, justget some exercise.
I mean, that, that helps.
you know, I'm not the best ateating the right foods, but you
know, the more I try.
And lose a pound or two, I feela whole lot better.
Moe Rateb (42:26):
Oh yeah.
So since the last time you sawme, I have lost about 30 pounds.
Trent Manning (42:32):
Oh, wow.
That's awesome.
Congratulations.
Moe Rateb (42:36):
I, what really kicked it off for me was this year I
had to get a colonoscopy'causeI'm that old.
And I was like, you know, onceyou go through that, you're
like, I'm clean.
I got a clean slate here.
And then that's when, you know,spring started to roll around.
So then you're thinking aboutgardening and vegetables and,
(42:57):
you know, doing all that andgetting out.
And I started eating a lotbetter.
You know, the talking about, youknow, eating and.
I didn't, I'll have aconfession.
I haven't listened to the lastcouple podcasts'cause I didn't
wanna have that influence mytalk with you.
Trent Manning (43:18):
that's all good, man.
Yeah, it's all good.
Moe Rateb (43:20):
But yeah, I mean, you know, that kind of stuff.
It, you know, it falls underaddiction and I mean, it tastes
so good.
Food tastes good and
Trent Manning (43:32):
me some food.
Moe Rateb (43:34):
yeah.
And
Trent Manning (43:35):
eat.
Moe Rateb (43:37):
you know, there comes a point where it starts
affecting you adversely andyou're just like I gotta do
something.
And yeah.
So I've been lucky that with myposition that we get real good
health benefits and all that,that it's provided me the tools
to be better in that way becauseI know it it's hard.
Trent Manning (43:54):
Yeah, definitely hard.
Moe Rateb (43:56):
But yeah, it's just, you know, hearing everybody talk
about, you know, their strugglesat one point, or whether it is
at work or family, or, you know,something that they're willing
to share it.
You just realize thateverybody's human and, you know,
you, you just gotta be, I guess,nice to each other, more
(44:20):
community.
You know, Myrtle Beach is agreat opportunity for, in, in
short, I guess fellowship, likeyou say.
Yeah.
You know, it's just, I don'tknow, like a lot of us are
introvert in our personalitiesin general.
So just to be around a bunch ofpeople that are, you know, like
(44:41):
you that really helps a lot.
Trent Manning (44:45):
yeah, for sure.
You know, you're not alone, youknow?
Moe Rateb (44:48):
Yeah.
And the big thing for me is youknow, I'm older now, you know,
and seeing some of these youngguys go through some of that
stuff, you know, just hang onbud.
Trent Manning (44:59):
Yeah.
Yep.
Because you never know when it'sgoing to affect you either.
Moe Rateb (45:06):
Right.
It,
Trent Manning (45:08):
I was, you know, and not that I'd been like
perfect mental mindset.
I was way far from it.
But I didn't realize I wasstruggling until, let's see,
probably years ago, nine yearsago, something like that.
It was like, you know, I kind ofhit rock Guam, and I'm like,
(45:31):
okay, I gotta do something.
Oh, I did a little something androcked on for a while, and then
I'm like, nah, still isn'tright.
You know what I mean?
It's just, it's life's ajourney, right?
Moe Rateb (45:45):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (45:46):
and it's full of ups and downs and we all know
that.
But it's one thing to, to knowit, and I think it's another
thing to be able to really thinkabout it and process this is
just a low point, or this is ana, a high point.
(46:06):
and the thing that I, that'shard to get used to.
Is the duration between the lowsand the highs.
'cause you know they're coming,right?
Moe Rateb (46:16):
Right.
Trent Manning (46:17):
They're more frequent and sometimes they're
further spread out.
Moe Rateb (46:23):
Yeah.
For me low point was in 2007.
My brother died in Iraq, andthat's kind of where like my
mental health journey started.
His death was mental healthrelated and, you know, that just
kind of, I've always been ananxious person and it just kind
of set it off really bad.
(46:45):
And then, you know, you'retalking about weight.
I got up to 300 pounds and thatwas ridiculous.
But you know, going to therapy,working it out, you know, now
that I've got kids on my own,you know, you pay attention to
that a lot more.
My daughter, smart kid, goodathlete, she's got a DHD and
(47:06):
man, she can't get outta her waysometimes, but, you know,
luckily my wife and I are ableto provide or have access to the
resources to help her.
She, you know, she's 12 slash1321 and, you know, they know
everything.
But yeah, it is just, you know,to be able to provide for your
(47:29):
kids.
In a way that you feel is wellenough, you know, that makes you
feel better.
Where I know a lot of peoplestruggle with, you know, it
might not be financially orjust, you know, in the
relationships with their kids.
And yes, kids are tough to dealwith sometimes, but you know,
(47:52):
everybody is dealing witheverything all at the same time.
Trent Manning (47:56):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, I
Moe Rateb (47:58):
So
Trent Manning (47:58):
some of it too, or, I mean, one thing I think
about when you're talking aboutthat is, and for me
Moe Rateb (48:06):
I,
Trent Manning (48:06):
is breaking the cycle of which I grew up with a
lot of dysfunction,
Moe Rateb (48:15):
too.
Trent Manning (48:16):
unbe, you know, I did not know that at the time.
but I.
It took me, you know, 45 yearsto figure out that it was pretty
dysfunctional.
how did I parent my kids?
Well, exactly the way I wasparented, right?
Because I, that's all I knew.
I didn't know any better, youknow, and, you know, it's, I
(48:40):
mean, it's a shame, I'm glad Iknow what I know now after being
in therapy you know, going torecovery stuff with the a CA,
it's, it really is eye opening.
Moe Rateb (48:57):
Yeah, I mean, you have to live long enough to do
that though.
And I'm fortunate enough that mywife, who has been a nurse
forever, she's an amateurpsychologist and will point that
out to me every single time thatI'm like, these kids are so soft
these days, but you know, she'swell, that's not how we do it
here.
Trent Manning (49:18):
Yeah, you're right.
Right, right, right.
That's so funny.
That's good stuff.
Moe Rateb (49:22):
But yeah, I'm lucky to have a wife that I have and
the kids that I've got and allthat and yes, they get on my
nerves sometimes, but, you know,I love'em.
Trent Manning (49:31):
Well, I do think that on a lighter note, family
can irritate you a lot fasterthan anyone else in the world.
Moe Rateb (49:42):
Oh yeah.
You should interview mymother-in-law.
My mother-in-law one day.
Love her to death, but man.
Trent Manning (49:50):
there.
We won't go there.
No thanks.
Oh, that's good stuff.
You ready to do some rapid firequestions?
Moe Rateb (50:02):
Oh yeah.
Trent Manning (50:03):
All right.
Let's do this.
What's your favorite movie?
Moe Rateb (50:07):
I don't really have a movie, but I like documentaries
about nature and serial killers.
Like what?
You know, in nature, how thingswork, and then serial killers,
like what makes them tick.
And then you're just like, howdoes somebody go to that
extreme?
(50:28):
But then you don't wanna reallyknow that answer, do you?
Trent Manning (50:32):
No.
Prob probably not.
What?
Moe Rateb (50:35):
But yeah, I'm,
Trent Manning (50:37):
go ahead.
Moe Rateb (50:38):
oh, I was gonna say, I'm a lifelong learner, so just
how things work, whether it'speople or machines, you know,
totally interest me.
Trent Manning (50:47):
All about it.
I understand that.
I'm Zach.
Same way.
Always learning every day.
What would be your last meal?
Moe Rateb (50:56):
All you can eat buffet lobster and steak.
Trent Manning (50:59):
yeah.
That's so good.
Y'all have some really good fooddown there in Charleston too, I
might add.
Moe Rateb (51:05):
You know, we do, but when you live here, you're like,
man, can we get something new?
Trent Manning (51:11):
yeah.
I mean, I guess, I guess I, I
Moe Rateb (51:15):
I'll tell you one thing.
We went to Tampa for springbreak this year, and I was
probably like 15 minutes awayfrom Mike Rollins.
