FoosTalk Live | Ep 188 | Top 10 Most Popular Foosball Radio Episodes P1

[00:00:01] The following is a presentation of Foosball Radio.

[00:00:11] Season's greetings, happy holidays, merry Christmas and a happy new year.

[00:00:16] There, that should cover whatever you're up to this weekend, no matter how you mark another year.

[00:00:22] I hope you and your immediate circle of friends and family are healthy, happy and ready to play more Foosball.

[00:00:29] Hey there, I'm Tom Robinson.

[00:00:31] It's time to look back on the past year.

[00:00:33] I thought it would be fun to look back on the last five years of this podcast, Foosball Radio and FoosTalk Live.

[00:00:41] October 20th, 2018, we aired the first official episode of Foosball Radio.

[00:00:47] Oh, those were great times.

[00:00:49] Cheers and kudos to my buddies Nino Dijon and Chuck Dooley for being the first official co-host of this brand new Foosball podcast.

[00:00:58] Without their willing participation in this experiment, probably would never have attempted this.

[00:01:04] Regardless, there have been an incredible list of co-hosts along the way.

[00:01:08] Not the least of which include people like Jim Stevens, Clay Toomey, Mark Torres, Adam Gilson,

[00:01:15] Hannity Smith, Mike Green, Alan Montrone and more recently Randy Raposo.

[00:01:22] Add to this the elite list of pro Foosball players agreeing to join us on the air.

[00:01:27] That's on top of the Foosball promoters, not to mention the up-and-coming players who have appeared with us in the past five years.

[00:01:34] Now we have 91,700 total downloads with listeners from 58 countries all told.

[00:01:42] Hence here's what I'd like to do for the next two episodes.

[00:01:47] It's the countdown of the top 10 most downloaded episodes of Foosball Radio and FoosTalk Live.

[00:01:54] Tabulated by the Buzzsprout podcasting platform, what you're about to hear is what you as a listener have downloaded most.

[00:02:03] Tonight we feature the 10th through the 6th most downloaded.

[00:02:08] Then next weekend we will reveal number five through the number one most downloaded episode in the last five years.

[00:02:17] Here we go. It's the number 10 most downloaded FoosTalk Live Foosball Radio episode with 595 total downloads,

[00:02:26] originally airing October 4th of 2020. This is FoosTalk Live episode number 25 featuring Foosball legend Ryan Moore.

[00:02:38] Coming to you live from the studios of Foosball Radio and the Inside Foos TV.

[00:02:45] Hey there, I'm Tom Robinson for the 25th episode and we're going to celebrate tonight. Let me tell you.

[00:02:51] It's amazing how quickly time flies. We're already into October and things really haven't changed a whole lot.

[00:02:59] But one thing is good that it stayed the same and that's the fact that we still here at FoosTalk Live can get together and chat about the beautiful game.

[00:03:09] And of course I've got to have somebody to talk to. So why not the best commentator and Foosball of all time? How about Jim Stevens from Colorado? Hello, Jim.

[00:03:18] 10-4, good buddy. Glad to hear your voice again. We're into our mid-20s. 10-4 by the way, that's the date today.

[00:03:25] 10-4.

[00:03:27] You mentioned 25. That's when you count in the best ofs, I think we're past half a year of this.

[00:03:34] And that's really something to think about. I remember when you and I first talked about doing this now from six plus months ago,

[00:03:40] we could only hope that it would turn into what it has. The one thing we'd still would love to see more interaction from the listeners,

[00:03:47] and we're going to be pushing that all night. Please call. We have an incredibly special guest tonight.

[00:03:52] One of the great players of all time is joining us tonight. Looking forward to chatting with the great Ryan Moore.

[00:03:57] But if you have questions for Ryan, they're on the PobbyNap. You can type them in and we can ask them.

[00:04:03] But we'd much rather have you call in. This is a talk show, a radio talk show, a talk radio.

[00:04:09] In theory, yes.

[00:04:10] Join us here at Foos Talk Live if you can.

[00:04:13] We know that we can fill in the blanks here, especially with Mark and Clay. We can always talk.

[00:04:19] But it's good if we have you join us in that conversation because it feels like we're not talking to ourselves anymore.

[00:04:26] Yeah, that's for sure. And so hopefully and again, like they do on the real radio shows and not that we aren't.

[00:04:32] But traditionally on talk radio shows, they are constantly giving you the phone number. We don't need to do that, of course.

[00:04:37] But encouraging you to call and participate. So that's what we are now.

[00:04:42] Also have a very special IPA tonight. We'll get to that in a little bit.

[00:04:47] Oh yeah, yeah, no. I'm looking forward to quenching our thirst. In fact, why put it off? Why delay such a pleasurable event?

[00:04:56] What Jim and I like to do right about this time is to reveal our favorite IPA.

[00:05:02] Well, so Jim, you've got my curiosity peaked and you've been talking about this for a little while now. So I'm curious what is it?

[00:05:09] What tell me finally?

[00:05:11] Well, and it was something that was bought. We were out camping this week and my mother-in-law, my stepmother in law, I suppose she would be.

[00:05:20] Okay, picked up a six pack of out of the state of Utah, which is just across the border here from Durango.

[00:05:26] I'm not too far, but it's from mid-bale Utah. It is called Hippocrite and it's H-I-P-A-C-R-I-T. Hippocrite.

[00:05:36] Here is the interesting part. And it's also very light. It's only 5% alcohol. So it's kind of a light beer of IPA.

[00:05:43] But here's the interesting thing. It comes from and I think it's very appropriate considering who our guest is tonight

[00:05:49] and his abilities to shoot from goal. It comes from none other than the two-row brewing. How about that?

[00:05:55] Oh, there you go. Two-row brewing in mid-Bale Utah.

[00:05:59] Love it.

[00:06:00] The Hippocrite, IPA crit. And we're going to give it a shot. But how about that?

[00:06:07] Love it.

[00:06:08] Two-row, it really is a Ryan Moore kind of knight and we're going to start it off with the Hippocrite.

[00:06:12] Not to say Ryan's a Hippocrite, but he is certainly great with the two-row and two-row brewing brings us the Hippocrite.

[00:06:19] Well, we did get the big news this week. Of course, the biggest story of the week I suppose in Fuzwell would be the cancellation of next year's World Cup.

[00:06:29] Wow.

[00:06:30] The ITSF just didn't feel there was enough time to prepare. And then of course the logistics of bringing in all those players from all those different countries into one place.

[00:06:40] Usually these things, and it is the biggest event in the world, these things usually take a couple of years of planning to really get it right.

[00:06:49] It is a huge production beyond anything else in the world of Fuzwell. And so it was not a surprise. I think it was really something that we expected.

[00:06:58] And my guess is it's going to be moved back a year, much like the Olympics in Tokyo, I suppose.

[00:07:03] So this will actually solve one issue when it comes to people competing and qualifying for the World Cup. So there'll be another full year for qualification.

[00:07:14] Yeah, and that's the other thing is allowing players to qualify enough events to really make it a fair qualifying process.

[00:07:22] And so, again, no surprise. It is a big story, but it's not one that really was too unexpected considering everything and everything that it takes to put a World Cup together every two years.

[00:07:34] Right, no doubt. No, this is probably for the best at this stage.

[00:07:39] Yep, for sure. And we'll see how things, you know, again, it's one step at a time. It's kind of testing the waters. It's making sure that we're prepared to take on something like this.

[00:07:48] Right.

[00:07:50] You know, it's again, it's one day at a time. Take everything one ball at a time. That's something that I've been really preaching for so many years. It's each ball each day, taking one day at a time and it really is a great approach to everything.

[00:08:03] No doubt about it. Well, I understand that that well, you know, even though he was touring horse farms last weekend that he's actually taken some time to join us this evening and and and put up his best top five signature moves this evening.

[00:08:19] Mark, are you with us? Are you there, man?

[00:08:22] How's it? How's it? Whoa. Bing, Bing, Bing, Bing like a slot machine in here.

[00:08:27] What are you doing?

[00:08:28] What's up dudes? How's it going, man?

[00:08:30] You're in Vegas this week. I didn't realize how about that?

[00:08:33] Vegas.

[00:08:34] You know, and of course we still got that before the top five. We've got that footsball flashback but it's like Mark welcome by the way.

[00:08:40] It's Ryan Mornight and I don't know if you heard the IPA. My IPA tonight actually comes from two row brewing. How about that in mid-vale Utah?

[00:08:49] Could get better.

[00:08:50] But special guest tonight, I know Mark, you're looking forward to talking to Ryan and maybe even getting a little controversial with him.

[00:08:57] I've never heard of her but I hear that she's got a great two bar so I guess no.

[00:09:04] Of course. Everyone's heard of Ryan.

[00:09:07] Funny, I had a gap in footsball. I'm excited to talk to him. It was like I was quitting playing in like 05, 06 and remember this tall, lanky kid starting to make his way through the footsball tour really starting to put pressure on people and play at a high level.

[00:09:27] And I came back and he was like 30 pounds heavier and like four feet taller. So yeah, it was pretty exciting.

[00:09:35] Four feet plus or minus. Yeah. Yeah, that's for sure.

[00:09:38] If you'll pardon the punny is a towering player. There's no question about that when it comes to footsball.

[00:09:43] So because we're celebrating the 25th episode and Ryan Moore is our guest of course we want to take you back to the year 2010 for a special moment with the Foots talk live flashback.

