Foosball Radio | On the Road | Sam D Giant Killer

[00:00:00] The following is a presentation of Foosball Radio.

[00:00:14] And welcome back, we are here at TKO in Lexington, Kentucky at the Clarion Hotel.

[00:00:21] We'll then hear a whole weekend long and I think my voice kind of shows that a little

[00:00:24] bit.

[00:00:25] I am so delighted that we got a chance to be here this weekend.

[00:00:31] We have seen some amazing moments on the table all weekend long at TKO and I got to talk

[00:00:38] about the guy who's sitting on the screen he's to my left.

[00:00:42] It's going on.

[00:00:43] Yeah, it's Sam Dejan man.

[00:00:45] Sam, let me think about this.

[00:00:47] Now the first time you were on Foosball Radio what was it like five years ago right?

[00:00:51] A long time ago.

[00:00:52] I think it was before Spain honestly.

[00:00:53] Right.

[00:00:54] I remember in my basement.

[00:00:55] You were like ten years old at the time or something.

[00:00:58] Yeah, that's right.

[00:01:00] And by the way you guys made the top ten most downloaded episodes of all time you guys

[00:01:05] remember two most downloaded anyway.

[00:01:09] I digress but Sam Dejan from upstate New York you are here this weekend and you are now

[00:01:17] a pro.

[00:01:18] You're about to turn 16 is that true?

[00:01:20] Like in April gotcha.

[00:01:22] So today and this weekend actually they've been calling you the monster killer.

[00:01:30] Giant killer.

[00:01:31] Giant killer, that's it giant killer.

[00:01:33] And so give me a quick idea of first first of all I know I watched you play Ryan Moore

[00:01:39] during open singles yesterday.

[00:01:43] You went to final ball.

[00:01:45] Yeah, I mean this was exciting.

[00:01:47] So what was going to your mind what were you thinking about when you were taking on the

[00:01:51] giant Ryan Moore?

[00:01:53] You know he's tough.

[00:01:55] Very, very tough.

[00:01:57] I was just looking trying to read his game.

[00:02:00] You know, we were going ball for ball.

[00:02:03] It was kind of like I had to make it or he was getting it.

[00:02:07] He was going to win the game easily.

[00:02:09] Rice and he I mean he's got so many options obviously his three three rod is one but

[00:02:17] it's two row.

[00:02:18] That's what that's what did it, huh?

[00:02:21] I was not going to pretty well.

[00:02:22] He's just he's going like four in a row.

[00:02:24] Yeah, I mean your your game was so on fire and you're pull shot.

[00:02:31] I mean you were hitting that pull shot on him.

[00:02:33] Now he's a pull shooter too but he wasn't able to block you.

[00:02:38] So what do you think kept him guessing on that on your pull shot?

[00:02:43] Well, I have a couple options with my pull shot.

[00:02:47] Okay.

[00:02:48] He was giving me like the reverse defense.

[00:02:50] Like not honestly, not many people can race it.

[00:02:54] Right.

[00:02:55] So with he's giving me a long I was just looking for him to close it and then as soon

[00:02:58] as he opened it banged.

[00:02:59] Yeah.

[00:03:00] Same thing with like the middle.

[00:03:01] I assume any straights it was kind of a middle long.

[00:03:05] And this is something I've noticed in your game in the last couple of years you've really

[00:03:08] developed that ability to wait and to watch.

[00:03:11] I don't know how but.

[00:03:14] But you're doing it man.

[00:03:16] It's really astounding.

[00:03:18] So I know this weekend you've been playing pros and of course open what's been your favorite

[00:03:24] match so far?

[00:03:26] I had a problem with the wrong match.

[00:03:29] It was just the intensity.

[00:03:31] Yeah.

[00:03:32] Watching it's just like makes the game twice better.

[00:03:34] There was a lot of people watching, man.

[00:03:36] How does that make you feel when you got a lot of naughty.

[00:03:38] It's like that.

[00:03:39] Honestly I try and zone out but like knowing that they're behind me it's like it's cool

[00:03:45] though.

[00:03:46] Yeah.

[00:03:47] Seriously.

[00:03:48] I got to imagine that you're on the stage right and everybody's excited in there and

[00:03:53] you've got a feed off that energy right?

[00:03:56] That's going in.

[00:03:58] Does the noise distract you at all?

[00:04:00] No, I usually like I won't even hear it when I play.

[00:04:04] It's like like even with the music that they play I don't even like I don't even hear

[00:04:07] it.

[00:04:08] Wow.

[00:04:09] You're about much in the moment in the focus.

[00:04:11] Man, so I got to talk to you about somebody like Tommy Yor.