And we, I tried to get up withhim, but he had something going
on and didn't get up with him,but we went to this restaurant
that was like it was like allabout fresh food and it wasn't
(51:37):
like vegetarian or vegan, butthey had interesting choices.
I mean, it was really good.
And it was just like fresh food,not like here in the south you
get a lot of fried food.
Which is great, but you can'teat that all the time.
Trent Manning (51:53):
Yep.
Moe Rateb (51:54):
But yeah.
Trent Manning (51:55):
I don't, yeah.
Somebody asked me one time said,what kind of food do you like?
I said, fried, you know, I mean
Moe Rateb (52:01):
Yeah.
I,
Trent Manning (52:02):
and fried up.
What are you most proud ofbesides your family?
Moe Rateb (52:07):
my last blood work that I had
Trent Manning (52:11):
Do share.
Moe Rateb (52:12):
a lot of my medications were cut in half.
Cholesterol was like rockbottom.
The doctor wondered what I wasdoing.
Yeah, it was just like, like Isaid, after that colonoscopy, it
was like a clean slate and thenyou know, just working on it
and, you know, getting theexercise and everything it was
like, you can do it.
(52:34):
You might need some tools tohelp you, you know, whether
medications or a lot of theseinsurance programs you know,
they have programs where, youknow, you have a coach or
somebody you can talk to.
For a lot of people, you know,that's all it takes.
Some people are militant enoughto stick to something and those
guys that run 10 miles a day atthree in the morning, I wonder
(52:59):
what they run from.
But, you know, more power to'em.
Trent Manning (53:03):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (53:04):
That's not my thing.
Trent Manning (53:05):
Well, congratulations.
I mean, that's awesome.
And that's just due to theexercise and diet.
Moe Rateb (53:13):
Yeah.
Exercise, diet, I got somemedication, you know, but I
mean, the medication helps, butyeah, you still have to, you
know, eat right and you can'tjust be taking it and then going
and having the fried food.
Trent Manning (53:27):
No, that's awesome, man.
Good stuff.
Well, thank you so much forbeing a guest.
I've thoroughly enjoyed this.
You got any last remarks?
Moe Rateb (53:38):
no, I'm just like, it took about two years to get
here, and when you asked me tobe on, I was like, all, finally
I made it.
Trent Manning (53:47):
no.
That's awesome, man.
Yeah.
I kind of feel bad.
You've been in the WhatsAppgroup so long and I hadn't
reached out, but here we are.
We
Moe Rateb (53:55):
yeah.
you've always said, you'vealways said, if you want to be
on, I'm like, eh, I don't know,what I have to offer.
But with the mental health thingcoming up so much, you know, the
young guys, you know, just hangin there.
It gets better.
The older guys, you know, eatbetter, you'll be better.
Trent Manning (54:13):
yeah.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (54:15):
You know, it, it works.
Doing better in general foreveryone always helps.
Trent Manning (54:20):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (54:21):
And the what the WhatsApp group is great for you
know, just getting together andthe camaraderie and everything.
Trent Manning (54:29):
yeah, no it's been way better than I ever
imagined.
The, our community, the realturf tech community and the
WhatsApp group and all thatstuff.
I never dreamed that it wouldturn into what it has, but I'm
glad it has and I'm glad we'rehere.
And if there is anybody thatwould like to be a guest, don't
(54:50):
hesitate.
You can do it.
just did it.
do it
Moe Rateb (54:54):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (54:55):
right?
I mean, but I understand it'sway out of most people's comfort
zone, including Min, includingmine.
I, you know, three years ago Iwas nervous as a cat on a tin
roof, right.
doing this, but here we are.
The more you get outta yourcomfort, the zone the easier it
becomes.
Moe Rateb (55:16):
Yeah, the more you'll grow, man.
We all appreciate what you'vedone for this group.
I
Trent Manning (55:22):
thanks.
Yeah, no, it's, I mean, I'll doit for the group, you know,
that's what it's about.
It's about the people.
Well, thank you.
I hope you have a good eveningand we will see you around in
the WhatsApp group.
Moe Rateb (55:34):
all right.
You too, Trent.
It was great being on.
Trent Manning (55:41):
thank you so much for listening to the Reel turf
techs podcast.
I hope you learned somethingtoday.
Don't forget to subscribe.
If you have any topics you'dlike to discuss, or you'd like
to be a guest, find us onTwitter at Reel turf techs.
Welcome to the reel turf techs podcast for the
technician that wants to getreel follow along.
As we talk to industryprofessionals and address hot
topics that we all face alongthe way we'll learn tips and
tricks.
I'm your host, Trent.
Manning let's have some Welcometo The Real Turf Techs Podcast,
(00:27):
episode 1 44.
Today we're talking to Mo Ratib,equipment Manager at Crow Field
Golf Club and Goose Creek, SouthCarolina.
Crow Field Golf Club is an 18hole municipal course owned by
the city of Goose Creek.
Mo is the Lone Tech in the shop.
He has mostly Toro equipment.
(00:48):
Let's talk to Mo.
welcome MO to the Real Turf Textpodcast.
Thanks for coming on.
Moe Rateb (00:54):
Hey, thanks for having me.
Trent Manning (00:56):
How you doing today?
You hanging in
Moe Rateb (00:57):
good.
Oh yeah,
Trent Manning (01:00):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (01:00):
trying to get off of work, deal with kids and
practices and all that.
Trent Manning (01:06):
Well, I appreciate you taking some time
outta your schedule to be aguest today.
Moe Rateb (01:12):
Yeah.
What's funny is not my firsttime we did.
Trent Manning (01:17):
yeah.
We did we, we did a little thingin Myrtle Beach.
Hopefully we'll do one again ifChad will let us come over and
hang out.
That was a lot of fun.
Moe Rateb (01:25):
Yeah.
It was,
Trent Manning (01:26):
Yeah, that was I don't, Myrtle Beach is such a
good time and all the ttac, Imean, TT a's really fortunate to
have such a good group oftechnicians and so many people
show up.
I mean, it's just, it's reallyawesome.
Moe Rateb (01:40):
yeah.
Yeah.
I'm glad that Tacs around.
I found you in the beginning.
It was just like, I'm the onlytech.
So, at some point I was like,man, this sucks doing it all by
myself.
But then when I went to thefirst Myrtle Beach show and met
you guys, then things startedpicking up
Trent Manning (02:01):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (02:01):
and.
Trent Manning (02:01):
met Brian Harper.
Did you
Moe Rateb (02:04):
Yes.
Trent Manning (02:05):
It was, I don't remember when this was.
It was like right after thepodcast started.
Probably, yeah.
'cause we started in the spring,I think, of 21.
So it was that fall.
I met Brian Harper for the firsttime he come up to me and he's
man, your podcast changed mylife.
I'm like, what?
(02:26):
Really?
But it was like the same story.
Like he said, he felt so aloneand so isolated.
Being in the shop by himself andlistening to the podcast, he
knew he wasn't alone.
So, I mean, that's awesome.
I never dreamed that it wouldturn into something like that,
but here we are.
Moe Rateb (02:45):
Yeah.
I, oh,
Trent Manning (02:47):
it.
Tell us how you got into theturf industry.
Moe Rateb (02:51):
so I was a facilities guy at a youth sports complex.
You know it by the song.
But
Trent Manning (02:59):
The old YMCA.
Moe Rateb (03:01):
yeah, I know if I can bring that up or not.
Trent Manning (03:04):
Sure.
I don't, it don't matter.
Moe Rateb (03:05):
And then this opportunity came along to work
for the city of Go Goose Creekis where Crow Field Golf Club
is.
18 hole municipal course.
And he said, yeah, you get toparticipate in the state
retirement program.
And I went, it's a state job, soyou get all the benefits and all
that.
So I was like, yeah, sign me up.
Trent Manning (03:27):
Yeah, that sounds like a good deal.
Moe Rateb (03:29):
Not knowing anything about turf equipment other than
maybe a rotary mower.
Trent Manning (03:34):
But as a facility, guys you know, a guy,
excuse me.
