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Austin FC continued its revamp of its offense with the acquisition of Finnish winger Robert Taylor from Inter Miami in April. Taylor made some memorable moments in Miami, playing with Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets. The 30-year-old spent nearly a decade climbing his way up from some of the lowest divisions of English soccer, through Scandinavian leagues, to trophies and give-and-gos with the GOAT. Austin FC is betting his career will continue to blossom at Q2 Stadium.
¡Vamos Verde! is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.
The full transcript of this episode of ¡Vamos Verde! is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.
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Jimmy Maas [00:00:38] Welcome back to Vamos Verde, I’m Jimmy Maas.
Juan Garcia [00:00:40] And I’m Juan Garcia.
Jimmy Maas [00:00:41] And Juan, we made it to June. That we did. And it’s weird because in some aspects, it feels like just yesterday, we were going through the holidays, but if you were an Austin FC team member, you probably thought May would never end.
Juan Garcia [00:00:56] And honestly, in a roundabout way, I also thought May would never end because it was so freaking hot. Yeah. It almost felt like summer already.
Jimmy Maas [00:01:04] Well, I hate to tell you this, we’re only going to get hotter.
Juan Garcia [00:01:07] Right, and hopefully the team also gets hotter, because they had a tough run in May. A tough schedule, but also a bit of a tough one.
Jimmy Maas [00:01:15] I mean, if you’re just looking at MLS games, certainly. If you’re looking at the whole, maybe it’s less tough, but nonetheless.
Juan Garcia [00:01:22] I mean, there’s a lot of optimism around the U.S. Open Cup. They’ve got their semi or quarterfinal match coming up against San Jose next month.
Jimmy Maas [00:01:33] The way MLS rosters are constructed, it asks a lot of all players on the squad during stretches of the schedule like this. There are points where it is always, there’s congestion.
Juan Garcia [00:01:46] Right. Right. And I think you put it really well when you say that all MLS rosters are pretty much built so that every game finishes kind of around one, one, and you differentiate yourself by moving the different levers of, of roster building, but, uh, some folks can be better than others. And, you know, sometimes it takes time for, for those levers to pull and for you to get the results that you are kind of going for.
Jimmy Maas [00:02:11] When you have a game every three to four days, it’s hard to do that on the way the current teams are constructed. There is a point where you just run, the tank runs dry and Austin was in a stretch where they were in a dry spell. And now with the result in Colorado, maybe things have turned a corner.
Juan Garcia [00:02:29] You never know when a team’s going to get hot, and if you get hot at the right point, it could be like this weekend’s rivals, the New York Red Bulls, that went on a tear in the playoffs, ended up being the runners-up to LA Galaxy’s crown.
Jimmy Maas [00:02:40] So you’re there on their way. That’s what you’re saying.
Juan Garcia [00:02:44] I’m not saying one thing or another, all I’m saying is you never know what happens when the matches really start to count.
Jimmy Maas [00:02:49] That is that is actually one of the fascinating things that make this league more interesting at different points of the year. And certainly the, the playoff run where 15 minutes of good football can set you up if you did that four weeks in a row, you’re in the chips.
Juan Garcia [00:03:05] And 15 minutes of bad football could ruin an otherwise fantastic season. You could be winning the supporter’s shield given to the team that amasses the most points in the regular season, and you could crash out of the playoffs in the first round.
Jimmy Maas [00:03:20] Yes, but to go back to the point that you started this thing on, I do think on some level, whoever set up the TAM, GAM, salary cap, all of that, their ideal league finish would be everyone with 34 draws.
Juan Garcia [00:03:35] That would not surprise me if there was some weird like back room and like black magic being wielded to force teams into funky results.
Jimmy Maas [00:03:45] Everyone ends with 34 points and the deviation from that mean is like maybe three, four points. You get one, one or two teams win a game occasionally. That means one or two teams lose and they’re the supporter shield winners.
Juan Garcia [00:03:59] The Supporter Shield is won on…
Jimmy Maas [00:04:03] 38 points. Right, yes. Congratulations. To that point, because the way rosters are constructed, when you do well, you know, maybe you have to unload a few players. Suffering from.
Juan Garcia [00:04:15] Like the LA Galaxy this year.
Jimmy Maas [00:04:16] Right. One of those gifts of league movement. New players on your team, new players on your squad. And today we are talking with one of the members of Austin FC.
Juan Garcia [00:04:28] He’s a man who has played with and for some of the greats of the game.
Jimmy Maas [00:04:32] A man whose tattoos, his sleeve, brought some very perhaps personal questions from Juan. I couldn’t help myself, Jimmy.