[00:04:17] He's now in our area where we live and all but he right?

[00:04:20] So are you guys hanging out at all?

[00:04:22] Do you spend any time talking to him?

[00:04:25] Yeah we play at my house maybe like twice a week.

[00:04:29] Yeah okay nice.

[00:04:31] So what is he taught you so far?

[00:04:35] Yeah my defense has probably gotten a little better.

[00:04:38] Okay.

[00:04:39] He taught me how to like stop like hitching on my roll over and that definitely helped.

[00:04:45] Like it's a lot smoother.

[00:04:47] So hitching means you're kind of telling where you're going to go?

[00:04:50] Yeah before I would shoot I would slow down my rock to like wind up the shoot.

[00:04:55] Oh yeah yeah yeah.

[00:04:57] I've never since he got here he taught me how to stay loose and like smooth.

[00:05:01] Got it got it got it yeah.

[00:05:03] You know it's sometimes you think about just little things that we get into the habit

[00:05:09] of I guess that gives away something to the opponent.

[00:05:16] What do you still want to work on when it comes to things like that?

[00:05:19] Definitely my five bar defense that is a killer for me.

[00:05:23] Okay.

[00:05:24] When I play better players it's like I'm not even there sometimes it's really my two

[00:05:28] bar like my back defense that makes up for it.

[00:05:31] Right.

[00:05:32] Definitely a major.

[00:05:34] So we also have to talk about your two row because you have a pull shot from the two

[00:05:40] row which is unbelievable.

[00:05:42] How did you craft that where did you get it?

[00:05:46] Well when I was younger I was inspired by Ryan.

[00:05:49] Yes.

[00:05:50] Like my game was completely based off of Ryan's and then I took my own path.

[00:05:54] Okay.

[00:05:55] But with the pull shot I always tried to replicate Ryan's especially out of the back.

[00:05:59] Right.

[00:06:00] That's where I got it from with Ryan.

[00:06:01] Dude and it's killer.

[00:06:03] I mean it works almost as well.

[00:06:06] I saw you score a couple on him yesterday.

[00:06:09] Man so okay.

[00:06:11] So TKO, I mean it's going to be a long year.

[00:06:15] What are you hoping to hit this year?

[00:06:18] I'm hoping to hit at least 45 points.

[00:06:20] I'm around and doubles I'm at the 4000 range.

[00:06:23] I think I could probably hit master in doubles.

[00:06:25] Okay.

[00:06:26] It goes probably around the 45.

[00:06:28] Nice.

[00:06:29] So we're getting close here now.

[00:06:32] Who is the youngest master of all time?

[00:06:34] Who became the master?

[00:06:35] Billy.

[00:06:36] Billy was the youngest.

[00:06:37] How old will see when he became master?

[00:06:40] Honestly I do not know if I'm right.

[00:06:43] I probably 17 or 18.

[00:06:44] We'll have to find out yeah.

[00:06:46] So you could beat him by a full year.

[00:06:48] Awesome.

[00:06:49] I mean, you guys were pretty much the same age when you turned pro.

[00:06:54] 13.

[00:06:55] Correct?

[00:06:56] Yeah it was 13.

[00:06:57] It was after Florida State.

[00:07:00] I think it was two years back.

[00:07:02] Right so 13 and of course he was 13 around.

[00:07:05] I think 13 when he turned pro.

[00:07:06] Yeah, I think I had him by a couple like month.

[00:07:09] Couple of months?

[00:07:10] Yeah.

[00:07:11] Dude okay we talked about Billy.

[00:07:14] Now we got to talk about Billy right?

[00:07:16] You played him.

[00:07:18] You played him in doubles what how'd that go?

[00:07:21] He was still passing on me.

[00:07:23] Like I wasn't even there but I was not.

[00:07:26] I was passing on a pretty good and him having like David as his partner it was kind of just

[00:07:32] a bit of a frame.

[00:07:33] Seriously?

[00:07:34] Yeah, yeah.

[00:07:35] But it was very close.

[00:07:37] That was another good one this week down.

[00:07:39] Yes, I mean and everybody was like whoa you're just being Billy Popus.

[00:07:44] Wow what I think is really kind of interesting about that is he's got to be thinking to himself

[00:07:49] there's me.

[00:07:50] He's looking at you going there's me when I was when I was that same age right knocking

[00:07:55] at the door a giant killer you know.

[00:08:00] Man the possibility now you know for you as a pro and a pro master who do you most want

[00:08:07] to slay among the giants?

[00:08:09] I would have to say probably Ryan.

[00:08:11] After that match I got to get him back.