[00:09:56] With great moets in footsball history. This is a foots talk live for Frederick Colin Yom in both multi table world championship events of which there had been three or four in World Cups.

[00:10:10] Nobody beats it nobody beat him you want every singles and doubles multi table world championship leading into that 2010 event, but Ryan Moore who was really had just what's about to win that world championship on tornado that year had really broken through it's one of the

[00:10:25] players and he really took it to Fred in that final on multi table event that when his first of two World Table World Championships will talk more about the other one a little later on.

[00:10:34] But yeah, no, great job by Ryan back in 2010 but you know the crowds there in Nantes at times literally 2000 2500 people many of whom were residents of the city because it was promoted so big in the city of Nantes

[00:10:46] right these huge crowds and and most of them usually rooting for France but you'd hear a few USA chance as well but always an exciting environment there and not and that's one of the reasons we're heading back there for the next World Cup, which won't be next year, the year after

[00:11:01] hopefully in 2022. But that's one of the reasons we're headed back there is because of the kinds of crowds you can get there at the sports arena in not we're we're I mean we're celebrating our 25th episode this evening of course.

[00:11:14] I know that there's some really interesting stuff coming up here when it comes to the top five and I'm anxious to do this so you guys ready for the top five signature moves.

[00:11:23] Let's do this time.

[00:11:24] Sure, go launching.

[00:11:27] Time once again for the Boots talk live top five.

[00:11:33] For three.

[00:11:37] Two.

[00:11:43] One.

[00:11:44] Here's Jim Stevens and Mark Torres for me and this is where I put it away Mark Torres for me, there is only one signature move.

[00:11:54] If there was a foosball logo like like the Jerry West logo in the NBA which shows Jerry West dribbling the ball that if we had that for foosball.

[00:12:02] It would show Todd LaFredo shooting his pull shot in silhouette right.

[00:12:08] It's iconic. The Todd LaFredo pull shot is foosball when you think back on the history of the sport and he's been there for almost every moment of it.

[00:12:16] He still has one of the best pull shots in the world, if not the best at the age of now 60.

[00:12:22] But you think about it it's got to be Mark Torres it's got to be in the millions of pull shots at this man we're talking not 10,000 hours we may be talking 100,000 hours of shooting pull shots for Todd LaFredo.

[00:12:34] But for me, it's an icon. It's the greatest American player, a guy that spans five decades.

[00:12:41] For me it's the Jerry West logo it's Todd LaFredo shooting his pull shot in silhouette shooting it for 40 plus years shooting it more than several 1010 million times.

[00:12:52] My number one, the Todd LaFredo legendary pull shot.

[00:12:57] You know what man I'm embarrassed he's not I mean it's that's such an easy clean number one pick I'm embarrassed he's not in my top five.

[00:13:05] He was in another universe and he would destroy that thing the only food only pull shot that even comes close is Billy Pappas's pull shot but Billy Pappas did never had the mind behind the pull shot that Todd LaFredo did.

[00:13:18] Todd LaFredo could destroy you with straights and longs and get the right hole every single time and not a bad an eyelash.

[00:13:24] And it was no guessing it was like Frederico's three bar, it was exact like that he was not guessing he put people apart.

[00:13:30] Like, so anyway, LaFredo's long full shot or straight for that matter or is his three quarter cutback or whatever you want to call it the best ever I agree with you Jim.

[00:13:39] That's an incredible number one.

[00:13:41] I guess it's one of my favorite top fives in a long time. I think this is really cool because it really reveals a lot about the personalities and how they behave.

[00:13:50] I love the Johnny Horton reference by the way that was killer.

[00:13:54] Well, the fact that I came with Todd LaFredo at number one and then he agreed with me on that I think immediately gave me the win.

[00:14:01] You can have this one man.

[00:14:03] It's not political or anything like that but you know, I'm going to give you two out of the 10.

[00:14:07] How does that sound?

[00:14:08] I appreciate that man.

[00:14:10] Not at all.

[00:14:11] Not at all.

[00:14:12] Well, as Clay Toomey would say,

[00:14:13] Never mind.

[00:14:15] You know, it's amazing guys, 25 episodes in and people are still actually listening. I'm just astounded. This is great.

[00:14:24] Listen to that Mark who knew that Tom Robinson had a sense of humor.

[00:14:29] I'm not sure.

[00:14:31] So, okay.

[00:14:33] Let's let's it is the 25th episode and because of that we are absolutely celebrating and not in a small way in a very big way because of our special guest this evening, who by the way is a multiple world champion and multi table world champion.

[00:14:50] His name is familiar to some especially when it comes to things like foos gear and other other aspects but he's a great business guy too.

[00:15:00] So, thanks for joining us.

[00:15:01] Welcome to foos talk live officially.

[00:15:03] Ryan Moore, Ryan are you with us?

[00:15:06] What's up guys. Yeah, I'm here.

[00:15:08] Here he is.

[00:15:09] Hey, Ryan, we caught you off guard and I thought I'd give you a nice ramp up there so you can be ready to open to jump in.

[00:15:16] Sorry man. Yeah, I was just finishing up on the toilet.

[00:15:21] So, as I recall the first time we had a chance to chat with you you're you had to finish up a cinnamon bun so at least it's it's now it's just the other end. That's cool.

[00:15:33] Check please.

[00:15:36] So Ryan welcome to foos talk live man how you doing it's been a while. Congratulations on the on your new family etc etc etc.

[00:15:45] Yeah man, I'm appreciate it. It's been quite the ride and but yet really calm, you know with all of everything going on so it's been a I've been able to be super busy and quiet at the same time.

[00:15:56] Yeah, no kidding. No I mean as far as your your your day to day work everything's are still humming along.

[00:16:05] I'm as busy as I've ever been and really what's awesome about the entrepreneurs like I do set my own schedule so you know if the wife needs help or sure I got stuff that does come up it's not the end of the world for me and you know I don't have a nine to five but I work more than just about anybody that

[00:16:24] does have a nine to five so so yeah it's pretty sweet man.

[00:16:28] I also described for us now that you are our new parents, quote unquote. What exactly has what has changed in your life since the big event.

[00:16:39] You know, I get credit to my wife, she she is, you know she's a stay at home mom she's also she does everything with foos here so yes, I'm only hoping her right now because she's actually in Europe with my son visiting her family and they're getting to see him for the first

[00:16:56] year.

[00:16:57] It's kind of kind of nice but Corona did that to him, but she she has really allowed me to not only not change my direction and what I'm doing, but allow me to even get further into it which is, you know was my goals so I've actually ramped up.

[00:17:14] I've expanded my companies more than I ever have this last year.

[00:17:18] Wow.

[00:17:19] You know, it's really funny because at the very beginning of the year like I was getting super inspired you know I've had just had a kid you know I'm like all right you know I got to make make a world for our family you know we're already talking about kid number two we got to figure

[00:17:31] things out and I put a post on Facebook and I started laughing the other day I was talking to my buddy said, make 2020 the year that dictates the rest of your life.

[00:17:41] You know like James Byer, and I'm like oh God, I think I might want to delete that now.

[00:17:48] Well, whatever it's a proposal when that comes up in my time hop I'm going to probably share it and just put a laugh out there.

[00:17:56] No no it's actually a proposal in a way because people are we've seen how bad things can be.

[00:18:01] Now we can just we can look forward to you know things getting much much better, especially in foosball.

[00:18:07] Yeah, yeah and I've you know 2020 has been you know actually a very prosperous year I've been very blessed to you know be in the industry that I'm in as it actually you know everything double and triple everybody you know was off work and you

[00:18:23] know a lot of people were obviously consuming more cannabis and normal and sure you know it was just it was a really good year and you know I have a team that's super solid and we have challenges to with Corona just like everybody else as far as like how we are business model

[00:18:39] or SOPs things we had to change you know we had spent a lot more money.

[00:18:44] It's been a heck of a year. Like I said we're we're expanding everywhere and hopefully trying to bring on a couple new states here the end of this year or the beginning next year.

[00:18:53] Well it looks like New York State might be your one of your next customers over the next year it looks like the talk is that the governor of our state is definitely going to make this happen in the next year.

[00:19:05] So,

[00:19:06] Well you can only hope so Tom right.

[00:19:08] Ryan, and I can kind of relate as someone who runs a business who has kids, you know in both of us you and I and everyone else in the football world are not really doing tournaments at least for the last six months.

[00:19:21] How has this time really allowed you maybe to focus more on your business on your family and I know you with two children second coming I think still right is that right.

[00:19:32] Yes, but but how is this time I mean if you were traveling to tournaments and doing all that you may have taken away a little bit from your business from your family life but because of that it's allowed you to focus as you say more on your business and of course in this

[00:19:46] This COVID time what you do comes in handy for a lot of folks and so but also your family as well how is this allowed you to really focus on those things without having to worry too much about foosball beyond your business fooscare your secondary business.

[00:20:02] Yeah, yeah exactly it's been awesome man like I said I'm probably the luckiest guy I know and you know I'm blessed for that but yet not only I wanted to take some time off from my kid came he did come two and a half weeks early so kind of through a little curveball because I quite I wasn't quite ready.

[00:20:17] So you know I spent some time with them and then I started going you know what I can run all my companies straight from my house.

[00:20:25] And you know obviously still be able to do a ton of stuff just really on the computers is my main job and so yeah beginning year at the able to actually you know be here every single day which almost nobody has that kind of luxury when their kids are born you know they maybe get a couple two weeks leave and then they have to go right back to work, sometimes both parents.