Juan Garcia [00:04:40] A member of the revamped attack for Austin FC for this year.
Jimmy Maas [00:04:44] With a most un-Googleable name, especially for someone from Finland.
Juan Garcia [00:04:49] Austin FC’s Robert Taylor.
Jimmy Maas [00:04:54] Our designated finish player for Austin FC. There has to be at least one. It’s required. I’m not sure who wrote that rule. Maybe it’s an MLS regulation, but- It’s an Austin only roster designation. How has your time been in Austin so far?
Robert Taylor [00:05:10] It’s been great. It’s being great. We just start to settle in with my wife in the apartment. And yeah, it’s been really, really nice exploring the city, going around downtown, the lake and just exploring. It’s be great. Honestly, we love the city. You’re a big lake guy? Yeah, we’re like nature people. We like the nature side of things. So it’s nice where there’s like water and you can go for walks and on the water or the paddleboard or whatever. Do you swim? Paddle boarding is that Kayaks we’ve been on the nice couple of times and they’re awesome. Yeah, very nice
Jimmy Maas [00:05:45] Let’s go back into your background a little bit. You were the son of a soccer player. How did your dad come into the game and what was his career like?
Robert Taylor [00:05:53] Yeah, he started his career in England and he was playing at Nottingham Forest as a schoolboy. And then he went down a few leagues to play to get some minutes. And then his friend from Finland called him up and said, do you want to come play football in Finland? And I was like, yeah, of course. And he said it was the fourth division. Okay. I was like, yeah.
Jimmy Maas [00:06:18] Right from england that sounds sounds amazing league football at least league 2 football
Robert Taylor [00:06:23] little did he know he wasn’t when he got to Finland and it was a big shock for him but he did end up enjoying it and he did pretty well. He got scouted into the top division team and yeah then he ended up staying there and met my mother and that was his little path, but into a shorter story.
Jimmy Maas [00:06:44] And this is why you’ve received the surname Taylor and not some sort of Scandinavian more typical Scandinavian name. Yes, correct. Do you ever go by Bob? Some people call me Bob. More from the British side. Can Juan call you Bob? Can I call you Bob? Sure. Okay. I’ll go with Robert. We’ll stick with government names. Your dad plays soccer. Your mother athletic in any way? She’s Finnish, I’ll assume. So does she ski? Does She, I don’t know, shoot traps.
Robert Taylor [00:07:13] No, I’m afraid so. No, there’s not an athletic bone in that woman.
Jimmy Maas [00:07:20] All right, that’s fair. I mean, whatever. So, every hero has an origin story. How did you get started into soccer?
Robert Taylor [00:07:28] Through my dad, obviously. He said that there’s no other sport for me. So no hockey. No hockey, nothing else. Okay, no. It was just soccer and-
Juan Garcia [00:07:36] about hockey?
Robert Taylor [00:07:37] Were you ever interested? No, I wasn’t, honestly, I, I wasn’t good at it. And, uh, we did it in school as PE classes and you did it.
Jimmy Maas [00:07:46] You get iced? You just go out on the ice?
Robert Taylor [00:07:48] Yeah, so you you know how enjoy the lake kids. Yeah, so you have the lakes and you have like just outdoor Courts where you can do like full-on ice hockey games. Sure. And since it’s cold there much of the year much the year exactly. So
Jimmy Maas [00:08:04] uh… Use of what you have it
Robert Taylor [00:08:05] exactly so that’s the only experience I have with hockey I’m not good on skates I can do it to a certain level my friends would disagree but Yeah, so my dad said there’s nothing else but soccer for me and he worked out.
Jimmy Maas [00:08:23] Where was the first moment of attention you got in your soccer career?
Robert Taylor [00:08:27] Probably when I was like 13 14 when the local team wanted to sign me a professional contract With the first team obviously I was way too young to join them But it was more of a I would say probably a PR thing to get some attention to the club and what whatnot But that was the first kind of attention that I got as a growing up footballer
Jimmy Maas [00:08:54] And what came of that? Tons of minutes and…
Robert Taylor [00:08:57] Many goals, some free songs written about you and no, just, uh, some free, free cleats every now and again, for sure. Uh, yeah, it was, that club treated me really well from the young age and then they, uh took me in after my trip to England. So, um, I have a lot of love for them.
Jimmy Maas [00:09:18] So you did play sometime in England. How did that go?
