Full disclosure, I was covering FC Dallas for the Morning News in 2012 when then-coach Schellas Hyndman drafted a defender out of North Carolina named Matt Hedges.

Over the years, Hedges and I have had more than our share of conversations. But after talking to him earlier this week after training for the first time in at least a year, I reached a simple conclusion-he hasn't changed all that much since first coming to FCD.

However, that's not a bad thing, not in the least.

Hedges remains the same stoic, hard-working guy who still loves the beautiful game that he was when he first arrived in Frisco just over seven years ago. In short, he's the absolute epitome of consistency.

About the only difference between the early Hedges and the current version is that he's more experienced with over 200 MLS games under his belt, he's helped FCD win a Supporter's Shield, a US Open Cup and earned MLS Defender of the Year honors.

Oh, and he's got some experience with the US national team.

However, other than that Hedges is "the same as he ever was" with a nod to the Talking Heads.

"I feel like I haven't really changed all that much. Obviously, I feel like I've gotten better as a player with all the different philosophies from the coaching staff, with the ball, without the ball. Things like that, I feel like I've definitely improved as a player, but personally I feel like I'm very similar to what I was before," Hedges said.

Since he was drafted by Hyndman, that not only makes the ex-Tar Heel FCD's longest tenured-player, but also the only current player who has suited up for the club's last three coaches-Hyndman, Oscar Pareja and Luchi Gonzalez.

FC Dallas' Matt Hedges (24) scores the winning goal against Vancouver Whitecaps goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic (1) during the second half of an MLS soccer game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday Sept. 23, 2018. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) (DARRYL DYCK / AP)

And while some might consider playing for three coaches in eight seasons a lot, for Hedges it's simply part of the business of soccer.

"Yeah, I'm still here. I'm just here playing. I love the game," he said. "If it's 10 coaches, it's 10 coaches. I'll be out on the field ready to go 100 percent every time [regardless of who the coach is]."

Hedges has appeared in 212 regular-season matches thus far for FCD, 206 of those in the starting 11, and another nine in the postseason.

As our conversation, which also included questions about Paxton Pomykal which ended up in another story and another about Zdenek "Cobra" Ondrasek, neared an end, I asked him how much he's come to embrace Texas culture, and the former Indiana resident admitted that was one area where he had changed since arriving in the Lone Star State.

"Yeah, I do actually [consider myself a Texan now]," Hedges said. "It's the longest I've lived in a place since high school. And it's getting up there to be the longest I've ever lived somewhere."

"I do [have a cowboy hat], yeah," Hedges added. "It [Texas] is actually not that different from Indiana, which is nice. Lots of land, lots of outdoors stuff. I like guns and I like barbecue. It's like the perfect place for me and I love being here."

Matt Hedges after receiving post game stitches for a gash on his forehead vs NYCFC. (May 14, 2017) (Carter Baum / FCD Communications)