[00:20:45] So we're literally able to be with him all day every day I get to watch him grow up, get a watch and take his first step first rollover first crawl first dad I mean it's it's been kind of amazing experience but shooting a rollover already wow.

[00:21:01] Yeah and at the same time not missing a beat on my company's my expansion plan and actually probably even faster being able to work kind of silent by myself and not having so much noise around me by being with teams and stuff so.

[00:21:18] Yeah, yeah, the whole coronavirus definitely stopped people and not many knew about this I told close people but after worlds I was like you know I had a baby on the way all this and that companies in the whole nine I said I'm taking about a year break so I'll see you guys at worlds next year.

[00:21:33] And I was actually going to go to Vegas there's only tournament because that wanted to show the baby off but COVID really did you know obviously freeze the world and it really was a blessing for me.

[00:21:44] Because you know I didn't I didn't have to do anything besides what I needed to get done so I needed a break from football and I actually just played last night and I had a blast and I haven't had.

[00:21:57] You know that much fun playing football a long time just because I've been so focused on other things so yeah it's been a it's been a it's a it's been a very quiet but.

[00:22:08] Prosperous here so let's talk a little bit about the the fun factor for you and I know it's an issue I know it's important you've got to be having fun when you're playing that's why oftentimes we'll see it start to do the slingshots.

[00:22:20] I know how much you enjoy playing goalie but it's got to be kind of have some fun don't you by being creative by playing goalie by doing different things and and even in finals sometimes we see a go with a rollerball type stuff because it is it's important to have fun you mentioned

[00:22:35] to have it fun last night at the tournament there in Oklahoma.

[00:22:38] But it's important to have fun maybe that's a lesson that all of us can learn to make sure that we have fun on the table along with competing, but fun is important to you isn't it.

[00:22:47] Yeah yeah so I mean that's everything man I'm food balls been my entire life and really still is I mean it still plays into every single aspect of my life as far as competition and learning how to win and learn how to lose and so you know yeah when I play

[00:23:00] food ball you know let's go back to like 2010 11 12 13 14 when I was pretty much at my prime is what I would consider that time and you know not only was I financially driven from food ball but man did I love the competition I love being a contender I love being one of the top players all of

[00:23:18] sudden I was you know just a good player to one of the best in the world and it was amazing you know and and then I started plateauing a little bit I started like you know I already won my open singles title doubles mix the whole nine World Cup all that.

[00:23:34] And I started doing a business and then I started putting all my love and all my energy into that business and so it did take a little bit away.

[00:23:41] And that's I got stuck in a rock and hard place where I still love this game no matter what even if it doesn't look like it I still love it I still want to play it that's why I show up that's why I'm there.

[00:23:51] But I still didn't give that extra bit that you have to give to win.

[00:23:55] You know these guys they're there to break your neck and if you're not giving it you're all then you're just not going to win so for me that's exactly you hit the nail on the head I sometimes I revert to instead of just trying to

[00:24:09] win I'll go you know what I'm going to win and have the most fun I can possibly do it and sometimes it turns me into an absolute animal and sometimes it makes me loose.

[00:24:20] So.

[00:24:21] Brian I got a question for you.

[00:24:22] How you doing man.

[00:24:24] What do you want.

[00:24:25] Yeah I know.

[00:24:27] We all say that.

[00:24:29] What do you want.

[00:24:31] Listen dude so I get it like you got to get your crystal ball out because I'm actually questioned right so you can I can look around right I can see Billy is MIA he's going to play the stuff in Europe World Cup.

[00:24:45] He's going to float around maybe comes out and does something not going to practice fine.

[00:24:49] I get it when you say your your business and your family have taken a primary place in foosball ends up taking a backseat and affects your performance.

[00:25:00] And you don't get certain things done that you like to do foosball that absolutely makes sense. Tony right Tony is at the top of the heap right now he's probably a little bored dude.

[00:25:09] He's like what am I going to do who it's like Alexander right who am I going to challenge who is left for me to conquer.

[00:25:15] So I want you to play it out with your crystal ball.

[00:25:18] What do you I mean what are you going to do how are you going to are you going to stimulate the competition are you going to keep doing your thing are you going to play goalie for someone and and try to put some challenges out there.

[00:25:29] Are you going to I mean are you going to focus and try to win another singles.

[00:25:33] What happens next with foosball and the American scene with the top players.

[00:25:37] Well you know that crystal ball is a little foggy.

[00:25:42] You said a foosball take is taking a backseat and kind of clarify that a little bit.

[00:25:49] That is that is true but you're talking about it's taking the backseat of a monster truck.

[00:25:55] I mean it's still it's still part of the force that drives me.

[00:25:58] So you know even with foosball being on the backseat it doesn't mean I won't win a world singles title again.

[00:26:05] It doesn't mean I won't win any single time I want to but am I going to be practicing an hour a day before worlds.

[00:26:14] No no no that's that's your answer and so does it mean that I have less of a chance to win.

[00:26:22] Of course you know but here's a good thing.

[00:26:24] So I am trying to become a goalie now and you know why because I absolutely love it.

[00:26:32] And I don't love it because I score all the time or I'm just I love it because when I have the ball.

[00:26:38] I love the feeling that the opponent has where they're just like what the do I do.

[00:26:44] You know it's it's that uncomfortable feeling that I can make the money feel that drives me.

[00:26:48] And not only that but it's a challenge.

[00:26:51] Once again we're going back to the beginning of me playing foosball.

[00:26:54] It's a challenge.

[00:26:56] It's something I haven't conquered.

[00:26:58] I want to be the best goalie in the world and for me to do that.

[00:27:01] I've got to obviously be better than I am now.

[00:27:04] I want to be able to win with no matter who I play with I want to be able to not be the best goalie because I score and block but because I can help mold a newer player into the correct path to win.

[00:27:15] So there's a lot more that goalies can do to dictate a match than just strictly blocking scoring.

[00:27:22] So that is my crystal ball that I can see is I want to be one of the best goalies I want to play goalie for you know new up and coming players and I want to win that way.

[00:27:33] But yeah I can still pull single title off it's just it's getting slimmer and slimmer.

[00:27:38] Well let's talk about that for a second now you brought it up and I get it now I love that I love everything you said.

[00:27:42] What do you need to do to beat Tony.

[00:27:45] More ambition would be my answer something more like I need to have a reason to beat him.

[00:27:50] You've heard it too like playing for a higher being playing for something more than just yourself that's usually why I went doubles and that same was I'm playing for somebody.

[00:28:00] I'm going to have a reason.

[00:28:03] You know what's the reason for beating him it's not going to be the cash.

[00:28:06] You need to drop a hit of acid and tell yourself that he can.

[00:28:10] Oh hold on.

[00:28:12] Sorry.

[00:28:14] Sorry.

[00:28:16] Just kidding just kidding.

[00:28:18] If I can if I can jump in real quick and you know to Ryan you know you've you've won multi table world championships in both singles and doubles you've won the Tornado World singles doubles mixed doubles.

[00:28:33] You've won World Cup titles.

[00:28:36] You know you know guys.

[00:28:38] Ryan Moore in finals has beaten Billy Pappas in a final in a world championship final he's beaten Frederick Colin Yeone in a world championship final he has beaten Tony Spreaderman in a world championship final.

[00:28:54] I mean three of the greatest players of all time right and of course right in that mix with them top five all time in my opinion.

[00:29:00] And that's incredible and I'm going to ask you the first question I'm going to ask you is what was your biggest win what was the one that you look back on now.

[00:29:10] What may be the most impactful maybe depending on who you played against depending on the conditions of situation the the level of the title in your hit in your opinion in your career.

[00:29:22] What was your biggest win.

[00:29:23] You're going to have to either you know it's a toss up between just tornado World Open singles and it is a world open singles.

[00:29:34] And I just so happened to pull them both off the same year 2010.

[00:29:38] Yeah.

[00:29:40] So it's a toss up between the two of them because the World Cup was such a big deal because oh my God it's Godzilla it's Frederico like everybody's like running hide when you play him and I'm like screw this guy I'll beat this guy.

[00:29:51] You know and so I beat him it was like not only did I win but I proved the whole world this guy is totally beatable.

[00:29:59] I don't even think that match was close but it was I mean we went four games and it was like four four in the fourth whatever but like you guys are already tart so that was a good proving ground.

[00:30:08] But you're talking about open singles that world was my lifelong dream goal and when not kind of about as big as it gets in my life so I'd go ahead and say 2010 20 World Open singles.

[00:30:23] My biggest title. Yeah.

[00:30:25] That's number 10 of the most downloaded episodes of Fooze Talk Live Foozeball radio from October 4th of 2020 are sincere thanks to Ryan Moore moving right along.

[00:30:34] Here comes the ninth most downloaded episode of Fooze Talk Live Foozeball radio originally aired on May 29th of 2020.

[00:30:44] It's been downloaded 612 times and features Tony Sprayman with Brandon Moreland this mark the second time I had to go on the air from the front seat of my car due to tornado near my home.

[00:30:59] So Jim are you there?

[00:31:03] I'm here Tom can you hear me now?

[00:31:04] I can hear you now.

[00:31:06] We are together again.

[00:31:09] Here we are again and it's only appropriate I suppose that a tornado touched down on an evening that we're talking hopefully here with the best tornado player in the world and Tony Sprayman.

[00:31:19] You're in your car I'm in my garage which I've turned into a studio a little more comfortable than where you are I imagine but this is twice in what three or four weeks that you've had to deal with severe weather.