Robert Taylor [00:09:23] Yeah. So I moved there, my family moved there and I, we moved there 2008 to 2009-ish. You’re how old at this time? I am 13. Okay. So right after basically I signed this, this contract. Yep. Uh, you’re a pro. So we moved to England for a year and, uh, played there, uh got scouted by Lincoln city. And then I ended up signing a scholarship with them. And then when I was 16, I moved, like that’s when the scholarship started. So, went back to England for two years, didn’t make it, told I wasn’t good enough and all of that stuff and then came back to Finland.
Jimmy Maas [00:10:07] Lincoln City. Who apparently has terrible scouts and coaches, gives up on you.
Robert Taylor [00:10:16] Essentially, yeah essentially they say
Jimmy Maas [00:10:19] Go pound sand, not here. Pretty much, yeah. Pound ice. Right, so you move back home, and are you thinking at this point, well that’s done and dusted, we’re.
Robert Taylor [00:10:30] Yeah, pretty much.
Jimmy Maas [00:10:31] I’m an inch
Robert Taylor [00:10:32] engineer or something else that that hit me hard when Because what they did Lincoln City would loan me out to lower division teams So I got lowered I got loaned out to I can’t even name you what division they were But they were low down and it wasn’t close to being a Sunday League team at least. Yeah back in the day That’s how I looked at it. Sure. Yes. Yes very then when I was trying to become a pro and what they told me It was that you’re not like I’m not good enough and I would be sitting on the bench and watching this.
Jimmy Maas [00:11:03] These are essentially the leagues where like the guys also have jobs as like Yeah, yeah, or work in the factory or police or whatever
Robert Taylor [00:11:10] Absolutely. Yeah, so I would be sitting there on the bench 18 and thinking like I Probably this is not it for me and like I have to look at something else if I can’t get to play in this league This how can I make it anywhere? So right? That was my thought process there. I know we’re getting a trial Barnett FC and I was there for two months. They told me week one that they’ll sign me but they ended up getting relegated and they had bigger problems then to worry about than me. They told me, sorry son, you gotta do your own thing. And that’s when I moved to Finland.
Jimmy Maas [00:11:44] So you are at the lowest, at least you think, as far as you can go on.
Robert Taylor [00:11:49] When it comes to soccer at that point, I was pretty low and then I called my mom and said like I don’t know what to do Right. She says she said home. Yeah figure out something and while that was going on My dad was talking already with my hometown club who took me in Gave me a contract and that’s kind of gave me another
Juan Garcia [00:12:06] Start in this period was there ever like a consideration of a backup plan or what life would be like away from soccer
Robert Taylor [00:12:14] Yeah, absolutely. But there was no I was like, I got to do something else. I haven’t there was like I got a quick
Jimmy Maas [00:12:21] Well, I gotta start something else now. Well, in that moment, to your question, what was the first thing that you were like, maybe I can study.
Robert Taylor [00:12:29] I mean, Finland has a very good education system, so I wasn’t too stressed about not getting into school and not studying for something. I ended up going to study anyway, while I signed with the first, got kicked out of school because I wasn’t t spending enough time there, I wasn t present enough, so I wasn’t keeping up. Was that for like a degree? It was for… I don’t know the translation when it comes to…
Jimmy Maas [00:13:02] Well, let’s hear the Finnish word. We’ll take our chances.
Robert Taylor [00:13:06] Uh… Ammattikoulu. Amis. You would have made a great ammattikkoulu of Amis…Amister
Jimmy Maas [00:13:13] Vamos Verde is produced at KUT and KUTX Studios, part of KUT Public Media, home of Austin’s NPR station and the Austin Music Experience. We are a nonprofit media organization. If you feel like this is something worth supporting, set an amount that’s right for you and make a donation at supportthispodcast.org.
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Speaker 6 [00:14:06] Buh-bye!
Juan Garcia [00:14:14] Welcome back to Vamos Verde and we did some googling during the break.
Jimmy Maas [00:14:22] Or however he said it, my Finnish is not great. Basically translates, but maybe not exactly directly, but loosely translates to trade school.
Juan Garcia [00:14:31] Trade school adjacent, but given Finnish education standards, the ammattikul might be as good as some of our colleges here. Anyway, getting back to Robert Taylor. Your hometown.
Jimmy Maas [00:14:41] Your parents, you’re born again at this point, soccer wise. Take us through what happens there with your hometown.
Robert Taylor [00:14:49] At this point, I’m training with the first team. I’m on the bench, although I’m not getting the minutes I want, obviously. Does anyone ever get the minutes they want? No. Probably not. But yeah, so I wasn’t playing too much, but still I had like new motivation to become a professional, or try and become a pro professional. And then I ended up getting a chance, I just ended up gaining a chance and took it. And then, I played consistent minutes for our next two years. For my own time.