Facility guy, you had a basicunderstanding of some of that
stuff, or not really?
Moe Rateb (03:44):
not really working on the equipment like I did.
I made baseball field, soccerfields, fixed toilets, stuff
like that.
So a general overall aptitude,mechanically.
So, and then my stepdad was amechanic, so summers I would
work with him.
And you know, just in general Ilike learning and have that
(04:09):
aptitude.
So it worked out,
Trent Manning (04:13):
Yeah.
So how long have you been there?
Moe Rateb (04:16):
Two and a half years now.
Trent Manning (04:18):
Okay.
Awesome.
good.
Are you getting more comfortable
Moe Rateb (04:23):
Oh yeah, like today, we talked to, yeah, today we
talked about how big the burshould be and.
Trent Manning (04:29):
yeah.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (04:30):
Yeah, I just do it now where I can just start
feeling it and I take, I willuse Bernhard.
So I take 10 off each time.
And that seems to be enough forwhat I do.
Trent Manning (04:42):
Yeah.
Yeah.
I don't
Moe Rateb (04:44):
I,
Trent Manning (04:44):
it in the WhatsApp group, but just so
everybody bring everybody up tospeed.
What your question was is howbig a bur do you need on the
reel after you have ground thereel?
And I think Tay came back withyou know, the more bur you have,
it doesn't mean it's any sharperor something like that.
Moe Rateb (05:04):
right.
Trent Manning (05:05):
Skip Hines telling me years ago that the
bigger the bur, that's the morematerial you wasted on that
reel.
Moe Rateb (05:12):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (05:13):
thought about it that way, but it does make total
sense.
Moe Rateb (05:17):
Yeah.
When I first started, it wasdemonstrated to me.
I.
Like it had a curl to it, and Iwas like, okay, this is the way
it's done.
Then we started talking aboutcut line and no contact, and I'm
like, there's probably not thatmuch going on there.
And then relief, grinding andall that, I don't have that part
(05:40):
of the equipment, so we justspin grind.
So after you spin, grind alittle, you feel it, see where
you're at, but I've gotten it towhere I can get it set up, take
the tent off, and I'm good togo.
No contact.
It's nice the first time.
And then after they go hit thesand, you know,
Trent Manning (05:58):
Yeah.
Yeah.
We
Moe Rateb (05:59):
We're getting there.
I was thinking about that today.
I was like, I'm coming on theinterview when everything's just
popping off.
Trent Manning (06:06):
yeah.
It's a good timing, I guess.
Luckily.
For you, you have grass?
I do not.
I'm still waiting.
I never thought I would say,man, I really want some grass to
be growing,
Moe Rateb (06:18):
Our rest started growing about two weeks ago.
Not fast, but this week it'scoming in.
So yeah, it's starting to pickup real good.
Trent Manning (06:27):
when, so we're under renovation, so we don't
have any grass
Moe Rateb (06:32):
Oh, okay.
Trent Manning (06:32):
We're still waiting to get some, hopefully
Moe Rateb (06:35):
Yeah.
Most of our course is Bermuda,so it's for this area a good
choice.
Trent Manning (06:42):
Oh yeah.
Well, and even for us, we have,or we will, we had, and we'll
have again, Bermuda Greens,Bermuda rough, but we're going
zoia fairways,
Moe Rateb (06:55):
Oh, okay.
Trent Manning (06:56):
that'll be a little bit of learning curve for
me.
But I do have zoia fairways atthe other course I.
That I'm not at all the time.
So I got a good resource downthere.
Moe Rateb (07:08):
Oh, okay.
Trent Manning (07:09):
Joel's got it figured out how to make 15 to 16
cuts on Georgia fairways betweengrinds, and
Moe Rateb (07:19):
After,
Trent Manning (07:20):
a long time to figure that out.
Moe Rateb (07:23):
yeah, after last year and getting pretty decent with
the grind.
My fairway units, when I went togo check'em, I don't know,
March, see where they were at,they were still cutting paper,
Trent Manning (07:37):
Wow.
Okay.
That's good.
Moe Rateb (07:40):
so I was like, okay, I guess we're moving in the
right direction.
Trent Manning (07:43):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Nothing wrong with that.
Well, what's your least favoritepart of the job?
Is it sand?
Moe Rateb (07:50):
No, you need that for the grass to grow bid.
Well, but least favorite.
I don't know.
It's a job and you know, there'sgonna be okay.
Things to do and not okay.
Things to do.
Oh.
Least favorite.
I do have one.
The decaying dead animals.
(08:10):
You gotta pick up off thecourse, not my, no,
Trent Manning (08:15):
You can't find someone else to do that.
That falls under equipmentmanager.
Moe Rateb (08:21):
sometimes it does.
Yeah.
Trent Manning (08:23):
it does.
Yeah.
It's amazing what falls underequipment manager.
Moe Rateb (08:27):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (08:28):
Yeah.
I was tasked with putting was,what was, it was like a 12 inch
Yeah.
12 inch HDPE pipe over eightinch a DS pipe.
To get water in our reservoir.
That was I don't.
What day was that?
That was end of last week.
(08:48):
Maybe Thursday or something.
You know, I mean, it's is thisreally mechanic work?
But honestly, I enjoy it becauseit's something different.
You know, it gets you outta theshop for a little while.
Some, something different.
Moe Rateb (08:59):
Oh yeah.
Cutting fairways on Friday inthe summer that,
Trent Manning (09:04):
Yep.
Always a fun chore.
Moe Rateb (09:08):
yeah.
And like you said, you weredoing the pipe thing.
We've got, I don't know, likesix, eight guys.
They don't work all at the sametime.
But when I hear about some ofthese crews and.
I've seen some of those garageswith 60 walk mowers and all
that.
I'm just like,
Trent Manning (09:28):
yeah,
Moe Rateb (09:30):
I think we're doing good for what we got.
Trent Manning (09:33):
yeah.
No it's crazy.
There's definitely some highlevel operations like TPC
Sawgrass.
they have the players.
It's, I mean, it's a machinedown there.
Moe Rateb (09:44):
Yeah,
Trent Manning (09:45):
they have and their shot.
I mean, it is crazy.
All the walk mowers they have.
Yeah.
I don't see how they do it.
And I mean, they never slow downeither.
I mean, there is
Moe Rateb (09:55):
no.
Trent Manning (09:56):
off season in Florida.
All those guys in Florida justwide open.
Well, I don't, yeah, I seen JohnMichael was talking about
they're getting ready to shut itdown, you know, for the summer.
Well that might be nice, butthen they're doing all their
airification and, you know,verica and top dressing and all
(10:16):
that stuff.
So I don't think it's much of abreak for those guys.
They might not have golfers onthe course, but
Moe Rateb (10:23):
Yeah, they're out there doing work,
Trent Manning (10:25):
Yep.
They're staying busy.
Tell us what your favorite toolis.
Moe Rateb (10:29):
probably the internet as far as using it as a tool.
I'm an information guy, so youknow, I use it to, you know,
look up diagrams and parts andcrossovers and all that stuff.
And then, you know, social mediameeting you guys, you know, that
has been immensely helpful.
(10:52):
And then I do appreciate a goodsharp blade.
I am surprised at how many timesthroughout the day you have to
cut something or scrapesomething off,
Trent Manning (11:01):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yep.
Always.
Do you
Moe Rateb (11:05):
and then.
Trent Manning (11:06):
particular blade that you carry?
Moe Rateb (11:09):
Yeah, I had, I got a new Cutco folding knife.
I saw it and I was like, I'vegot Cutco in my kitchen lifetime
warranty.
I mean, how come they don't havea pocket knife that is out
there?
Everybody talks about thedifferent brands and Gerber
bench made and all that goodstuff.
And Cutco was just cream of thecrop to me.
Trent Manning (11:33):
Okay, you've been happy with it?
Moe Rateb (11:36):
Oh yeah.
The other day I had to fix adeadbolt with it.
It was getting stuck because thehole was the bolt was running up
against the hole in the, so Ijust carved it with the knife
and carved off the hole.