[00:31:31] When did you move to Tulsa, Oklahoma?

[00:31:34] I'm just curious.

[00:31:36] You know I may as well.

[00:31:38] I think that would make a lot of sense absolutely but no it's odd because Fridays for some reason are the only days of the week we've had any extreme weather at all and it was two weeks apart so I'm not sure what that's all about.

[00:31:53] But anyway I mean we just go with the flow we've done this before it's Foos Talk Live and we're on to talk about Foos Ball what do you think?

[00:32:01] Yeah that's for sure and you know there's one thing we've learned over these last few months it's how to deal with anything right.

[00:32:08] It isn't that difficult to have to make an adjustment in a big adjustment oftentimes because we are kind of in an arena now where adjustments are a daily thing.

[00:32:16] Yes and you're having to make this one again and you had a little practice a couple of weeks ago you were able to get up and running on time congratulations to you.

[00:32:25] Well thank you.

[00:32:27] And try to stay dry there and tornadoes going through all the New York area how about that?

[00:32:31] Again.

[00:32:33] It's the kind of thing that I don't know.

[00:32:36] I'm all about adversity and I mean sure I can live through a pandemic no big deal but when it comes to weather I'm just not I'm not handling it well.

[00:32:46] You know it's a I feel like okay somebody's trying to tell me something who knows what it might be.

[00:32:54] Yeah good old mother nature.

[00:32:56] So we mentioned that and we're hoping that Tony Spreitman is able to join us tonight and we certainly want to hear from you the callers out there and any questions you might have for the number one player in the world probably the best tornado Foos Ball player of all time.

[00:33:10] A lot of people think already the best American Foos Ball player of all time.

[00:33:12] Right Tony of course a guy who plays more tournaments than ever his record speaks for itself and he's got some things he's doing these days we're going to find out more directly from the horse's mouth on what he's doing not only in his daily life but in his professional life as well.

[00:33:28] And he's expected to join us here in just a little while.

[00:33:30] Yeah I'm looking forward to it.

[00:33:32] Tony is of course like everybody else having to take a little time out from the tour.

[00:33:37] I'd be very curious to see how he's you know passing his days and what kind of things he's doing to practice and stay in shape.

[00:33:43] But yeah we'll get to that absolutely.

[00:33:46] Now I know right about this time you and I Jim we kind of talk about beverages.

[00:33:51] We do because I'm driving I'm not able to share in our weekly routine of discussing an IPA but you can do it.

[00:34:02] You can drink you can have one for me.

[00:34:04] What are you drinking tonight.

[00:34:06] You know in honor of having a very special guest tonight very special player.

[00:34:11] I'm actually having a very special beer.

[00:34:13] It's a rather a famous one in many ways an infamous one.

[00:34:17] It's called the Pliny the Elder.

[00:34:19] It's from the Russian River Brewing Company up in Redwood Country in Northern California.

[00:34:23] This beer is sort of a cult classic in that you know they only make so much of it and they would advertise when it was going to be available and usually it would sell out that same day.

[00:34:32] I just happened to find about a 17 ounce bottle of it down at my local LQ.

[00:34:39] Fourteen ounces.

[00:34:41] Seventeen ounce bottle for 6.99 how's that.

[00:34:44] Okay.

[00:34:46] But it is really good they call it a double IPA it's 8% it's high on the on the bitter meter and it's it's awfully good.

[00:34:55] It is a really good beer.

[00:34:56] It's kind of on the low end of doubles a high end of a single IPA they also do one that's called Pliny the Younger which is a triple IPA and comes in at better than 12% ABV.

[00:35:08] But enjoy one of these and enjoying one for you and we'll see what Tony who also enjoys an IPA now and again we'll see if he's enjoying one.

[00:35:17] So I will say that I am having a beverage but it's it's cold smart water.

[00:35:23] There you go.

[00:35:24] Gotta keep the electrolytes up in that humid weather.

[00:35:28] Yeah we actually we had a bit of a thunderstorm blow through here as well and when they when I say blow through that's usually how it is it comes and it's gone in five minutes we make it a little hail out of it up here at 7000 feet in the mountains right but nothing like what you're experiencing back east.

[00:35:43] Interesting.

[00:35:45] Okay.

[00:35:46] It's weather is weather and it's always going to be with us no doubt and hey we may as well turn it into something good.

[00:35:54] When it comes to witnessing I you know what I got to say I was doing a quick test with Tony earlier tonight to make sure that we could connect in this kind of thing and the power went out in the middle of the conversation.

[00:36:06] So I thought okay now if he can if he can under you know make it make an exception and still understand and join us for the show.

[00:36:15] I think we got to you know we've got a gonna have a great guest.

[00:36:19] Yeah no question about it.

[00:36:21] And speaking of guests before before we do get to Tony here in a few minutes.

[00:36:24] I just again wanted to thank Steve Murray and David Raddick who joined us last week on a Friday night for our kind of our celebration of the Texas State Championships and we we put up some classic matches and of course the Steve Murray interview at Inside Foods TV and it was just kind of really cool to although we couldn't be there live in in person.

[00:36:43] It was kind of cool to celebrate this traditional tournament down in Texas and of course we're all looking forward to next year's as well but thanks thanks to Steve and David who were both really really good and one more plea out there for you.

[00:36:54] And so we're here folks we could use some calls tonight we'd love to hear from you.

[00:36:58] I anticipate we may get a call from our guy who's a pretty great pretty much a regular with us and that's Brandon Moreland and maybe Ellen Moon as well but we'll see how it all plays out.

[00:37:07] I know Tony is going to join us here any minute and I know you'll you'll let him in the door as soon as he as soon as he knocks.

[00:37:13] Oh absolutely no question about it.

[00:37:15] Hey do you want to mention when it comes to Steve Murray I just noticed yesterday that it was Steve Murray Day in Texas.

[00:37:20] Yeah that's right.

[00:37:22] What a cool honor.

[00:37:24] It happened for the first time I want to say two or three years ago when it was one of the days of course of the week of Texas state that that it was Steve Murray Day and something he's very proud of.

[00:37:35] And I think he got a key to the city and it's a really big key so it must be a really big rock.

[00:37:39] That's all I can write.

[00:37:41] But but no he deserves it.

[00:37:43] He is Mr. Fussball in the state of Texas and then certainly one of the great Fussball men this country has ever produced.

[00:37:49] And again it was a great pleasure to spend some time with Steve last Friday night.

[00:37:52] Right exactly very very cool.

[00:37:56] Well our guest of honor is knocking at the door as you mentioned let's let's bring Tony into the conversation.

[00:38:02] Tony Spraterman welcome to Fuss Talk Live.

[00:38:06] Hey guys thanks for having me.

[00:38:10] Well welcome.

[00:38:12] Hey Tony great to hear your voice buddy.

[00:38:15] You guys can hear me all right.

[00:38:17] We can I hear you extremely well actually.

[00:38:21] Good.

[00:38:22] Yeah so what's happening.

[00:38:25] Any tornadoes in your neighborhood today Tony.

[00:38:28] No just the afternoon shower down in Florida here.

[00:38:32] The summertime we typically you know get an afternoon showers and it's a lot of humidity.

[00:38:40] Well we have to officially welcome you to Fuss Talk Live.

[00:38:45] This is something of course that we just we want to during this this pandemic we want to make sure that people have something that they don't want to do.

[00:38:52] So we're going to look forward to instead of playing we can talk about Fuss Ball.

[00:38:57] So that's why we're doing what we do and we want to you know certainly thank you in advance for taking the time to join us.

[00:39:05] No I appreciate you having me like I said it's good to get the Fuss Ball brain working again.

[00:39:11] Oh yeah.

[00:39:13] You know even if you're not playing just to be talking about it and thinking about it a little bit it's good to keep the wheels turning you know.

[00:39:19] No doubt.

[00:39:21] Yeah Tony what are you what does a day look like for you these days and you're living down there in Florida.

[00:39:28] Obviously enjoying the weather do you get a little Fuss Ball in and I know we're going to talk a little bit more about what you're doing professionally a little later.

[00:39:35] But what is an average day look like for you.

[00:39:38] I know you enjoy fishing you enjoy even look at birds a little bit.

[00:39:41] Tell us what a normal Tony's Predator Day looks like.

[00:39:45] Yeah to be honest it's pretty relaxing.

[00:39:48] I wake up I live I live in a town of about 10,000 people or so and I live on the outskirts and my house is the last one on the at the end of a dirt road and there's about 10,000 acres of just woods behind me with lots of trails.

[00:40:05] So I spent a lot of time walking the dog and I've recently acquired a four wheeler so I go back and kind of cruise the trails and stuff like that.

[00:40:15] Again it's pretty laid back to be honest with you.

[00:40:19] So are you good.

[00:40:22] Go ahead Jim.

[00:40:24] No just curious how you're spending a little time on the table you know working on your game during this time or it's have something generally you know when a tournament is coming perhaps you spend a little bit of time a week or two in preparation for it of course.

[00:40:35] Nothing on the horizon at this point as far as that's concerned but do you put in a little bit of table time for me as far as foosball goes I'm I'm an all or nothing type of personality so without anything to really look forward to it's hard to really get my brain focus on preparing for a tournament because there's just really nothing

[00:40:54] you know upcoming at this point with the possible you know cancellation of nationals and so it's just really hard to put forth so much effort and then really have nothing to deliver you know so I'm more of a lead up to a tournament practice kind of guy these days.