Jimmy Maas [00:15:22] What level of football is this in Finland?
Robert Taylor [00:15:25] Um, when I signed, they were at the first league, 2013, got relegated. And then the next two years we played in the second highest. But you’re starting to get some traction.
Jimmy Maas [00:15:37] Those new cleats you get every once in a while, finding there.
Juan Garcia [00:15:43] What’s the dream like, I guess, when you’re 14 and you haven’t quite faced that sort of challenge and then after when you are back at your hometown club and you’ve sort of got this new lease on life in football. Is the dream, is the goal different? Does it feel different going from sort of the brink of not having a career to now getting something going again?
Robert Taylor [00:16:04] I mean, the dream, obviously, it adjusts from being 14, I thought, become a Premier League player, right? That’s the dream everyone has when they’re 14. Right, you’re going to Manchester.
Jimmy Maas [00:16:15] I’m going to Manchester United. Right, this is.
Robert Taylor [00:16:16] Right this is this is what I’m going I’m gonna be top top player then when stuff happens where I’m sitting on the bench for 10th division team and I’m 18 I have to be a little bit more realistic and tell myself okay we have to start again and see how far I can make it that was pretty much the thought process there I always wanted to make it even when I was when I went back to my hometown team and started playing more I thought I have a chance I can make it maybe make it abroad and not Premier League, but Maybe try and.
Jimmy Maas [00:16:48] Eventually though, do well enough to where some of those, at least foreign ambitions do come into play. So the next step for you is sweet and correct.
Robert Taylor [00:16:59] Yes, so from my hometown team assigned for a team in Lapland, they played in the top division. I played there, and actually Weissen and Leo, we played together there for half a year. Yeah, we were neighbors. Oh wow. Yeah. We knew each other really well. Small world. Yeah. So we played there for a bit. I did pretty well there, got scouted by a team from Sweden, which was a dream come true at this point, to try and get abroad again and give it a shot. So I ended up going to Sweden.
Jimmy Maas [00:17:30] And at that point, how would you characterize your career there?
Robert Taylor [00:17:37] Um, like I was 22 when I signed for the Swedish team. Um, Aiko, A-I-K and, uh, the lettering. So then their top team in Sweden, one of the biggest teams in Sweden. Great club, great fans, a huge, like this is now like real soccer. You go there, the stadium takes. 50, 60,000 people in there. Yeah, it’s a good crowd. Oh, yeah, and they have amazing fans every game. There’s at least 30, 40,000 thousand people. So it was a huge change in what I was used to in Finland because there you’re averaging about 1,500, 2,000 a game. So then you go to this. I did it, again, not the minutes I wanted, but it was huge change, which I understand, where I have to get adjusted. And yeah, that was a great experience for me.
Jimmy Maas [00:18:30] When you’re on the pitch, or if you’re on the bench, however this works, crowd size, how does that play in your, I mean, is there a moment where you just tune it out, or are you just, are you talking the first few minutes when you realize, holy crap, I’m playing in front of all these people, or?
Robert Taylor [00:18:45] Um, yeah, on the bench, it’s not so intimidating. I would, I wouldn’t say when I’m coming from Finland to the bigger leagues. But then when I made my debut, uh, I did shit myself a little bit. I was very nervous. Yeah, sure. I’ve never played in front of so many people and, um, you’d probably tell I was nervous when I played. And mistakes get a little magnified in your mind. Exactly, exactly. And I do have to say the tempo of the game was Completely different I was winded off to like 15 minutes. Please calm down guys
Juan Garcia [00:19:20] And is there like a substantial step up in like the level of competition that you experience?
Robert Taylor [00:19:24] Absolutely, from when you go from Finland to the other Scandinavian leagues, it’s a different level.
Jimmy Maas [00:19:33] So, Sweden’s going well, then you get some attention from a Norwegian club.
Robert Taylor [00:19:39] Yeah, so I get loaned out to a team in Norway, Tromsø, really up north, barely get to see any sun. I played there for a couple of years, played a lot of minutes, and then from there I go to another Norwegian club, Brann, spend two years there, again, get a lot of minutes and then I end up getting scouted by Inter Miami.
Jimmy Maas [00:20:06] Yeah, how would you characterize your career so far? The rebirth portion, not the early part. We’re forgetting that, that’s.
Robert Taylor [00:20:13] That’s past. Yeah. The Scandi.
Jimmy Maas [00:20:14] The Scandinavian portion, how would you characterize your career through here? Are you, where are you on the team? Are you top of the stat sheet? Are you the top of minute sheet? Or what are we talking about?