[00:08:13] Yeah yeah yeah yeah okay so you're going to be watching some film?

[00:08:18] Probably not.

[00:08:19] I know his game pretty well.

[00:08:21] You do okay.

[00:08:22] I mean obviously you're a student of the game.

[00:08:26] You study everything and of course now you got the advantage of somebody like Tommy

[00:08:29] Yord to kind of play against and get your get the advice so okay so what's your next

[00:08:35] tournament when you got to go out again?

[00:08:37] My next tournament is probably going to be Vegas.

[00:08:40] Vegas but still it's still in the air because I have baseball going on.

[00:08:45] Right but definitely definitely about it.

[00:08:48] How's baseball going?

[00:08:49] What are you playing these days?

[00:08:52] I'm still I'm still pitching but I'm getting more into like middle end field.

[00:08:56] Yeah you had an injury was it last year?

[00:09:00] You have a performance?

[00:09:02] We thought it was in my elbow but I just got to check out.

[00:09:04] Okay.

[00:09:05] Because it's in my shoulder because my scap doesn't rotate for enough.

[00:09:09] Really?

[00:09:10] It causes stress to be in my elbow.

[00:09:12] Okay now this is something that you're just born with or?

[00:09:15] No it was about having about two and a half years ago.

[00:09:18] I was pitching and something like collecting my elbow and I couldn't throw.

[00:09:24] Wow.

[00:09:25] I couldn't lift that.

[00:09:26] No kidding.

[00:09:27] It happened again like last year in school.

[00:09:29] Dude.

[00:09:30] Was it painful?

[00:09:31] Oh yeah I have a picture of it.

[00:09:33] It was bad.

[00:09:35] Swold up?

[00:09:36] Dang.

[00:09:37] So was there what was the procedure like surgery or something?

[00:09:40] No it's because it wasn't anything internally.

[00:09:42] Okay.

[00:09:43] It was all like physical therapy.

[00:09:45] Right.

[00:09:46] Gotcha.

[00:09:47] Gotcha.

[00:09:48] And I'm sure and now we've got Chuck Dooley in the audience here just giving it, Chuck

[00:09:53] Smooth giving the high side but yeah that's gotta be a little worrying right when you injure

[00:10:00] yourself like that.

[00:10:01] I mean did they give you a good prognosis?

[00:10:03] You're gonna be able to throw again?

[00:10:05] They didn't give me an estimated time but it is, I definitely can feel it.

[00:10:10] Okay.

[00:10:11] Okay.

[00:10:12] Just making sure that you take care of yourself and how does that affect your foosball

[00:10:16] play?

[00:10:17] It depends when I'm doing the pull shot.

[00:10:21] It's definitely hurts a little bit but I can compensate for it with my roll over.

[00:10:26] You shoot that pull shot like you're drinking water for God's sake.

[00:10:31] It's that fast, it's that smooth and you're having some pain.

[00:10:35] It started probably before Toronto.

[00:10:38] Okay.

[00:10:39] Maybe last month.

[00:10:40] Nice okay.

[00:10:41] Alright.

[00:10:42] Geez.

[00:10:43] Wow.

[00:10:44] Let's hope that it heals quickly and he gets back to normal.

[00:10:48] This is, I gotta say man this is one of the most fun I've had a weekend tournament in

[00:10:56] a long time and a lot of it has to do with the fact that you're watching you play.

[00:11:00] Keep going.

[00:11:01] Wow.

[00:11:02] There's Sammy.

[00:11:03] I mean it's, who can't call you Sammy anymore?

[00:11:07] I still remember playing against Ryan when I was like 10 years old that world.

[00:11:13] Yeah.

[00:11:14] And the back over there like on the tables that were behind the pre-sturch.

[00:11:18] Right exactly.

[00:11:19] Oh you also got a chance to play with Sullivan Roo today too.

[00:11:23] How'd that go today?

[00:11:24] We're playing pretty good.

[00:11:25] Yeah.

[00:11:26] We're getting there.

[00:11:27] Alright and you're still in it?

[00:11:28] Yeah.

[00:11:29] We're wearing those now.

[00:11:31] So it's pro doubles now, pro doubles the way it's working out.

[00:11:35] I guess they're doing championship format so once you're in the losers bracket the best

[00:11:39] you can do is third place.

[00:11:40] Yeah.

[00:11:41] That correct.

[00:11:42] Um, honestly I prefer the regular because I feel like even though you lose you should

[00:11:48] stop a chance to come back.

[00:11:50] Okay.

[00:11:51] Say that somebody lost to like an underdog you should stop a chance to come back.