[00:41:14] I mean 20 years ago I'd be on the table for five you know three to five hours a day or you know at least a few hours a day and then plus you know watching foosball videos and stuff like that but nowadays I've been playing for so long that foosball wise everything's kind of muscle memory to me

[00:41:34] and I just need to kind of sharpen a few of the skills opposed to like I'm not going to learn anything new you know I'm not gonna as far I mean I could throw on a different wrinkle here and there but I mean I've got this my set game plan of what I'm going to do on the table and it's proven to work so you know why tinker with it you know.

[00:41:54] Yeah you know that's true and you mentioned how early in your career and I think this is pretty much how it works for everyone as you do spend at three to five to seven to ten hours on the table daily in order to get to a certain point.

[00:42:09] But then once you get there you really only need to spend a little bit of time to hone maybe rough or smooth out some of the edges or increase your execution percentage entering a tournament but for the most part it's all there and you literally could do it in your sleep at this point but again as you said with nothing really on the horizon.

[00:42:27] At least the immediate horizon it's kind of hard to to to drum up the necessary you know focus to really work hard on the table Tom Tom you spent a little time with Tony earlier in the week did you not.

[00:42:39] I did actually and I guess you could say in a virtual way because I've decided to take lessons from Tony.

[00:42:49] This system called food by Tony.

[00:42:54] So I know there's also foods by Brandon as well so it's is it is it foods by systems that the title of the company Tony.

[00:43:02] Yeah it's essentially essentially Brandon Marlin and I are in a joint venture bringing food ball lessons via via the Internet essentially we use a platform where we can have a video chat with some of our students they send us a video they send us actual game tape or a short video telling us what they'd like to work on and showing us a few of the skills.

[00:43:32] How they play physically on the table and we essentially dissect what they want to do and maybe help them with a game plan or structure or.

[00:43:44] Yeah things of that nature it's a really cool idea I think that you know for someone like myself who's really just an overgrown beginner.

[00:43:54] You know any ideas you know especially from someone of your caliber is really valuable.

[00:44:01] Unless of course you wanted to say hey listen guy just sell the table OK just just yeah.

[00:44:08] But beyond that anything you have to say I'm good with but so I think what we can do is we can welcome Brandon on to the onto foods talk life here Brandon has just joined us so so Brandon welcome once again to foods talk live.

[00:44:21] Thanks for having me on.

[00:44:24] Hi Brandon. Hey how's it going Jim.

[00:44:27] So so Brandon you and Tony came up with this idea what how did you all how did you do this. What was the impetus for this idea.

[00:44:36] Well I mean with the COVID situation going on and staying at home so much.

[00:44:41] I think I started about a month before with Ellen Moon.

[00:44:46] We were kind of just talking about how great it would be to do this and believe me when I say every good pro masters had the idea at some point to do some kind of training lesson thing is just going through with the process right figuring out exactly what it would take to get a strategy together and things like that which is where Ellen came in so much of an integral part of this and then we did it.

[00:45:10] We had it going for about a month and then of course like the first person to talk to in regards to like who do you want on your team is Tony Spreedman the best player in the world right.

[00:45:20] And so that's you know and he was even already kind of thinking of it as well and so I only talked where we're really good friends as well so it was just it was never very far from view to say that you know we should be doing this together for the most part.

[00:45:34] So just just to give our audience a quick overview of how does someone actually go about approaching you guys to do this what's the procedure.

[00:45:44] So the the flyers that are out there you can look at that information but the generally you just send an email to foosbytony at gmail.com or foosbybrannon at gmail.com either one will get back to you really quickly and kind of advise what we need which is usually a video of your game.

[00:46:03] Normally we want a 15 to 20 minute long practice session but also game play works like matches that Jim is filmed for you and things of that sort so anything really can work in regards to us being able to pick apart the smallest details of your game and then go into a lesson after we've done all this prep work for you ahead of time.

[00:46:27] Going to a lesson with exactly what it is that you need to take from this and I've listened to some of Tony's and he's amazing at it.

[00:46:36] I think personally and then I feel like I'm all right at it as well and so yeah we go into it with a big plan about what exactly you need to go to a next level you know and then direction for even further levels past that you don't want to get yourself in the bad habits and then have to re-learn the game 10 years in you know.

[00:46:56] And even if you have gotten 10 years with the bad habits all it takes is real direction for you to pull yourself out of it.

[00:47:03] So what's OK just Tony you first what's what are the top three problems you see first what are the first three things you notice.

[00:47:14] Well I'm still only about a week into it and about half of the people and I don't want to point fingers but yourself included.

[00:47:27] Everybody seems to really open their hand went on the five bar.

[00:47:35] They really they open up their hand and almost like rolls slap their passes and it's really hard to have a good consistency and good control while striking the ball or while even tick tacking the ball.

[00:47:46] So if you actually watch the video and even watch the video of yourself you open you completely open your hand and at that very point as you're weaving the ball around your fingertips are the only thing on the handle and it's really hard to keep like a steady grip on the handle.

[00:48:02] Wow hold on a second I'm going to step over to a table to see if I do that.

[00:48:07] That's very interesting that you did you came with that Tony and I am going to keep my eye on that not only myself but players that I'm watching as well.

[00:48:17] It's it's really interesting and it's almost the way that you go about shooting like an open hand five rod shot like Robert Mars would do.

[00:48:25] But the analogy that I try to give to the people that I've worked with is try pretending that you're turning a doorknob opposed to like rolling your hand.

[00:48:34] So it's going to help you kind of keep your hand close a little bit more.

[00:48:41] So that was that is definitely the number one for me.

[00:48:45] Okay Brandon my biggest thing is people don't seem to have a plan and we could talk about anything we could talk about five bar offense we could talk about three bar offense two bar offense.

[00:48:57] People have a lot of singular things that they've worked on that look really good but none of them work together.

[00:49:06] And so while you may go into a match and look amazing in the first game you don't pull together this consistent.

[00:49:12] I'm going to be able to pick you apart because I can rely on this which also works with this which also works with this everybody's doing these singular things and so that's that's what I try to really focus on is like OK we're going to scrap this this and this.

[00:49:27] We're going to pull these five things together and then now you have a real series and they all work with each other and then talk about how to use them and look at defenses with them and things of that sort so that's that's what I've been noticing a lot of in regards to you know to the customers that I've worked with.

[00:49:42] And it really it really varies too because you're working with all different levels of players as well.

[00:49:47] So the thing that I mentioned that's going to be someone who's kind of in the beginning parts of learning how to play the game and just the actual physical ability.

[00:49:57] And then what Brandon is talking about we can get deep into like gameplay and setting people up later you know in the matches you know to execute on big points or whatever but like he said really making game time decisions and things like that so I mean it really varies depending on the skill level of the people that you're working with.

[00:50:17] What's what's been amazing about that too is the pros a lot of pros have taken these courses as well and they come in expecting only high level like OK how do you just you know pick apart this kind of defense and things like that in the first session.

[00:50:32] All I want to talk about are the things that they're giving away on their shot and things like that so that people that are even really really really good they do things that are just really basically flawed and that's the kind of stuff that Tony or I would be doing.

[00:50:47] I would pick apart while we're playing against them on a pit table in front of Jim you know inside food so that's that's unfortunately sometimes we have to pull it back to that basic even with a really good player like hey you know like we got to talk about these things first and then let's get to the other stuff.

[00:51:04] Other people not so much you can move right into that category so it's been it's been a really interesting aspect of this.

[00:51:11] So do you both enjoy teaching.

[00:51:13] For me it's good but honestly it's been a completely different interesting experience because I mean obviously I've played my whole life but teaching the game.

[00:51:24] It's it's a it's a different kind of thing just for the simple fact that every person learns a little bit differently and it's my job not to just tell you what's wrong but I need you to understand and figure out a way to get to the other stuff.

[00:51:42] You know for you to grasp and so it's been a really different kind of way to approach the game I guess you could say so.

[00:51:52] I enjoy it but it's been it's really a challenge and I'm just still trying to get a lot better at it.

[00:51:57] Right.

[00:51:59] And I try and go over a few of my lessons myself and kind of try and make improvements things that I can do better.

[00:52:04] You know it's it's an ongoing process.

[00:52:07] Now one of the things because I'm an instructor professionally for voice acting I work with students every day in that field and so my methods have changed over the last four or five years.

[00:52:19] When I first started I would follow pretty much the curriculum now I kind of add a little bit and I bring in other things that aren't necessarily included in the course.

[00:52:29] So how about you guys do you think you'll you'll start to change or evolve your methods.

[00:52:36] Me personally I plan to evolve a lot.

[00:52:40] I ask for advice.

[00:52:42] I know remember years ago Robert Maras used to do pro clinics on the on the pro on the tour and he's very very good at dissecting things and just kind of he's just a good speaker in general and he's a student of the game and he's just so happens to be a really good friend of mine.

[00:52:58] So I ask him also Dana Mara is another person who really loves to teach the game and I just kind of ask them for little bits and pieces things that I can add in and they're happy to help me out.

[00:53:12] So yeah I plan on evolving.

[00:53:14] I'm super new at this and nobody's really done it before.

[00:53:17] That's the thing is like there is no curriculum and we're just trying to figure out the best way to go about it and kind of grow with our students.

[00:53:28] And I would add that like so far the feedback from our students have been so highly recommended of this.

[00:53:36] Like it's been tons of referrals everyone signing up for two and three and four lessons that so far it seems like we've definitely hit the right kind of approach.