Robert Taylor [00:20:27] I would say when I spent my time in Norway, I wasn’t really ever top of the stat sheets compared to sometimes the team, but mostly the league, there was great players in both of the leagues. But especially when I spend most of my time Norway, I know the league better and they have some great teams, great players. So I wasn t ever up high on the stat sheet, but I did get a lot of minutes and I had a big role with my team. How far are you from?
Juan Garcia [00:20:57] Completing Scandinavian League bingo.
Robert Taylor [00:21:01] Um… Denmark
Juan Garcia [00:21:03] Okay, Denmark. Okay, maybe like a retirement project down the line, like once you’ve won it all at Austin.
Robert Taylor [00:21:10] No!
Juan Garcia [00:21:10] Absolutely not.
Robert Taylor [00:21:12] I’m staying in the United States.
Jimmy Maas [00:21:16] You get to the United States because some way, somehow, someone is paying attention to these leagues. You say you were not a star there, but you say you were doing okay. How did they come to find you in this when they were putting together their additions for the 2022 season?
Robert Taylor [00:21:43] Honestly maybe I had enough of stats to get their attention. And then I believe that Inter Miami started watching the games and how I played and the way I played fit their style. So I think that’s why they started getting a lot of interest.
Juan Garcia [00:22:00] What did you know about the United States before you started getting scouted by Miami.
Robert Taylor [00:22:04] I’ve got some national team players who’s played in the league.
Juan Garcia [00:22:10] Not too familiar with MLS at that point, a little bit?
Robert Taylor [00:22:12] Yes and I’ve always wanted to come to MLS even when I was playing in the previous teams I always told my agent like can we try get to MMS I really want to go there I want to experience the American lifestyle and and it was a dream come true to get to MLS.
Juan Garcia [00:22:27] The adjustment like from Scandinavian winters almost year-round to now, you’re in Florida of all places, and it’s hot, it’s humid, and you know, all of a sudden you have to now run 90 minutes, but it’s a completely different animal.
Robert Taylor [00:22:42] Yeah, it took some adjusting for a couple of months, but I did, I was, I guess, lucky in some ways, moving there in the winter time, because it’s not as bad. It hit me hard in the summer when I wasn’t prepared for that, but. Was that for summer, like? In the summer in Florida, it’s tough, yeah. And you’re used to it now, Now I’m used to, but yeah, it is fine
Jimmy Maas [00:23:04] How was the social adjustment? You’re playing at high level minutes with high level teams in Europe, but now you’re playing for international superstar, David Beckham, internationally recognized footballer, Phil Neville. I mean, these are people that, you know, occupy a place in the soccer—
Robert Taylor Absolutely.
Juan Garcia Kind of guys you follow when you’re a kid.
Robert Taylor Yeah, exactly.
Jimmy Maas These are people that you would have seen on television now, they’re wandering around. Making sure you, I don’t know, you clean up your locker or whatever, you know. How was that interaction when you rolled into Miami?
Robert Taylor [00:23:45] Yeah, that was pretty surreal because when I was younger, I used to follow Manchester United a lot. Like, I use to want David Beckham’s jerseys when I was a kid. I would try to copy his hair and all of that.
Jimmy Maas We all did. Even into adulthood.
Robert Taylor Still. Yeah, it was a surreal moment meeting him and Phil, like Phil for the first time when I got to training, I was obviously nervous, but then also David Beckham when he came to watch training, one training, and I was just, I have to perform now in training. Like, I need to be the best now.
Jimmy Maas [00:24:21] Forget the gaffer we need to put on the full show for the part-owner. So that was ‘22, and then midway through ‘23, it’s a parade of all stars for Robert Taylor. Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba show up. They don’t just show up, but you know what I mean. They’re part of the team now, and some people might flinch in that moment. Some people might cower a little bit, like oh well, like ‘okay, this was fun.’ But I think instead you took it up to another gear. Would that be fair to say?
Robert Taylor [00:25:02] I guess so. I mean, all thanks to the big guys, obviously. They made everyone else’s life very easy on the field.
Jimmy Maas [00:25:11] You’re the salt to their pepper, you know? But you know what they say about salt? Silent killer. So, yeah.
MLS Soccer Highlights [00:25:20] Messi driving forward over to Robert Taylor, Taylor cutting it back. He has done it again! Lionel Messi, three goals in less than an hour of play for Eastern Miami! Robert Taylor, off and running, Robert Taylor! Does he love playing with Lionel Messi? Robert Taylor’s second of the night!