[00:11:56] Right.

[00:11:57] Okay.

[00:11:58] Yeah I guess that's the thing I hear the most.

[00:11:59] Although some people are like hey man you know you're you end up in the finals because

[00:12:03] you haven't lost yet.

[00:12:05] That kind of thing but there's a couple of different schools of thought we'll see how

[00:12:08] that goes right?

[00:12:09] It's kind of like opinion based.

[00:12:12] Yeah.

[00:12:13] Somebody could say they like it and then I say you're going to like it if you win.

[00:12:18] Oh yeah.

[00:12:19] Of course.

[00:12:20] I do like that you play out.

[00:12:22] Right.

[00:12:23] It's not just random.

[00:12:24] Like I know what I'm going to play.

[00:12:26] Yep.

[00:12:27] Okay, yeah.

[00:12:28] So you think about all the tournaments you've been to you know from a very young age how

[00:12:32] much sitting around there is.

[00:12:33] Oh my lord.

[00:12:34] Right?

[00:12:35] Like hour.

[00:12:36] Even like during even in the championship format still can be.

[00:12:42] Okay.

[00:12:43] Now you're such an accomplished person when it comes to baseball when it comes to foosball

[00:12:49] and I know back in the day you're in the kind of video games is that still going on?

[00:12:54] I'm still doing it.

[00:12:56] Not as maybe not as much but I'm still.

[00:12:58] Are you competitive?

[00:12:59] Are you competitive?

[00:13:00] I mean do you like to get on?

[00:13:01] I mean I'm pretty good at most video games.

[00:13:04] Like I'm not even trying to hype myself up but I don't think I'm that bad.

[00:13:09] What was the one that you were playing this year a few years ago?

[00:13:13] Fortnite, that's it.

[00:13:14] That's it.

[00:13:15] Is that still a thing or what?

[00:13:16] Yeah.

[00:13:17] That's like the only game I play on this.

[00:13:18] Fortnite, no kidding.

[00:13:20] After all this time now how many different versions of Fortnite have come out?

[00:13:24] Oh my god.

[00:13:25] I can't even tell you.

[00:13:26] No doubt.

[00:13:27] So.

[00:13:28] So.

[00:13:29] So.

[00:13:30] So.

[00:13:31] Like that's like fifth.

[00:13:34] Like the fifth movie in this series right?

[00:13:37] Damn, that's well you know it's all about being competitive and video games as much

[00:13:44] as much.

[00:13:45] I feel like they're like under underestimated for like what they are.

[00:13:49] Right.

[00:13:50] Yeah I know kids play them and they probably are time consuming for most people but they

[00:13:54] are.

[00:13:55] They do keep me up.

[00:13:56] And it's also but it also gives you opportunity to focus, hand-dike coordination,

[00:14:01] all those kind of stuff.

[00:14:02] All of those things are highly developed especially for those if you watch those individuals

[00:14:07] who go to these big conference rooms and they sit at computer consoles and compete against

[00:14:13] each other at tournaments.

[00:14:15] Have you ever thought about doing that kind of stuff?

[00:14:18] Okay.

[00:14:19] Like I'll play tournaments at my house but.

[00:14:21] Okay.

[00:14:22] Gotcha.

[00:14:23] I'm trying to play.

[00:14:24] What's your handle on Fortnite?

[00:14:26] Green man.

[00:14:27] Green man?

[00:14:29] So the handle.

[00:14:30] Like do you call yourself Sam on Fortnite?

[00:14:33] No yeah man I'm just Sam.

[00:14:35] Just Sam.

[00:14:36] Gotcha.

[00:14:37] Just Sam.

[00:14:38] It's okay.

[00:14:39] Does anybody in the Fortnite world know about your foosball life?

[00:14:42] I need a friend too.

[00:14:44] Yeah?

[00:14:45] So like do you get your chops busted by your buddies for playing foosball?

[00:14:50] No because I make more money than that.

[00:14:56] That's true man.

[00:14:57] You know that's a good point.

[00:14:58] It's like dudes you know if you just learn how to play this game.

[00:15:01] It's really not that hard to get good at if you just start tick-tick tap on the ball.

[00:15:07] Right.

[00:15:08] Pass him.

[00:15:09] Right.

[00:15:10] Okay.

[00:15:11] Let me just back up when it comes to the fact you're turning 16 in April.

[00:15:17] I'm old but I'm not that old and I still remember what 16 was like.

[00:15:21] Right?

[00:15:22] I was so desperate to drive.

[00:15:24] I wanted to get in the car and go man.

[00:15:27] So how about yourself you want to read it?