[00:53:46] But yes we could definitely learn little bits like when Tony came into this I didn't think so much about being so visual with players.

[00:53:55] And so he's always on the table with them showing them different things and stuff like that.

[00:54:00] And I wasn't thinking like that for one I don't have a table but I started using more visual aid you know like I'll have something to screen share with them right away so I can tell them exactly what I'm talking about and show it on the screen.

[00:54:11] And so I definitely had you know like that's something I learned from Tony right away after his first lesson listening to it.

[00:54:16] I was like oh yeah OK I need to. So there's definitely stuff we're going to get better and better at as we proceed you know to get better at this adventure.

[00:54:27] Jen have you thought about taking lessons from these guys.

[00:54:30] Well if they have a push kick wing maybe I could be a teacher but you know I just go along every time that's what you do.

[00:54:39] But no but it does occur to me you know throughout history and other sports you know Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player of all time has sort of dabbled a little bit in coaching and then of course being a general manager and an owner.

[00:54:52] And he hasn't been really good at it. Magic Johnson tried to be a coach for a while and the expectations of these guys I mean they're always saying well why can't you just play like me.

[00:55:01] That's not possible right. However in the case of Tony who is absolutely one of the greatest players in the history of the game and Brandon of course a tremendous pro master but they're both so very approachable.

[00:55:13] They've always been able to communicate with the beginners with the kids with the players of any level. So I don't think that really applies here. I mean Tony it's something you know I see you at tournaments I see you with the kids I see you on the table showing people things and Brandon of course who was who was able to break down a game so well.

[00:55:30] I mean I've been in the booth. I've listened to him speak with other players both of you are very approachable but you're also able to not have expectations that these players are going to immediately play like you which really does allow you to communicate better with them doesn't it.

[00:55:43] Yeah for me personally I'm not trying to make a person play like me and the beauty of foosball is there's no right or wrong way to play.

[00:55:52] And if there were when I started playing foosball Terry Moore was the number one foosball player in the world and he did a near wall brush. And when I was coming up everyone said you need to do a brush it's the most consistent thing so right and I actually made the switch but I was bored to death and I ended up switching back to a far wall tic tac and you know I had great success with it because it was different and nobody's ever really seen it before at that point.

[00:56:20] And that was a lesson to me in itself for the simple fact that you know there's no right or wrong way to play it's what works for you. So my goal as a teacher is to take what you do naturally what comes natural to you and try to expand upon it and make it work for you because you can't expect every person to be able to do the same things like I can't play anything like Ryan Moore or Brandon or any of these you know top guys shooting

[00:56:47] pull shots but I you know I do what works for me and and I make it work so my job is to work with you have work with what you have and like expand upon it and make it you know is in make it work for you the best that I can.

[00:57:04] There you have it the number nine most downloaded foos talk live foosball radio originally aired on May 29 2020. Our thanks to Tony and Brandon. Next coming in at number eight originally aired in December of 2021. Ironically it's the 88th episode of foos talk live featuring once again Tony Spraydomen. It's been downloaded 620 times.

[00:57:31] Hey there I'm Tom Robinson. It is the 88th episode of foos talk live and I'm already slurring my words and we're just getting started here. Yes, it's a great night we're back live and of course speaking about foosball is always better more interesting when you've got somebody to talk to like the greatest play by play foosball announcer of all time. Hello Jim.

[00:57:54] Hi Tom hi everybody you ended last week's show slurring your words and you're opening up this week's slurring so kind of a carry over from from last week. Great to be back here 88 88 shows of course eight lucky number the Chinese lucky number infinity.

[00:58:08] So it's good luck show tonight we've got a great holiday show for you tonight folks. No doubt once again we're going to focus in on the top 50 greatest foosball players in the history of the American tour with numbers 40 through 31 as we wind you know get closer to that

[00:58:24] eventual top 10 and then we also going to get a special holiday visit with Tony Spraydomen tonight so it's going to be a lot of fun. Couldn't be better. It's I'm just so looking forward to this. And the last time Tony was with us he was trying to help me with my game with foosball Tony and well you know if I had

[00:58:40] follows his instructions maybe I'd be better by now but you know I don't know Tom I think you're underrating yourself you're a heck of a player I've seen you play you got game back there you have that goalie mentality that not everyone has and so.

[00:58:53] No it's I think Tony was somewhat successful with you yeah okay okay I will I will give him credit no question no question well you know I think things are certainly heating up when it comes to the little bit of controversy over last week's list when it comes to the

[00:59:08] who got placed at what place you know there's a couple of moments there where I think some people are like well wait how why is so and so it's so and so and so and so and so but I knew that was going to happen.

[00:59:20] Of course we knew that that's part of the fun of it right it opens up conversation and dialogue you know it's such a challenge and we'll talk about this with both Adam and Mark we've got the full crew here with us tonight which is exciting.

[00:59:31] Yeah but but yeah there's a lot to talk about it obviously over the past week and Mark and Adam can address this as well.

[00:59:38] Oh sure you know that's that's what it's all about it's about controversy it's about conversation it's about respecting history and maybe questioning our list just a little bit there's there are some people just like to light fires it's all there is to it.

[00:59:50] Including the the windy city fasting guru teen idol and voted most humble by his schoolmates mark.

[00:59:57] Wow that's an intro.

[00:59:59] Mark my turn to talk you can.

[01:00:02] Can I just say I'm never gonna give you.

[01:00:06] You down.

[01:00:08] I'm gonna run around and deserve I thought I just rigged roll you guys some troll week.

[01:00:13] What are we talking about right now.

[01:00:15] I don't even hear what you guys said now that you've you've poisoned the well with Rick Astley.

[01:00:20] I'm just I'm sorry just yeah he said you said Astley is that my first time ever heard of him.

[01:00:27] I've never heard Tom curse.

[01:00:29] You know but it happens.

[01:00:31] I know Adam's out there as well and you know obviously we're not able to make it last week you're apparently at a at a Chicago Bears game hopefully it was a lot of fun for you.

[01:00:39] I know you listen back you listen to the list you were right in the middle of all the exchanges this week and the controversy so to speak with the list kind of let's hear from your point of view what did you think of the list and which is what do you think of the past week of reactions.

[01:00:51] Let me say this I participated in the list and we thought it was going to be easier than it was and it's hell this list is absolute hell and I only want to speak and frankly from 30 to 50.

[01:01:06] It's I mean the whole thing is difficult and we haven't even when we get to the like the top 10 or 15 we're so the fans should know we have no we have not agreed at all on the top part of the list.

[01:01:16] The bottom part of the list is still a mess and where we got the most heat frankly we got the most heat on Larry Chesborough being at number 50.

[01:01:25] The first now go ahead.

[01:01:27] From number 50.

[01:01:29] Yeah.

[01:01:31] And let me just make a quick point about it.

[01:01:33] I saw Larry Chesborough play.

[01:01:35] He's a maestro.

[01:01:37] I mean in terms of raw skill Larry Chesborough could be in the top 15 of this list.

[01:01:41] He's an absolute phenom when it comes to physical ability but a lot of people didn't make this list.

[01:01:48] Let's talk about like Mark Crowell Trevor Park Terry Rue OK Martin Luther King Princess Diana Scott Bale they didn't make the list.

[01:01:58] Of course Joanie loves Chauchy fame everybody knows Scott Bale so you got to remember that Larry Chesborough number 50 he jumped a lot of incredible people that I mean there's a lot of people that didn't make less Larry

[01:02:11] Chesborough that people will wonder why Larry is at number 50 they are wondering why there's no 50 when we get higher on the list.

[01:02:17] It's going to make some more sense the eyeball test Larry is a phenom and it's amazing he's amazing player that's where we got the most heat.

[01:02:25] I actually had Larry higher on my list but I'm not I'm going to be honest he wasn't a ton higher.

[01:02:30] He was higher but anyway we did this in collaboration and that pretty much is where the story ends.

[01:02:36] When we finish this list people are going to be pissed off.

[01:02:40] 20% of people are pissed off bottom line we did our best.

[01:02:43] Yeah those are good odds that's not bad.

[01:02:45] That's not bad.

[01:02:47] Well even though Mark likes to start fires we do have someone here who joins us on a regular basis who loves to put them out and that would be our own Adam Gilson from Ventura California.

[01:02:57] Hello Adam.

[01:02:59] Yeah when this list is over I'm going to be the most pissed.

[01:03:01] But anyways you know and I got to make this connection here because this is something in both of you have already Mark and Jimmy you've nailed it here.

[01:03:11] Obviously the most important part about this list is to generate conversation to generate the compelling conversation that comes from asking ourselves and looking at the history of the last 40 plus years where does everybody fit how do they fit why do they fit the way they fit and what's really interesting.

[01:03:30] The interesting about that is so much how it parallels and ties into what's been going on on the Inside Fuse TV Facebook page.

[01:03:38] The Inside Fuse page is because there's this conversation that's going on right Mark and Clay have been involved in it talking about points talking about ranks what does it all mean it's all arbitrary what does it mean does it reflect the tournaments as it reflect a broken system what does it all mean and we have to have those conversations the same way we have to put a top 50 list together and have those conversations.

[01:03:57] And you know again I pushed for Princess die.

[01:04:01] I pushed real hard you saw the mail in thing that I well it's just me and I was just texting.

[01:04:07] Her career was cut a little short is why I did have Scott Baylid number 52.

[01:04:12] Yeah.