Juan Garcia [00:25:46] Now you’ve got what is widely regarded as the best player in the world arriving now he’s your teammate is that can you do you see that was there any kind of mystique with the arrival of what many consider the goat
Robert Taylor [00:26:01] The way he trains and the way he plays, there’s nothing that I can learn from that because he’s just on a different level. He makes football look so easy that it almost makes you feel bad about yourself. It’s like, how does he do it so easily? And then you’re there trying to scramble your way out of one way ones or finishing and he just does it with such ease. So I mean, there is a huge step up, obviously. To me, he’s the best player who’s ever lived. So I mean, there’s a huge difference in level, but I’d say I was lucky to be on his side on the team and he helped a lot of the players become better. That’s why he does really well.
Jimmy Maas [00:26:43] Taking advantage of that, you guys won some games, won some hardware. You then gained the attention of the sporting director’s office here. When did you know that Austin was interested in you and how did that come about?
Robert Taylor [00:26:57] I mean I knew that there was interest before and that was between the clubs obviously to handle that part. I got the news that Austin traded me and I was super excited because I’ve always in some ways I always wanted to live in Texas and I’ve heard so many good things about Austin from Leo and everyone else honestly around like the league has always said that Austin’s a great city. I remember when we came to play here everyone was like Austin’s an awesome city. So then me and my wife, we were very excited to come in here. For me, I think it’s the culture. I love the fans here. I love that the stadium and the environment and the atmosphere that they create in the games. It’s honestly really great. It’s one of the best in the league. And when I came to the team, I was welcomed by everyone really nicely. So honestly, it’s been great coming into this team.
Juan Garcia [00:27:55] What was your, I guess, awareness of La Murga, the supporter section, the stadium culture atmosphere here at Q2 Stadium, coming from an Eastern conference club that doesn’t get a chance to play in Austin all that often. And did you actually get a change to play here before you became a member of Austin FC?
Robert Taylor [00:28:14] Uh, 20, 22, that was my first away game. And what I remember is when players usually go out on the field to take a look at the, look at the grass and what, what cleats should I wear and whatnot. I remember those hundreds of fans already in the, on the support, support wall. I don’t know what you call it, but yeah, um, those hundreds of them already. Like two hours before the game, singing and dancing, as soon as we went on, started booing and I was like, damn, okay, like they’re, it’s serious here. And that was my first impression of Austin and then we played and we got smacked. So that’s how I remember.
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Juan Garcia [00:29:40] Welcome back to Vamos Verde. Now, the important part, Jimmy.
Jimmy Maas [00:29:46] Let’s talk about.
Juan Garcia [00:29:48] Tattoos. Please. I’m very curious. First off, do you have a favorite?
Robert Taylor [00:29:53] Um, I would say my favorites are my friend, my good friend in Miami. He’s a big anime tattooist, tattoo artist. So he did my leg. He did a lot of them. So I would all of his art is definitely my.
Jimmy Maas [00:30:10] We have a handful of, no, we have six up to the calf. Anime vignettes, yeah.
Robert Taylor [00:30:16] Yeah, so what like what anime is more represented? Attack on Tyon, okay, Ruto junior to Kaisen
Juan Garcia [00:30:24] Do you watch a lot of anime? Yeah, I try. I love.
Robert Taylor [00:30:27] The end of the story is there.
Juan Garcia [00:30:29] Do you have a favorite? I would say Attack on Titan. Very nice. I remember getting into that in high school. Yeah. Do you have an artist here in Austin?
Robert Taylor [00:30:36] There you go too now.
Juan Garcia [00:30:37] So you, uh, is it, I guess, do you go to like one artist, like a lot of your teammates that this is one guy you trust, or, uh do you have like a few artists represented on your body?
Robert Taylor [00:30:50] Throughout the years when I was traveling, I’d go to the local artist, but now back in Florida, we’re really close. If I were to get any more, I would go. I’d be here going back.
Juan Garcia [00:31:03] I guess it is like a like when you have the resources to have your one trusted guy Like you can fly them in or you can’t fly yourself out when you some time But it seems like a lot of your your teammates They only have art from like one artist on their body when they talk about their tattoos I like hearing the fact that you have local artists from sort of the various stops that you’ve you’ve been to do you have like a shop that you remember really clearly that Maybe you wouldn’t mind going back or you had like a really good experience.
Robert Taylor [00:31:33] Yeah, definitely in Norway. I also made a really close friend through tattooing. So I obviously go back to back and see him. If I were to get any art, I would go to him. Any bad experiences? Bad? Yeah. Particularly bloody.