Works perfect.
Trent Manning (11:50):
Yep.
Moe Rateb (11:51):
And I did break the tip off, so,
Trent Manning (11:54):
Amazing everything that a pocket knife
can be used for when you putyour
Moe Rateb (11:58):
but yeah, like.
All the gadgets and stuff thatwe talk about and you know, just
mechanic gearhead guys ingeneral.
All those things that you canhave a million dollars worth of
stuff that you might use at onetime, but it makes your life
easy.
but what I really like about thetools is like a cheater bar, for
(12:20):
example, this could be a pipe onthe end of your ratchet and it
gives you super human strengthand you feel like a genius being
able to use it.
Trent Manning (12:31):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (12:31):
But,
Trent Manning (12:32):
if that's not enough leverage, you can take a
pry bar and stick it in thatpiece of pipe that you got your
ratchet and really try to breaksomething.
You know, you never know.
Moe Rateb (12:42):
and if you have a snap on one and you do break it,
you were prying something withit.
Trent Manning (12:48):
yes.
But they don't care.
You can just it, take it back tothe truck and there you go.
Moe Rateb (12:55):
Yep.
Trent Manning (12:56):
fix it right up for you.
I mean, yeah, I won't getstarted.
Snap-on is very expensive, but Iam a snap-on guy.
I like my snap-on stuff.
Moe Rateb (13:05):
I'm a craftsman guy.
It just, back when Sears wasaround, my stepdad used to take
broken sockets and stuff, walkright into the Sears, and they
were like, okay, just go get youone
Trent Manning (13:17):
Yep.
No, and I mean there's nothingwrong with the craftsman, but
issue that I had like, I had aratchet one time that broke and
I took it into Sears and theydidn't have that exact model
ratchet, so they're like, sorryfor your luck, you know, try to
(13:37):
come back sometime,
Moe Rateb (13:39):
really.
Trent Manning (13:40):
yeah.
Yeah.
I'm like, okay, this is notreally what all it's cracked up
to be.
But yeah, I mean, I've gotsockets changed out and that
kind of stuff, and I'm sure now,I don't know if you just mail it
in since there's no more seriesaround I'm, I don't know what
Moe Rateb (13:55):
No, you go to Lowe's.
Trent Manning (13:57):
Oh, you can get it done at Lowe's now.
Okay, nice.
Awesome.
That's good stuff.
But like Mac tools, I got a goodbit of Mac stuff that you know,
is forever old.
got on a Mac tool truck.
This was, you know, last year orsomething with some broken
items, and the guy on the trucksaid, just mail those in.
(14:21):
And he wouldn't change'em outfor me.
I'm like, really?
Moe Rateb (14:24):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (14:25):
you know?
And I mean, it wasn't likeoddball stuff.
I mean, it was, you know,sockets that he should have
Moe Rateb (14:30):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (14:30):
on his truck, but he didn't wanna mess with it.
So there's a lot to be said foryour your dealer too.
Moe Rateb (14:38):
Yes.
I.
Trent Manning (14:40):
What do you do to relax or find your balance?
Moe Rateb (14:44):
I like to take long walks in the woods.
I, well, I started out likemetal detecting and then, you
know, here in Charleston, civilWar, revolutionary War I mean, I
even find stuff from thirties,forties, fifties, sixties,
Trent Manning (15:02):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (15:02):
bottles, like people trash and stuff.
And then I got into foraging,mushrooms, plants, and now that
everything's starting to turngreen, you know, it's just like
you walk out and you can findsomething to eat or something
that you can use medicinally.
But yeah, I just like beingoutside.
(15:23):
And the worst part is when I goout on the course and, you know,
you're just driving your MDXaround looking at everything I.
So it takes a little bit longerto get to where you need to be.
Trent Manning (15:33):
Oh, well, yeah.
You gotta check it out.
See?
See what else you can find.
Nothing wrong.
Nothing wrong with that.
That's good.
I don't How bad are themosquitoes in Charleston?
Moe Rateb (15:43):
August
Trent Manning (15:45):
Okay.
August.
August is the month.
I don't wanna be there.
Moe Rateb (15:49):
Yeah.
The bugs are starting to comeout now, but they're not too bad
yet.
But on the beach, the no seas,
Trent Manning (15:59):
Oh,
Moe Rateb (15:59):
doesn't matter.
Yeah.
Trent Manning (16:00):
yeah.
No CM since, yeah.
Is there a good time of year forNo cms?
Moe Rateb (16:06):
December,
Trent Manning (16:07):
December Okay.
Is
Moe Rateb (16:08):
January.
Trent Manning (16:09):
Yeah.
don't, so Kelly and I were therelast November, and it was really
nice weather-wise, and Yeah.
The bugs were not bad.
I mean, and it was right atThanksgiving too, so that's
almost December.
It, it was beautiful.
Moe Rateb (16:27):
Yeah, it's still good up until the end of December and
then January it starts gettingcold.
January, February, March andApril are still chilly, but not,
Trent Manning (16:37):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (16:39):
now, yeah, it's beautiful.
Trent Manning (16:41):
what's been one of your biggest challenges?
Moe Rateb (16:43):
My biggest challenge in life in general, time
management, trying to doeverything that two kids, they
do their sports.
My wife does sports.
We both coach at various timesof the year.
You know, I like being outdoors,so, you know, I try to do that,
get some exercise that way.
(17:04):
Yeah, just, you know, doingeverything.
It is that I'm at that point inmy life where it's going,
Trent Manning (17:12):
No, that's good.
Yeah.
Yep.
No.
Downtime,
Moe Rateb (17:15):
no, very little.
Yeah.
Trent Manning (17:17):
yeah, for sure.
What's one of the strangestthings you've seen out there on
the course?
Moe Rateb (17:23):
when I first started watching them cut the grass in
the dark with little headlampsI'm like how do you know that
you're cutting it the way it'ssupposed to be?
You know, when you watch golf ontv, everything is smooth and
flat and perfect.
They did figure it out somehow.
Trent Manning (17:44):
Yeah, that's funny.
I remember.
and this was early on in my, Icareer at the golf course, but
it was 95.
So like the year I started thatfall, we had the Nike Tour
Championship, which you know, iskind of like minor league of the
PGA.
(18:04):
I don't even know what it isnow.
I guess it's Korn Ferry now.
but back then it was the Niketour.
So anyway this guy, we had bentgrass greens and we had a
fringe.
So a fringe is a cut, just alittle higher around the
perimeter of the green.
this guy was mowing and he wasdefinitely the really nervous
(18:27):
type.
I'm holding a flashlight walkingnext to him we don't have lights
on the mowers, any of thatstuff.
And he's man, don't let me scalpthe fringe.
Don't let me scalp the fringe.
And he said that every pass forall five greens.
I'm like, dude it's gonna beokay.
I got you.
We're, it is gonna be all right.
(18:49):
But yeah, just his stress levelof mowing the fringe.
I don't know why.
Maybe think of that fun
Moe Rateb (18:55):
Oh yeah.
Some of those operators, youknow, they're anxious like that
and they're stressful andwhatever, and then you get that
guy in the crew that doesn'tcare and just will cut a stripe
right through the rough.
Trent Manning (19:13):
Oh yeah.
Yep.
Definitely.
That happen, I don't, the one ofthe funniest things I'm, I need
to get the picture and I don'tknow if.
I think I might have shared iton Twitter back in the day,
'cause it's been a bunch ofyears ago, an operator was
mowing for green and for greento the left side of the green,
there's a river and the mower,is going on the green.
(19:36):
It went, I think, I'm trying toremember.
Yeah, we had a collar.
So it went straight through thecollar, straight through the
rough down all, it didn't quitego in the river but close.
And it got hung up.
So it's like, what is thisoperator doing?
And this was yeah, before thebale system, so you know,
(19:57):
operator presence and all that
Moe Rateb (19:58):
Oh yeah.
Trent Manning (19:59):
I think he just let go.
I don't know if he was on hisphone or what, but he just, it
just kept going.