[01:04:14] And we completely cut Prince Andrew too so you know there's that you know and those are both great points those guys made and the one thing it's allowed me to do and I think everyone who is involved with making the list and then listening and watching this list as it does.

[01:04:27] And I think what that's really very important and I think one of the things that I want to really focus on is that we're getting a chance to look back at history as well and really illuminate some of the players maybe that we've forgotten about or maybe we don't pay enough attention to players who were in their era the best of the best.

[01:04:47] You know whether or not that a player from the 1970s from 1974 could beat someone from 1999 it's kind of irrelevant.

[01:04:50] And I think that's what we really need to really focus in on on the history of the sport and it's been a lot of fun doing it and it's been very difficult.

[01:04:56] And again you know the NBA went through this major league baseball goes through this when they released these top 75 top 100 list.

[01:05:02] There is so much controversy and there's always going to be it just how it is it's the nature of it because there is it's not like we can use math for all of this.

[01:05:10] Some of it is strength of era.

[01:05:13] Some of it is the eyeball test right.

[01:05:15] Obviously when you have multiple world championships that certainly is a big number that that brings some math into it.

[01:05:21] But the rest of it like Adam says is kind of arbitrary.

[01:05:24] Okay.

[01:05:26] I'll say one last one last point to put a bow on this.

[01:05:28] It you look at any sport and the modern player is physically better armed is has better nutrition nine out of 10 times but also has the benefit is the benefit the benefactor of the all this.

[01:05:45] Work that people did before him they learned that the modern player has a benefit of having a skill set that's probably much higher.

[01:05:52] So let's talk real talk it's a good expert on tornado versus a good 70s TS player skill for skill.

[01:06:02] The tornado players probably going to have a lot more skill and brute ability just because of I mean what a 70 players going to see a slingshot for the first time if we go back in time is going to be like what the hell is that it's right easy.

[01:06:12] What you're doing.

[01:06:14] So when you compare errors you really can't it's not an apples to oranges it's an apples to oranges comparison or a rollover for that matter in the 70s.

[01:06:22] Yeah.

[01:06:24] Building I love that point though Mark about building on what you know it's you're building on what they did back then you know and a lot of its derivative of course the game is still played basically the same way the American style of play but again the benefit of building and standing on the shoulders of those who came before them and that's a great point.

[01:06:39] Yeah.

[01:06:41] And just to that add one little thing about that something I've been thinking about a lot lately that the factor that we have now in the last 1520 years that we did not have back then in the 70s 80s second generation Fussers potentially third generation fussers makes such a huge difference to be on a table that young and being told people that already have the you know the knowledge the ability so how that that's that's incalculable and

[01:07:04] Calculable.

[01:07:06] No it's it is true and we're seeing this more and more often of course the top players that we're seeing of course worlds I mean it's amazing worlds and of course in Colorado.

[01:07:16] Sullivan Rue and Sammy Dejon I mean they're two great examples right there so yet we can't be remiss here because of course Mark this week has been lighting fires but the person holding the match and tossing the gasoline.

[01:07:28] It's Clay to me from Dallas Texas hello clay are you with us.

[01:07:31] I am definitely with you.

[01:07:33] Yeah no just just wanted to see how how you're faring because of course this last week there's been a lot of them conversation going on especially on inside Fuss TV the Facebook page.

[01:07:44] I would call it much conversation as I would just calling it people not knowing what they were talking about and then us informing them on how it is.

[01:07:53] Setting them straight.

[01:07:55] I call it more.

[01:07:57] It's more educational than conversational.

[01:07:58] Can we call upon you later to talk more and more detail about that because you know Tom I'm very shy and I'm not comfortable sharing my opinions very often especially when they're completely contradictory to yesterday's opinions but I'm always down to try.

[01:08:14] Clay brings a certain element to this show doesn't he he goes places none of the rest of us are quite willing to places that some of you are not willing to go to.

[01:08:28] By the way.

[01:08:30] It's a great one.

[01:08:32] It's an ounce of that right now but maybe down the road.

[01:08:36] But no the other thing though is Clay's arguments are always backed by numbers and yeah facts and you got to admire that.

[01:08:42] Let me qualify the whole lot of things.

[01:08:45] Don't qualify anything there's no the voice of Fuss ball is spoken.

[01:08:48] Nothing there.

[01:08:50] I said what he said.

[01:08:52] I will tell you this Clay Clay and I have some things in common by the way and one thing that Clay can do very well and whether it's for the same reasons I do it he can be contrarian just to be contrarian.

[01:09:03] And it's not like great great Clay's not speaking his mind it's not like he's trying to be necessarily but I think he kind of is I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth there's a part of clay that enjoys being a little bit of an antagonist.

[01:09:14] He likes a little bit.

[01:09:15] I don't know about all that.

[01:09:17] I'm only disagreeing because you're just a question.

[01:09:20] He's doing it right now.

[01:09:22] He's doing it right now.

[01:09:24] Calls coming from inside the house.

[01:09:27] Take control of the show Tom.

[01:09:29] I need to really get into control with it with a nice cold beverage and so that's part of it.

[01:09:35] You know the equation is not perfect.

[01:09:37] The list is not perfect but I feel pretty good about what we did tonight guys with number 40 through 31.

[01:09:42] I'll break it back down with you for you a little bit.

[01:09:45] It's Bob Maloney at 40 Brandon Moreland at 39 Tina Rotan Wyatt at number 38 Billy Sumption at 37 Gil Jackson coming in at number 36 Kenny all well number 35 on a list of the top 50.

[01:09:59] John Smith was number 34 Tim Zeke Burns at number 33 Wideman Scottie Wideman at number 32 and then Steve Simon at number 31.

[01:10:08] And what's neat is a lot of these players as we look at them you can identify their individual eras and there was in some cases no crossover at ever whatsoever.

[01:10:17] You know Tim Zeke Burns never played in a tournament at the same time as Scottie Wideman etc.

[01:10:22] Yet we still had to figure all of this out and I think we've done a pretty good job so far.

[01:10:25] Looking for a forward to Tony coming in here and telling us what he thinks.

[01:10:29] Yes, yes absolutely.

[01:10:32] I wonder if Tony is going to be on this list at all.

[01:10:35] I'm guessing a good chance of it is.

[01:10:37] I'm curious.

[01:10:39] Well you know it's just briefly here guys I'm looking forward to next week's list and of course the final part of this list will be airing January 2nd here on Fooze Talk Live.

[01:10:48] So 2022 that'll be the top 10 so we're counting it down looking forward to the rest of that.

[01:10:53] But you know I'm in upstate New York and it's always curious when I look outside and check the weather just to give you a forecast this evening that's clear and 32 degrees.

[01:11:03] Let's find out what the weather is like in Florida this evening.

[01:11:06] Let's bring on our special guest for the evening.

[01:11:09] It's as we all know Tony Sprayneman.

[01:11:12] Hello Tony.

[01:11:14] Hey guys what's happening.

[01:11:16] Tony what's the temperature in Florida tonight?

[01:11:18] It's a little chilly I think it dropped below 70 tonight.

[01:11:21] Oh nice.

[01:11:23] But I got a hot tub in the backyard so nice I warmed up my bones and I'm happy to join you guys.

[01:11:32] And are you having a highlight IPA tonight?

[01:11:34] No I'll tell you what I know you guys love IPAs but you know and I did for a while and I still love the taste of them but I started getting fat.

[01:11:43] So I got a big old beer belly about a year ago and so I gave it up.

[01:11:49] So I just I drink vodka now.

[01:11:51] Nice.

[01:11:53] Okay yes dude.

[01:11:55] Mark wanted to hear that for sure.

[01:11:57] Mark wanted to hear that.

[01:11:59] A little more low calorie apparently.

[01:12:01] It's the holiday season Tony at the end of really what has been kind of an unusual year of foosball as we come out of COVID and kind of get back into playing, try to feel normal out on tour and all of that.

[01:12:12] And I know as someone who is so embedded in the experience of being a professional foosball player it had to be and we've talked about this before of course.

[01:12:21] So I'm just looking out of what was the most difficult year for any of us and then kind of finding some footing here in 2021.

[01:12:29] What was this past season like for you?

[01:12:31] Was it was a business as usual or were there some new challenges you had to overcome?

[01:12:35] To be honest with you, I feel like my game dropped off a lot before COVID.

[01:12:42] Before COVID hit I was actually I felt like I was playing really strong but coming back I just I haven't been quite this much.

[01:12:51] It was the same and I mean it's like you said it's hard to pick up and again we all have the physical ability.

[01:12:59] Like I can still execute my passes and shots but it's that time on tour, you know going to tournaments people always ask me like are you practice?

[01:13:09] And I'm tournament practice.

[01:13:11] I don't practice at home.

[01:13:13] I'm tournament practice and that's what I think separates me is that I hit more or before all of this I hit more tournaments than everybody even the smaller ones I was going to.

[01:13:21] Tony I got to ask you did you listen to our list?

[01:13:26] I want to know what some of your thoughts were if you have some ideas on some of the names and where they were any opinions on the list.

[01:13:32] Yeah I listened it's really hard what you guys are doing because of the different eras you know.

[01:13:42] So I don't it's not really I think there's so many good players there's so many good players.

[01:13:48] I don't know I listened to like Tina's you know when someone you're winning events and men's you know you win an open in men's events.

[01:13:57] Like that to me really stands out there's not women that typically do that multiple world champion and like you said in every decade that's to me she should have been higher on the list.

[01:14:08] And that's that's that was really impressive to me and I didn't and I don't even know I don't even know the history of a lot of these tournament soccer players.