Juan Garcia [00:31:50] I don’t know. Bloody, yes. Painful, yes! What kind of tattooing do you prefer? It seems like you’ve got some color, some black and gray. It seems black and gray is a little bit more represented on your body, but yeah, do you have like a preference between one or the other?
Robert Taylor [00:32:07] No, honestly, I’ve been doing it for like 10 years now for a while. So it’s kind of changed throughout the years. What style I’d go for and, um, probably black and gray though. I like like simpler, simpler style now. When’d you get your first? I was 18 right at 18. Yeah. Me too. What was it? It was a bird here on the, on the floor. That’s a big one. Yeah. I went all out, got addicted. Shouldn’t have done it. That’s how it happens, right? Spent a lot of money.
Juan Garcia [00:32:37] So are you like already thinking about your next one the way I am? Yeah, I was, yeah, definitely. So what would you want to get for your next? Probably nothing.
Robert Taylor [00:32:48] Are you done? I think I’m done, yeah. Wow.
Jimmy Maas [00:32:51] Quite a turn. Yes. I feel like it’s hard to stop once you.
Robert Taylor [00:32:55] It was hard to stop, but I’ve got over my withdrawals now.
Juan Garcia [00:33:00] You’re you’re you clean you’re on the other side. Yes on the past recovery is very clear
Jimmy Maas [00:33:04] in front of me. Are you, is there anything you wish, maybe you have second thoughts about, or you’re good with the?
Robert Taylor [00:33:13] Maybe I wish I wasn’t so, what’s the word, impulsive when it came to tattoos. I’d look at a photo and call my friend, I want this. And then a few hours later, I have it. Forever. Yes, I was young and a little bit silly, so maybe that. Well, I’d maybe think about it a little more.
Juan Garcia [00:33:33] I gotta know what spot hurt less than you expected and which one hurt a lot more than you anticipated.
Robert Taylor [00:33:44] A lot more, I would say, heal. Oh, yeah. I’ve heard that one’s tough. Yeah, I even have, it was just a tiny one, super tiny, but that was very painful, super painful. And there’s no place that doesn’t hurt for me. Of course, yeah? Everything hurts, so I can’t really, maybe the less painfuls were on their own.
Juan Garcia [00:34:03] I’ve heard like arms are fun, legs and a few other spots are not fun. Yeah, I don’t think there are any fun spots to be honest. Were you like, do you sit really well for them? Like do you like take a lot of breaks or are you just like a, you can kind of thug it through? Just go through it. Yeah, was there ever one that you had to do in like two stints because you just had to like give up in the middle, it was hurting too much?
Robert Taylor [00:34:28] No no i just go through because i’ve i’ve done like a little bit of a bigger piece that you like this arm that would do it for one day and then the next day i’d come back and the next day was way worse
Juan Garcia [00:34:40] like a
Robert Taylor [00:34:41] sleeve. Yeah, so the whole thing was designed by. Yeah. So one guy just kind of put these things together and then the next day was the worst. So from then then on, it’s just like two or three hours is fine.
Jimmy Maas [00:34:53] Your wife with all this? I mean, she’s never known you without it. So yeah.
Robert Taylor [00:34:58] Yeah i mean she she’s learned to like them for sure uh there’s nothing she can’t like
Juan Garcia [00:35:03] She doesn’t have any tattoos herself? No, she doesn’t.
Robert Taylor [00:35:06] Wow, okay. The complete opposite and that’s interesting.
Juan Garcia [00:35:10] Who’s your tattoo pal in the locker room? Whose tattoos do you really like? Who really likes your tattoos? You guys kinda like walk around, give each other the tour every now and again.
Robert Taylor [00:35:19] We don’t give each other any tattoo tours.
Juan Garcia [00:35:24] You never like, I don’t know, walk by John Coleman and say like, hey, man, who did your back piece? It’s really cool.
Robert Taylor [00:35:30] I mean, they do have really nice tattoos, the guys, but like for me, maybe they, I don’t know. Maybe they asked for their artists, but since I’m done, so I’m like, they’re cool. Okay. Like I’m not going to do anymore. So.
Jimmy Maas [00:35:43] All I know is Q2 just started tours and I really do think they should add tattoo tours on this. I think it would be a big sell.
Juan Garcia [00:35:51] To see like the future of when when you go through the tattoo withdrawals and you get to the other side you don’t want anymore Because I’m definitely Squarely in my addiction just as always looking for the next one. Absolutely. I’m gonna ink him up out in the car. Yeah This guy’s scratch. He’s just got
Jimmy Maas [00:36:10] It’s in the back of the car. It doesn’t hurt that much. Quit crying. Welcome to the club. Thanks for sitting down with us. So Juan, tell me a little bit about the enlighten us on what was on his leg and maybe the significance of some of that.