Yeah,
Moe Rateb (20:07):
Yeah.
I mean, there's nothing you cando after that.
Trent Manning (20:10):
Now well, do you have a mentor in the industry?
Somebody you look up to, you gota bunch of mentors.
Everybody in the
Moe Rateb (20:20):
it.
Trent Manning (20:20):
group.
Moe Rateb (20:21):
Yeah, all you guys.
But I mean, as far as like themechanicing wrenching, probably
my stepdad is my biggestinfluence.
You know, working with him inthe summer, you know, during
high school really paid off for,you know, one of those things I
didn't know would pop up againin my life when he's like, when
(20:42):
you need to stay in school, soyou're not doing this when
you're my age.
But here I am almost his age.
Trent Manning (20:47):
That's funny how that works out, but yeah.
Did was, so I'm assuming he waspretty handy.
Did he work on cars or
Moe Rateb (20:55):
Yeah.
He was an auto mechanic for 50years.
Trent Manning (20:58):
oh wow, okay.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (20:59):
I remember him being like.
65 under a car, one handing atransmission, trying to line it
up.
And I'm just like, this is nuts.
I'm in my mid twenties and I'mlike, I don't even think I can
do that.
Trent Manning (21:14):
That's cool though.
Yep.
Good stuff.
Moe Rateb (21:18):
But yeah, as far as mentors, like all you guys, like
you've been doing it forever.
And John Bozos, he's like a, hereminds me of a buddy of mine
that, you know, all the car workthat he does and everything and
him, Kayla and her safety talks.
Trent Manning (21:38):
Yep.
Safety first.
No, that's good stuff.
Yeah.
John's something else because,yeah, I mean, at the course all
day long and then he goes homeand he just keeps doing it.
Can't,
Moe Rateb (21:49):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (21:50):
enough, I guess.
But taught itself body work.
I mean, it's pretty impressive.
And I do think that's fun aspectwhen you kind of go down
different rabbit holes, whetherit's, you know, auto body or
cutting units or you know,whatever it is, wherever your
passion leads
Moe Rateb (22:08):
Oh yeah,
Trent Manning (22:09):
And you start learning new things and it makes
it interesting.
it fun anyway.
Moe Rateb (22:15):
yeah.
For me, lately it's just beengetting into the plant aspect of
just being in Charleston is atropical subtropical area and
just all the plants and nativestuff and trying to be healthier
in general.
And you're like, more plants inyou the better.
(22:35):
Right.
Trent Manning (22:36):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
What would be your dream job oropportunity?
Moe Rateb (22:41):
Probably something right now, baseball turf related
being a crew, like managing acrew at a minor league field or
even major league,
Trent Manning (22:54):
Oh
Moe Rateb (22:54):
whenever I go to baseball games, whether it's, we
got Charleston RiverDogs here inCharleston, I went to Yankees
preseason in Tampa, and they alluse the same equipment,
Trent Manning (23:07):
Right, right, right.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (23:09):
sand pros and yeah,
Trent Manning (23:12):
Yep.
All the same things.
Moe Rateb (23:15):
I just need to find a city job so it'll continue my
retirement years
Trent Manning (23:21):
Well, surely the city has some parks and wrecks
and,
Moe Rateb (23:25):
that, yeah, there is one near me.
I just don't know if thesituation would be better than
what I've gotten now.
I like being in sports, whetherit's golf, because I'm not a big
golfer, but baseball is like myjam.
And
Trent Manning (23:40):
Yeah,
Moe Rateb (23:41):
I like that.
But yeah, golf's not bad either.
Trent Manning (23:45):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (23:45):
I,
Trent Manning (23:45):
if you gotta pick a sport, I mean, it's not too
far from baseball.
I heard the swing's a lotdifferent.
Moe Rateb (23:52):
it is.
Trent Manning (23:53):
Yeah.
That's what I've heard.
I wouldn't know'cause I would'vesucked at baseball and I really
sucked at golf, so it didn'treally matter
Moe Rateb (24:02):
I play golf September, October, and then
tournament in November.
Trent Manning (24:06):
Okay.
That's, I mean, nothing wrongwith that.
I don't, honestly, I've beenthinking about that because the
T tac guys, like maybe I shouldjust buy a cheap set of clubs.
I.
just go play when, you know, atthe tournament, like the one for
Eric Duncanson memorial, I wasat it last year, and then y'all
have the one before theconference there at Myrtle
(24:30):
Beach.
Maybe that would be fine.
I don't know.
I mean, y'all seem to reallyhave a good time doing it,
Moe Rateb (24:37):
Oh, it is fun and everybody is not awesome as you
think they are.
Trent Manning (24:42):
Well, no, I mean, and I mean honestly I've I've
seen some of them place.
kind of makes me think, well,hey, maybe, you know, maybe I
could sink a pot here or there,you know,
Moe Rateb (24:52):
Yeah.
All it takes is one.
And you're the hero.
Trent Manning (24:54):
right, right.
Yeah.
Just one.
So I mean, that, that could becool.
Do you have a technician you'dlike to work with for a day?
Moe Rateb (25:04):
Yes.
Christopher from Canada.
Trent Manning (25:08):
Oh yeah, for sure.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (25:10):
Yeah, he laughs at all my WhatsApp posts.
So yeah, I definitely would wanthim around.
Trent Manning (25:16):
Chris Whitaker yeah, one of the nicest guys
you'll ever And he works.
I hadn't been to his coursepersonally, but I first met him
in Canmore, which is justoutside I'm going to go blank on
the name of that, but it's inAlberta, Canada Calgary.
(25:37):
So I flew into Calgary.
I drove over, I drove pastCanmore and went to Banff.
And that's the Rocky Mountainsin Canada.
And it is the most beautifulplace I've ever seen.
And since then I've been toYellowstone.
And Yellowstone is reallybeautiful, but I don't know.
There, there's just somethingabout area there where
(26:01):
Whitaker's at, that it'ssomething else.
It's I just couldn't believe it,you know, seeing mountains that
tall and I'd never seen anythinglike that in my life.
So maybe that was, had somethingto do with it, but really
beautiful place and I'm sure ifhe wanted to go, he'd be more
than happy to host you.
I,
Moe Rateb (26:20):
but yeah, as far as.
Like people to work with.
When I first listened to yourpodcast, you had JR Wilson on
and he was talking about doingsomething with Arduinos and all
that, and I went to school formath and electronics and I was
like, yeah, that's what I likedoing, but I haven't figured out
(26:41):
how to integrate it yet.
But you know, stuff like that.
I was like, yeah, that'd be coolto, you know, see how they do
it.
And then you guys, with the 3Dprinting and the CNC stuff
that's cool.
Kayla is pretty chill, I imagineshe'd be fun and safe.
Trent Manning (27:00):
Fun and safe.
Moe Rateb (27:02):
so yeah, I mean most I feel like most of us get along
well enough where if we workedtogether and you had a tag team
in the shop, I mean, it wouldjust be cake job.
Trent Manning (27:15):
oh, yeah.
Yeah.
No, it would it would be a lotof fun.
Me, and we hadn't talked aboutthis in forever, but skip Hines
brought it up and trying toremember, yeah, it was Monster
Garage, right?
You remember that show?
Garage, Jesse James, you know,they just like Frankenstein some
(27:35):
kind of something.
but Skip Hines, his idea was tohave a monster garage.
Yeah.
And have it at Hector's shop inMichigan just like a whole group
of us go up there and see whatwe could build in a week.
Moe Rateb (27:54):
Oh yeah.
Trent Manning (27:55):
Just something outrageous.
And that would be so much fun.
That'd be, you know, super coolif we could do that.
And just the comradery, youknow, I mean, that's what's
great about the T tac togetherin Myrtle Beach and the National
Golf Show, you know, for theG-C-S-A-A just getting
(28:16):
like-minded people in the sameroom and who knows what you're
gonna end up talking about.
It's a lot of fun.
Moe Rateb (28:22):
Yeah, I wanna try to make it down to Orlando this
year or next year.
Just coming up here.