[00:15:29] Yeah so I'm ready.

[00:15:30] I already got a car.

[00:15:31] You got a car?

[00:15:32] Well it's my mom's car for like a year but it was my car.

[00:15:35] Like we bought it for me.

[00:15:37] Okay.

[00:15:38] Nice.

[00:15:39] Nice what kind of car is it?

[00:15:40] It's Honda CRV 2018.

[00:15:42] You got a CRV?

[00:15:44] Nice.

[00:15:45] You know it's a little boxy car.

[00:15:47] It's a chick magnet.

[00:15:48] It's cool.

[00:15:49] You know.

[00:15:50] But the CRV does have a lot of room and of course you can carry around your

[00:15:54] foosball stuff.

[00:15:55] You know what?

[00:15:57] My wife has a Honda HRV and we took a foosball table that I bought.

[00:16:01] It was a used table and we fit it perfectly in the back of that and we're able to close

[00:16:06] the back door.

[00:16:07] And it was by inches that it fit so I'm sure the CRV would do the same right.

[00:16:11] It's a little bit bigger so.

[00:16:13] You got foosball tables in there?

[00:16:14] Right?

[00:16:15] Now we're talking.

[00:16:18] So Sam and I know you got some more playing to do this weekend.

[00:16:21] I want to wish you the best of luck.

[00:16:22] You know, it's great to see you in selling on the table.

[00:16:26] What was your favorite moment again this weekend?

[00:16:28] I mean, aside from playing, what else can you say about this weekend's tournament?

[00:16:33] I've like the energy at this tournament.

[00:16:35] It seems like every time we come to Kentucky it's always like a very competitive tournament.

[00:16:40] Yeah.

[00:16:41] Like disregarding the players.

[00:16:43] It's always like close matches like I've had.

[00:16:47] I would say nine out of ten times I'm an over-trending.

[00:16:50] Nice.

[00:16:51] It doesn't matter who I'm playing.

[00:16:52] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:16:53] Awesome.

[00:16:54] Well, I got to say, man, thanks for taking some time to sit down and talk because this

[00:17:00] was history making.

[00:17:02] I have to say we were having this discussion a few other people that I know here who

[00:17:08] have been in the foosball thing for a long time.

[00:17:12] This for you was like a breakthrough weekend.

[00:17:15] Right?

[00:17:16] So suddenly you're not going to the door.

[00:17:21] Ryan Moore, you beat Blake Robertson.

[00:17:23] We didn't mention that.

[00:17:25] Wow.

[00:17:26] I mean, so you are not going to have the door.

[00:17:29] It's like your legit now this weekend.

[00:17:32] The door opened and it was like a high watermark for you.

[00:17:37] So onward and upward, dude.

[00:17:40] Yeah.

[00:17:41] Yeah, looking forward to the future.

[00:17:43] Sam Dejon, of course, the 518.

[00:17:46] Proud to have you.

[00:17:47] Proud to be here.

[00:17:48] Yeah, yeah.

[00:17:49] And we had a smash down coming up.

[00:17:51] Let's see March 30th.

[00:17:53] Who are you playing with for the next smash down?

[00:17:58] I'm not playing with my dad but he doesn't want to play with me.

[00:18:01] He doesn't want to play with you.

[00:18:02] I don't know why.

[00:18:04] You guys make a great team.

[00:18:06] I mean, we're just talking about where we had Nino Dejon here.

[00:18:12] Sam is saying that you don't want to play with him in the smash down.

[00:18:17] Is that correct?

[00:18:18] I've asked him before and he's always like, oh, oh, he says OK.

[00:18:24] All right.

[00:18:25] Well, Sam, I tell you man, I'm so looking forward to the future for you and congratulations

[00:18:30] on the weekend.

[00:18:31] It's been awesome.

[00:18:33] Let's talk again soon.

[00:18:35] Again, this has been Fuzball Radio on the road.

[00:18:38] Much more to come this weekend and tonight hopefully around 9 o'clock or so.

[00:18:42] We're going to have Fuz talk live and give you a full wrap up of what's been happening

[00:18:46] here right here in Kentucky and the TKO.

[00:18:50] What a great weekend and I want to thank, of course, Mary Moore and all the organizers

[00:18:55] here for happiness but especially a young pal here.

[00:18:59] Sammy Dejon for hanging out.

[00:19:01] But Fuz talk live tonight.

[00:19:03] Thanks for tuning in on Twitch TV.

[00:19:04] We'll be back before you know it.

[00:19:10] Fuzball Radio.

[00:19:12] On the road.

[00:19:13] This has been a presentation of Fuzball Radio.