Juan Garcia [00:36:28] So he mentioned his favorite anime was, uh, this anime called attack on Titan. The gist is folks live in this city with these walls that are designed to protect from these big, scary giants that are on the outskirts, but then they get attacked by these giants. People die. It’s really brutal. It’s a very good anime. If you want to get into it, I don’t know if I explained it super well.
Jimmy Maas [00:36:51] No, that that works that we’re rooting for the Giants then. Oh, wait, I’m sorry, I misunderstood the plot.
Juan Garcia [00:36:58] Okay, then maybe I need to explain it further later. But what I found really interesting is a very iconic face that he has on his shin. Austin F.C. Posted a picture of Bob Taylor lacing up his boots, and very clearly, right on the front of his shin, I saw Itachi Uchiha’s face. Just his eyes, his brow line. And what I appreciate, it is very distinctive. And what appreciate it was, you kind of have to be pretty in deep in the lore of Naruto to get Itachi Uchiha’s face tattooed on you. If you’ve only watched a few episodes, maybe you watched the first couple seasons, you might see him as a bad guy. And you might wonder why it is. I mean, iconic character, sure, but definitely a bad guy. But if you’re getting him tattooed on your body, I’ve got a feeling you know the deeper story. Yes, and that is. Am I getting into it? If you want. So in the village hidden in the leaves, there was this family called the Uchiha clan. Now, the premise of the story is basically this nine-tailed fox demon attacks the village and–
Jimmy Maas [00:38:29] That’s it for today’s episode big thanks to our special guest robert taylor the spirit of the nine tailed fox inside of this child that
Jimmy Maas [00:38:38] Also, big thanks to Juan for his explanation that is ongoing, stay to the end of this whole anime adventure. Also big thanks Cameron Kubik, Gwyn Arnández, Jacob Stedler, Alex Daly-Hill, Ainsley Beers, Roberto Colon, and Ryan Madden from Austin FC. Also, Elizabeth McQueen and Tanu Thomas. Also, Grammy nominee Jaron Marshall wrote, performed and produced the music you are hearing. He is Juan’s best friend and they have sat and watched this very anime cartoon many many episodes. And also big thanks to you. We can’t do this without your support. Bombo’s Federated is produced by KUT and KUTX Studios, housed within KUT Public Media, which is a public radio station here in Austin. We also do music, KUTx. If you are a fan of the podcast, if you’re a fan of our music or news programming, feel free to go to supportthispodcast.org. Choose a donation amount, make a donation today. And as always, thank you.
Juan Garcia [00:39:33] Thank you. Sasuke, who becomes a member of Naruto’s like, young ninja team. That is the story that most folks associate with Itachi Uchiha, or maybe the folks that might not know the lore, right? The iceberg, that is the tip of it, right. You go deeper and you find out that the reason Itachi essentially murdered his whole family. Was effectively to protect the village from this like civil war that was starting up between the Uchiha and the rest of the village and essentially what he was doing is he became a part of this almost like bounty hunter team and from afar he would just like keep an eye on the village and make sure that it wouldn’t like fall to like the wrong hands while also keeping an eye like Sasuke, his brother, and Naruto, the nine-tailed fox demon embodied. And I mean, this is about as far as I’ve gotten in the end.
Jimmy Maas [00:40:29] I was wondering who do you think is still listening to this?
Juan Garcia [00:40:32] That I’m not sure. Maybe Robert Taylor since he got the guy tattooed on him, but did any of that make sense, Jimmy?
Jimmy Maas [00:40:40] Uh, yeah, all of it. I, especially the part with the walls. Oh wait, that was the other one.
Juan Garcia [00:40:49] Alright, one more time. So, there’s this village hidden in the leaves.
AD [00:40:52] The Zebra. Fire department, what’s the emergency? There’s a fire in the kitchen. All I was doing was paying insurance bills. I know that smell. We’re gonna need the big holes. Ma’am, did you use the zebra.com to compare insurance companies? Um, no. Just what I thought. You’ve been burning money. Look, the zebra .com compares hundreds of insurance companies in one place. It could save you $440 on car insurance. Wow, but are you gonna put that out? Stop burning money, compare and save at the zebra.com slash Austin FC.
This transcript was transcribed by AI, and lightly edited by a human. Accuracy may vary. This text may be revised in the future.