Trent Manning (28:29):
What do you know now you wish you'd known on day
one?
Moe Rateb (28:33):
I had to set up a reel when I first got there.
Our then assistantsuperintendent who was the
mechanic for eight months beforeI got there he played golf in
high school, but setting up amower was not his jam.
(28:54):
So, I mean, it got me started,but as far as, you know, getting
the bed bar even, and I thoughtlight contact meant like.
You can still hear it rubbingthe reel and the bed knife.
And now I know after goingthrough cut line a couple times,
(29:17):
you can get it to cut withouteven touching.
Trent Manning (29:21):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (29:21):
you, you won't even hear it.
But yeah, Mike's helped out alot with that.
Being able to change the anglesand getting that cut line going
across the bed knife, that'sbeen a big but yeah from now to
back then, I mean a millionpercent better as far as being
(29:43):
able to keep the equipmentrunning decently, not spending
more money than you have to onbed knives and reels and
replacing'em and all that.
You know, I went on to some ofthe John Deere training and some
of those guys are like, yeah,I've had this set of reels for
seven years and I'm like.
They last that long, you know,because I mean, you're using
(30:05):
them every day and just beatingup grass and you know, that
stuff just takes a beating.
Trent Manning (30:14):
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
For sure.
So how did you come aboutfiguring out how to set up a
cutting unit?
Moe Rateb (30:24):
a lot of cut line.
And then just the WhatsAppgroup, the guys talking about
the different things, sometimesarguing about it.
But you know, you pick out whatyou need and then you go back
and you tinker and you see whatworks for you and what doesn't
work for you.
And great example was the otherday.
I had a bed knife that was notlining up with the reel and you
(30:48):
guys were talking about thecompression spring on the QA
five.
So I got, I put a new spring in,it only moved it like a 16th of
an inch and I was just like,okay.
But you know, I couldn't move itover with a pry bar to even make
it work that way.
So I just went and I got a wholenew set of bearings and races
(31:12):
and put it in and then likemiraculously it fixed itself.
Trent Manning (31:17):
Yeah, I don't know.
Yeah.
Maybe one of those races wasmisaligned a little bit or
offset something, you know?
Who
Moe Rateb (31:25):
I'm just glad it worked.
Trent Manning (31:27):
you?
Yeah, right.
Yeah, exactly.
What have you noticed with yourbed knife angles, did you make a
change that has helped you like
Moe Rateb (31:40):
yeah,
Trent Manning (31:41):
Yeah, go ahead.
Moe Rateb (31:43):
when I started it was 10 on the top, five on the
front.
And I would get these, I wouldget where, from the front to the
back of the bed knife, you know,and then it hits the valley.
I mean, it would be scraped allthe way.
And then I go see Mike do hispresentation and he's talking
about this little line and I'mlike, okay, what do I do?
(32:07):
And then they're talking aboutmessing with the angles, and
then I'm like, I don't know yet.
You know,'cause I'm just new tothis, but I did it.
I'm like 15 five for me.
I can get a nice thin lineacross.
But yeah, it
Trent Manning (32:26):
on the top.
Moe Rateb (32:27):
yeah, 15 on the top
Trent Manning (32:29):
Okay.
Moe Rateb (32:30):
on, yeah, five on the front.
So it's steeper down than it ison the front.
Trent Manning (32:35):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yep.
Interesting.
Moe Rateb (32:38):
even on Bernhard on the back of the, the bed knife
grinder, you know, it's got asticker and it tells you like
what you should do and all that.
It's a good starting point, butI don't think it works for a lot
of guys.
So you have to be able to takethat leap of faith and try
something new.
Trent Manning (32:57):
yeah.
Yeah.
And I mean, I think it's, Ithink that's the way we learn,
right?
Is we try it and it either worksor it doesn't.
Or maybe
Moe Rateb (33:06):
And,
Trent Manning (33:07):
result
Moe Rateb (33:08):
but for the longest time I was hooked up on it being
a science.
'cause you know, it's amechanical thing.
It should be a certain way,everything should be set up and
it would just work.
And then when everybody talksabout it, they got their own
view of how it should be doneand you know, you just kind of
(33:30):
go with it.
Trent Manning (33:32):
Yeah.
I don't I guess it's probablymore of an art, if you will,
than a science,
Moe Rateb (33:38):
Yeah.
I hate saying that, but yeah.
Trent Manning (33:40):
Yeah.
Well, and I mean, it sounds likeyou're kind of a number guy, and
I'm a number guy too.
I like hard cold facts,
Moe Rateb (33:48):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (33:48):
things should be, and maybe we can get there one
day, but there's this, it goesback to the old saying there's
more than one way to skin a cattoo.
You know, a lot of differentways
Moe Rateb (34:04):
Oh yeah.
Trent Manning (34:04):
of doing what we do.
it's, you know, you have theguys and gals that are grind
only, no contact.
And then you have another groupis contact.
They grind, they relief, grind,and they lap.
(34:26):
And some of'em lap daily, or notdaily, but every time they cut,
Moe Rateb (34:32):
oh yeah.
Trent Manning (34:33):
and they're both able to put out a really good
product.
So it isn't like you can say,well, that group is wrong.
They're doing it wrong.
But there is people in theindustry that like to say that,
or like to think that they
Moe Rateb (34:51):
Yes,
Trent Manning (34:51):
do it like me, Mo, you're doing it wrong.
And say that?
Moe Rateb (34:56):
I've seen them say it directly.
Trent Manning (34:59):
Well, right.
Yeah.
People people get prettypassionate about these things.
Moe Rateb (35:04):
Yeah.
I mean,
Trent Manning (35:05):
camp of if it works for you, just keep doing
it.
Moe Rateb (35:09):
yeah, that falls under the category of giving
yourself grace.
I mean, you know, if it worksfor you, great.
If it, you know, if I trysomething and it doesn't work,
which happens a lot in life ingeneral, you know, you just
gotta, you know, not be so hardon yourself.
Just like you talked about, youknow, the operator that was
(35:30):
anxious about cutting the grass.
He just wants to do a good job.
Trent Manning (35:33):
Well, right, right, right.
Yep.
Moe Rateb (35:35):
And, you know, as long as you talk nice to the
grass, it'll come back.
Trent Manning (35:41):
Yes.
Yes.
Just gotta sweet talk it.
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(36:23):
Let's get back to the episode.
Get ready for tips and tricks.
Let's do
Moe Rateb (36:27):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (36:27):
and tricks.
What tips and tricks you wannashare with us.
Moe Rateb (36:31):
Tips and tricks.
Where did I wrote'em down.
Oh.
I.
So in preparing for this yougave me a set of questions and I
typed them up and startedanswering them.
And in Microsoft Word, I learnedthat if you scroll your mouse up
to the top and then run thescroll wheel, it'll flip through
(36:52):
all the ribbons.
Trent Manning (36:55):
No
Moe Rateb (36:56):
I know you do.
Yeah.
See.
Trent Manning (36:58):
knew that.
Learn something new every day,man.
That's good stuff.
Moe Rateb (37:03):
But I mean, as far as tips and tricks in the shop, I
mean, it is just all thoseweird, like using a socket to
align the screw in by flippingit backwards and stuff like
that.
You know, all that stuff Iappreciate and you just kinda
put it in your mental toolbox.
(37:23):
There's just so many that it'shard to pick one that's your
favorite to talk about.
But it makes life easier.
Trent Manning (37:32):
we can we can talk about as many as you want.
Seriously.
Moe Rateb (37:39):
But yeah, that one really stood out when I was
doing this.
I was like, you can do that,
Trent Manning (37:44):
All right.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (37:44):
but
Trent Manning (37:45):
One of my favorite shortcuts on the
keyboard control shift V.
You know, control V is paste,
Moe Rateb (37:55):
right.
Trent Manning (37:55):
in Google, if you're in a Google Doc or a do a
Google sheet, you do controlshift V and it only paste the
text, not the format.
Because sometimes if
Moe Rateb (38:12):
okay.
Trent Manning (38:13):
something, you know, off a website or whatever,
it's in whatever format, and youdon't want to copy that into
your, or I don't want to copythat into my spreadsheet because
it really drives me crazy if allmy fonts aren't the same.
Moe Rateb (38:26):
Oh yeah.
Trent Manning (38:27):
all got these weird quirks, right?
Just being vulnerable with youand the listeners
Moe Rateb (38:34):
Oh yeah.
No, I,
Trent Manning (38:35):
my fonts and size is the same spreadsheets.
Moe Rateb (38:40):
and another tip, since I was using Word a lot
this morning, the Windows keyand period.
You can put emojis in your textnow.
Trent Manning (38:53):
Oh, that's hot tip there.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (38:57):
Yeah, that one I like.
Trent Manning (38:58):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (38:59):
But yeah, that was, 'cause I was on the computer a
lot longer than I wanted to bethis morning.
Trent Manning (39:04):
Okay.
Well, I'm sorry the.
Moe Rateb (39:06):
No, that's okay.
Trent Manning (39:07):
you to be on the computer more than you wanted
to, but hey, at least you pickup some new new tricks
Moe Rateb (39:12):
Yeah.
But yeah, it's the tips andtricks are those things that you
pick up, you know, throughoutyour years of being on this
planet, whether it's working orliving or, you know, those life
hacks, you know, those are greattoo.
Trent Manning (39:28):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Gotta have some of those.
Moe Rateb (39:31):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (39:32):
about some mental health and mental, you said
physical wellbeing, I think.
Moe Rateb (39:38):
Yeah.
So, I guess my first TTAC, TimKrieger comes up and he is
talking about his heart attack,you know?
Okay.
That's his thing.
And then I guess two Christmasesago now, Michael Henderson from
Pebble Beach, you know, he kindof put it out there.
And I think that really kickedit off for the group.
(40:01):
Like all the guys were, once youget to be a certain age you've
had people die and weird stuffhappen to you and you've made
bad decisions and Yeah, it somepeople get in a bad way, but,
you just gotta work through it.
But, being mentally healthy andphysically healthy, it puts you
(40:21):
in a lot better position to dealwith adversity where, you'll get
through it and things like that.
And the longer you live, themore something horrible is gonna
happen in your life that you'regonna have to deal with
Trent Manning (40:37):
Yeah, for sure.
No, it's,
Moe Rateb (40:39):
and
Trent Manning (40:40):
it's tough.
It is.
Li Life's
Moe Rateb (40:42):
a lot.
Yeah.
And we work in the sportsindustry so there's, it's
entertainment.
And people are so wound up aboutdoing a job of, I don't wanna
say it's just cutting grass, butyou're trying to provide, the
best product for the peopleplaying and Yeah.
(41:02):
Things aren't gonna work your goyour way all the time.
So, you're just gonna have tochalk it up, fix it, and move on
Trent Manning (41:10):
That's I think a lot easier said than done
depending on, you know, whereyou're at,
Moe Rateb (41:16):
it.
Yeah.
It's, yeah, it's tough.
Trent Manning (41:20):
I think another thing that you're kinda leading
to there is I think they kindawork hand in hand.
Moe Rateb (41:27):
They do.
I mean, yeah.
The better you feel physically,mentally, you're gonna feel
better.
Trent Manning (41:35):
Yeah, for sure.
Well, and so the episode thatjust dropped David Gummo was
basically talking about thatbecause he was super depressed,
he was way overweight, he wasdepressed, so he would eat, you
know, and I mean, it was justkept a never ending circle.
And I've noticed if I do setaside some time and go for a
(42:01):
walk, yeah, normally outside, inthe woods like you're saying
somewhere, and, you know, justget some exercise.
I mean, that, that helps.
you know, I'm not the best ateating the right foods, but you
know, the more I try.
And lose a pound or two, I feela whole lot better.
Moe Rateb (42:26):
Oh yeah.
So since the last time you sawme, I have lost about 30 pounds.
Trent Manning (42:32):
Oh, wow.
That's awesome.
Congratulations.
Moe Rateb (42:36):
I, what really kicked it off for me was this year I
had to get a colonoscopy'causeI'm that old.
And I was like, you know, onceyou go through that, you're
like, I'm clean.
I got a clean slate here.
And then that's when, you know,spring started to roll around.
So then you're thinking aboutgardening and vegetables and,
(42:57):
you know, doing all that andgetting out.
And I started eating a lotbetter.
You know, the talking about, youknow, eating and.
I didn't, I'll have aconfession.
I haven't listened to the lastcouple podcasts'cause I didn't
wanna have that influence mytalk with you.
Trent Manning (43:18):
that's all good, man.
Yeah, it's all good.
Moe Rateb (43:20):
But yeah, I mean, you know, that kind of stuff.
It, you know, it falls underaddiction and I mean, it tastes
so good.
Food tastes good and
Trent Manning (43:32):
me some food.
Moe Rateb (43:34):
yeah.
And
Trent Manning (43:35):
eat.
Moe Rateb (43:37):
you know, there comes a point where it starts
affecting you adversely andyou're just like I gotta do
something.
And yeah.
So I've been lucky that with myposition that we get real good
health benefits and all that,that it's provided me the tools
to be better in that way becauseI know it it's hard.
Trent Manning (43:54):
Yeah, definitely hard.
Moe Rateb (43:56):
But yeah, it's just, you know, hearing everybody talk
about, you know, their strugglesat one point, or whether it is
at work or family, or, you know,something that they're willing
to share it.
You just realize thateverybody's human and, you know,
you, you just gotta be, I guess,nice to each other, more
(44:20):
community.
You know, Myrtle Beach is agreat opportunity for, in, in
short, I guess fellowship, likeyou say.
Yeah.
You know, it's just, I don'tknow, like a lot of us are
introvert in our personalitiesin general.
So just to be around a bunch ofpeople that are, you know, like
(44:41):
you that really helps a lot.
Trent Manning (44:45):
yeah, for sure.
You know, you're not alone, youknow?
Moe Rateb (44:48):
Yeah.
And the big thing for me is youknow, I'm older now, you know,
and seeing some of these youngguys go through some of that
stuff, you know, just hang onbud.
Trent Manning (44:59):
Yeah.
Yep.
Because you never know when it'sgoing to affect you either.
Moe Rateb (45:06):
Right.
It,
Trent Manning (45:08):
I was, you know, and not that I'd been like
perfect mental mindset.
I was way far from it.
But I didn't realize I wasstruggling until, let's see,
probably years ago, nine yearsago, something like that.
It was like, you know, I kind ofhit rock Guam, and I'm like,
(45:31):
okay, I gotta do something.
Oh, I did a little something androcked on for a while, and then
I'm like, nah, still isn'tright.
You know what I mean?
It's just, it's life's ajourney, right?
Moe Rateb (45:45):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (45:46):
and it's full of ups and downs and we all know
that.
But it's one thing to, to knowit, and I think it's another
thing to be able to really thinkabout it and process this is
just a low point, or this is ana, a high point.
(46:06):
and the thing that I, that'shard to get used to.
Is the duration between the lowsand the highs.
'cause you know they're coming,right?
Moe Rateb (46:16):
Right.
Trent Manning (46:17):
They're more frequent and sometimes they're
further spread out.
Moe Rateb (46:23):
Yeah.
For me low point was in 2007.
My brother died in Iraq, andthat's kind of where like my
mental health journey started.
His death was mental healthrelated and, you know, that just
kind of, I've always been ananxious person and it just kind
of set it off really bad.
(46:45):
And then, you know, you'retalking about weight.
I got up to 300 pounds and thatwas ridiculous.
But you know, going to therapy,working it out, you know, now
that I've got kids on my own,you know, you pay attention to
that a lot more.
My daughter, smart kid, goodathlete, she's got a DHD and
(47:06):
man, she can't get outta her waysometimes, but, you know,
luckily my wife and I are ableto provide or have access to the
resources to help her.
She, you know, she's 12 slash1321 and, you know, they know
everything.
But yeah, it is just, you know,to be able to provide for your
(47:29):
kids.
In a way that you feel is wellenough, you know, that makes you
feel better.
Where I know a lot of peoplestruggle with, you know, it
might not be financially orjust, you know, in the
relationships with their kids.
And yes, kids are tough to dealwith sometimes, but you know,
(47:52):
everybody is dealing witheverything all at the same time.
Trent Manning (47:56):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, I
Moe Rateb (47:58):
So
Trent Manning (47:58):
some of it too, or, I mean, one thing I think
about when you're talking aboutthat is, and for me
Moe Rateb (48:06):
I,
Trent Manning (48:06):
is breaking the cycle of which I grew up with a
lot of dysfunction,
Moe Rateb (48:15):
too.
Trent Manning (48:16):
unbe, you know, I did not know that at the time.
but I.
It took me, you know, 45 yearsto figure out that it was pretty
dysfunctional.
how did I parent my kids?
Well, exactly the way I wasparented, right?
Because I, that's all I knew.
I didn't know any better, youknow, and, you know, it's, I
(48:40):
mean, it's a shame, I'm glad Iknow what I know now after being
in therapy you know, going torecovery stuff with the a CA,
it's, it really is eye opening.
Moe Rateb (48:57):
Yeah, I mean, you have to live long enough to do
that though.
And I'm fortunate enough that mywife, who has been a nurse
forever, she's an amateurpsychologist and will point that
out to me every single time thatI'm like, these kids are so soft
these days, but you know, she'swell, that's not how we do it
here.
Trent Manning (49:18):
Yeah, you're right.
Right, right, right.
That's so funny.
That's good stuff.
Moe Rateb (49:22):
But yeah, I'm lucky to have a wife that I have and
the kids that I've got and allthat and yes, they get on my
nerves sometimes, but, you know,I love'em.
Trent Manning (49:31):
Well, I do think that on a lighter note, family
can irritate you a lot fasterthan anyone else in the world.
Moe Rateb (49:42):
Oh yeah.
You should interview mymother-in-law.
My mother-in-law one day.
Love her to death, but man.
Trent Manning (49:50):
there.
We won't go there.
No thanks.
Oh, that's good stuff.
You ready to do some rapid firequestions?
Moe Rateb (50:02):
Oh yeah.
Trent Manning (50:03):
All right.
Let's do this.
What's your favorite movie?
Moe Rateb (50:07):
I don't really have a movie, but I like documentaries
about nature and serial killers.
Like what?
You know, in nature, how thingswork, and then serial killers,
like what makes them tick.
And then you're just like, howdoes somebody go to that
extreme?
(50:28):
But then you don't wanna reallyknow that answer, do you?
Trent Manning (50:32):
No.
Prob probably not.
What?
Moe Rateb (50:35):
But yeah, I'm,
Trent Manning (50:37):
go ahead.
Moe Rateb (50:38):
oh, I was gonna say, I'm a lifelong learner, so just
how things work, whether it'speople or machines, you know,
totally interest me.
Trent Manning (50:47):
All about it.
I understand that.
I'm Zach.
Same way.
Always learning every day.
What would be your last meal?
Moe Rateb (50:56):
All you can eat buffet lobster and steak.
Trent Manning (50:59):
yeah.
That's so good.
Y'all have some really good fooddown there in Charleston too, I
might add.
Moe Rateb (51:05):
You know, we do, but when you live here, you're like,
man, can we get something new?
Trent Manning (51:11):
yeah.
I mean, I guess, I guess I, I
Moe Rateb (51:15):
I'll tell you one thing.
We went to Tampa for springbreak this year, and I was
probably like 15 minutes awayfrom Mike Rollins.
And we, I tried to get up withhim, but he had something going
on and didn't get up with him,but we went to this restaurant
that was like it was like allabout fresh food and it wasn't
(51:37):
like vegetarian or vegan, butthey had interesting choices.
I mean, it was really good.
And it was just like fresh food,not like here in the south you
get a lot of fried food.
Which is great, but you can'teat that all the time.
Trent Manning (51:53):
Yep.
Moe Rateb (51:54):
But yeah.
Trent Manning (51:55):
I don't, yeah.
Somebody asked me one time said,what kind of food do you like?
I said, fried, you know, I mean
Moe Rateb (52:01):
Yeah.
I,
Trent Manning (52:02):
and fried up.
What are you most proud ofbesides your family?
Moe Rateb (52:07):
my last blood work that I had
Trent Manning (52:11):
Do share.
Moe Rateb (52:12):
a lot of my medications were cut in half.
Cholesterol was like rockbottom.
The doctor wondered what I wasdoing.
Yeah, it was just like, like Isaid, after that colonoscopy, it
was like a clean slate and thenyou know, just working on it
and, you know, getting theexercise and everything it was
like, you can do it.
(52:34):
You might need some tools tohelp you, you know, whether
medications or a lot of theseinsurance programs you know,
they have programs where, youknow, you have a coach or
somebody you can talk to.
For a lot of people, you know,that's all it takes.
Some people are militant enoughto stick to something and those
guys that run 10 miles a day atthree in the morning, I wonder
(52:59):
what they run from.
But, you know, more power to'em.
Trent Manning (53:03):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (53:04):
That's not my thing.
Trent Manning (53:05):
Well, congratulations.
I mean, that's awesome.
And that's just due to theexercise and diet.
Moe Rateb (53:13):
Yeah.
Exercise, diet, I got somemedication, you know, but I
mean, the medication helps, butyeah, you still have to, you
know, eat right and you can'tjust be taking it and then going
and having the fried food.
Trent Manning (53:27):
No, that's awesome, man.
Good stuff.
Well, thank you so much forbeing a guest.
I've thoroughly enjoyed this.
You got any last remarks?
Moe Rateb (53:38):
no, I'm just like, it took about two years to get
here, and when you asked me tobe on, I was like, all, finally
I made it.
Trent Manning (53:47):
no.
That's awesome, man.
Yeah.
I kind of feel bad.
You've been in the WhatsAppgroup so long and I hadn't
reached out, but here we are.
We
Moe Rateb (53:55):
yeah.
you've always said, you'vealways said, if you want to be
on, I'm like, eh, I don't know,what I have to offer.
But with the mental health thingcoming up so much, you know, the
young guys, you know, just hangin there.
It gets better.
The older guys, you know, eatbetter, you'll be better.
Trent Manning (54:13):
yeah.
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (54:15):
You know, it, it works.
Doing better in general foreveryone always helps.
Trent Manning (54:20):
Yeah.
Moe Rateb (54:21):
And the what the WhatsApp group is great for you
know, just getting together andthe camaraderie and everything.
Trent Manning (54:29):
yeah, no it's been way better than I ever
imagined.
The, our community, the realturf tech community and the
WhatsApp group and all thatstuff.
I never dreamed that it wouldturn into what it has, but I'm
glad it has and I'm glad we'rehere.
And if there is anybody thatwould like to be a guest, don't
(54:50):
hesitate.
You can do it.
just did it.
do it
Moe Rateb (54:54):
Yeah.
Trent Manning (54:55):
right?
I mean, but I understand it'sway out of most people's comfort
zone, including Min, includingmine.
I, you know, three years ago Iwas nervous as a cat on a tin
roof, right.
doing this, but here we are.
The more you get outta yourcomfort, the zone the easier it
becomes.
Moe Rateb (55:16):
Yeah, the more you'll grow, man.
We all appreciate what you'vedone for this group.
I
Trent Manning (55:22):
thanks.
Yeah, no, it's, I mean, I'll doit for the group, you know,
that's what it's about.
It's about the people.
Well, thank you.
I hope you have a good eveningand we will see you around in
the WhatsApp group.
Moe Rateb (55:34):
all right.
You too, Trent.
It was great being on.
Trent Manning (55:41):
thank you so much for listening to the Reel turf
techs podcast.
I hope you learned somethingtoday.
Don't forget to subscribe.
If you have any topics you'dlike to discuss, or you'd like
to be a guest, find us onTwitter at Reel turf techs.
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