[01:14:15] So you know obviously like Wideman I have tons of respect for him for a short while he was in Minnesota and I lived in Wisconsin.

[01:14:25] So I would get to play against him in my regional tournaments and stuff like that.

[01:14:31] So first time I ever got to see Scotty it was against Terry Moore and Terry Moore was the number one player when I was coming up huge inspiration for me and just kind of watching.

[01:14:42] And you know his slow methodical game and I thought his five bar was amazing.

[01:14:47] First time I saw Wideman play him he he abused them it was Wideman and Moes and they beat up on Terry's five bar Terry couldn't even get the ball on him.

[01:14:56] Wow.

[01:14:58] So it was and I didn't know who Wideman was that was the first time I saw him like who is this guy and he just kind of walks in with that swagger and you know he's not like like Mark or say he's not the most physically gifted but he knows how to use what he has and and he's not a faggot.

[01:15:12] He's not afraid of anybody he's a he's a bully.

[01:15:15] Yes he is a bully man I love Wideman I love his attitude and I love his character he brings he's fun to watch you know and I and I miss that I miss that era of foosball.

[01:15:29] To be honest with it I think it's got got boring.

[01:15:31] You know I love me we need those Johnny Hortons and the Widemans and the characters even Murray was you know he was a bad guy we need those villains in the sport and to me it's just it's gotten stale.

[01:15:44] I love that you're saying that.

[01:15:46] Go ahead.

[01:15:48] Quick point I want you to talk about him.

[01:15:50] I love that you talk about him as his swagger because he had to like the mental toughness partner and I remember you Tony being 18 years old and you're playing against grown ass men and open singles.

[01:16:01] And if you're going to sit there and buckle you're going to look like a kid while you're getting beat so you got to like bring it and bring nothing you have to have like not if you'd be a douchebag and and you were I mean between you and Scotty there's a gap but to your point that swagger matters in a sense that you can hold your head high and look someone eye to eye and go toe to toe with them and you know he knew he was unarmed.

[01:16:25] He knew he didn't have it wasn't armed with the same thing but the way you just describe him beating up on Terry is hilarious anyway Adam.

[01:16:32] I love how I called him a bully because that is so accurate that is that is that bull you know I talked all about his record but you fill in the you know in between the lines here with with his attitude with Wideman's attitude and it was it was brilliant.

[01:16:44] Right now that's very true even if he's sitting there smoking a cigarette behind the partition.

[01:16:49] But Tony I was just curious you made a really interesting point about there not being any villains anymore and you're 100% correct and you've been you know playing nonstop for about 20 something years at this point.

[01:17:01] What do you think is why is that like everybody is so freaking nice that plays for the most part like I like most all of them and none of those ones that you're just like running to the table to be like oh what's going to happen here.

[01:17:12] I mean I know Tommy's got his his his reputation but he's like you know the kindest person I've met so what is that with all the villains go Tony.

[01:17:22] Well I think I think they're just getting old and there's no new players.

[01:17:27] I mean yeah.

[01:17:29] That's a depressing answer.

[01:17:31] Yeah it's a truthful answer.

[01:17:33] It's like they don't have time to you know you know fight you know fist fight over foosball in a pool hall anymore.

[01:17:39] They're like.

[01:17:43] I miss those days.

[01:17:47] Yeah now that they sit around and drink IPA.

[01:17:52] I guess you know we were talking about villains.

[01:17:55] That's the end of our show.

[01:17:57] OK.

[01:17:59] Maybe the only villain we've had over the last you know Bobby Diaz I suppose was was in again this is an older gentleman but maybe he's the one guy talk about your you know you've battled with Bobby you know Bobby.

[01:18:09] Obviously over the years and if we're going to talk about villains he's got to be at the top of the list over the last decade but talk about how you would handle someone like Bobby Diaz a villain.

[01:18:19] I mean I don't know.

[01:18:21] I mean the thing is I fairly do pretty well against Bobby.

[01:18:25] I don't really have to do or say anything.

[01:18:29] You know I just kind of this is not my style against any villain doesn't matter who it is.

[01:18:33] I try and let my playing do the talking for me.

[01:18:36] I don't know.

[01:18:38] I wouldn't do anything differently towards him or anybody with that attitude to be honest with it.

[01:18:42] It's always ironic to me how guys like you and Adrian Zamora and other guys who are not the villain kind of miss or enjoy the antics love the villain but are not the villain themselves.

[01:18:54] It's always kind of a funny.

[01:18:55] No and I'd be lying if I said he didn't get under my skin you know because he you know when in the moment you know in the moment and he'll make a block call time out do all the antics.

[01:19:07] It sucks it's fun for it's it's fun for people to watch but when you're actually the one getting blocked it pisses you off.

[01:19:14] It sucks.

[01:19:16] It's a horrible it's a horrible feeling to have someone you know taking the time and making you the you know the vocal point and everyone's looking at you waiting for your reaction.

[01:19:28] You know it's it's they're waiting for some kind of drama you know it's so to be to be that person it's not always easy.

[01:19:35] Well maybe the fine line with you Tony the fine line with you is and you know we played the one time in 2017 and I blocked you pretty damn well if I admit the first match and we were looking up at each other and I was laughing.

[01:19:48] But the fine line with you is this and Billy warned me he said look okay there's a fine line where you can get away with it and it's good and you better ride that line because once you go over the line all you're doing is feeding the bear.

[01:20:00] So there's a like there's a line right if you get the blocks and you get in your getting your head a little bit and get you to block yourself a little bit.

[01:20:07] But there's a point where you're you know you don't have the rage you might have had 18 years ago and you got to be very careful that you don't just pour gasoline on it and then you get obliterated so I'll just say that about you specifically that yeah there's a little room but not too much because we don't

[01:20:23] Don't don't don't piss Tony off do not piss Tony off we all know that that's not well here's the thing with Bobby Diaz and Martin.

[01:20:30] Mark Torres they both have a really good partners they had really good partners.

[01:20:35] So you think about you think about Bobby and he was I mean he played his whole career with like Terry Moore and Ryan Moore and then of course I don't know Horton in there maybe but I mean he's never you know he's never had a bad partner so he could sit back there

[01:20:52] and get drilled and still be in the match so you know and like to be honest with him he can't win a local tournament to save his life around here.

[01:21:02] You know but it's a pretty brutal it's a pretty brutal you know feel the players down here you think yeah yeah it's it's really tough but I'm saying without the help of Ryan or you know Terry in the 90s.

[01:21:13] I don't see Bobby doing much of anything so but he played his part very well you know and he's obviously one of the greatest course of all time but just to get away with talking and not letting his playing do the talking.

[01:21:27] So Tony let me let me get a good partner and I'll get the blocks on you bro I just need the right partner to score on your part.

[01:21:33] Hold on I'm dropping Bobby down on my top 50.

[01:21:35] So Tony the maybe the point about not having any bullies is there's not enough of course the players themselves don't want to be thought of as bullies but back in the day when you talk about T.S. and Dynamo there was a lot more players showing up for a tournament a thousand people you know there's there's it was tougher to stand out back in those days especially even with just talent you had to have something else to make people watch you like a Johnny Horton.

[01:22:06] I just think the newer generation of players are softer.

[01:22:09] So be honest with you.

[01:22:10] OK if you look at the second generation players there you know a lot of the second generation generation players they grow up going to tournaments playing like in a semi professional atmosphere I guess you could say but then you look about you know you look at those older guys and they grew up in pool halls you know gambling and right you know so I think what there's a certain grip to those old school players

[01:22:34] and that carries over in a mental toughness you know they have to be able to you know get jarred or that you know and deal with it or they have to be able to you know get reset on a big point or you know get beat up in the parking lot and be OK with it.

[01:22:51] Coming in at number eight originally airing December of 2021 featuring the amazing Tony Sprateman were counting down the top most downloaded episodes of Foo Stock Live Foozball Radio.

[01:23:03] Here's the seventh most downloaded episode originally airing April 10th of 2021.

[01:23:09] This episode was special because it marked the first anniversary of the Fooz Talk Live format and it's been downloaded 640 times inside Fooz presents Fooz Talk Live.

[01:23:27] And looking forward to tonight's show it could be an interesting one as we look back on the 1980s enough about you Tom can we talk about me for once.

[01:23:34] I'm sick of this sick of the show.

[01:23:38] If you don't mind if you could do this do the stats on the show tonight you know every time there is an F word uttered.

[01:23:43] Oh for us there will be stats.

[01:23:46] It's Fooz Talk Live.

[01:23:51] You talking to me.

[01:23:53] Compelling and lively banter.

[01:23:55] Are you going to talk to us talking Foozball.

[01:23:57] Foozball was how I measured my play it was a man you took that away.

[01:23:59] Players and fans promoters and pros unedited and raw.

[01:24:04] Talk talk talk living in the moment.

[01:24:06] We have a lot of important things to talk about.

[01:24:08] All while practicing social distancing.

[01:24:11] Cool we'll talk no big one.

[01:24:13] Let's get this thing started Fooz Talk Live.

[01:24:16] This is the world's number one live Foozball podcast Fooz Talk Live.

[01:24:23] Our first year has been a blast all thanks to you.

[01:24:27] Happy anniversary.

[01:24:30] Happy anniversary.

[01:24:32] Happy anniversary.

[01:24:34] Happy anniversary.

[01:24:36] All right your photos and fill it happy anniversary.

[01:24:38] But be careful you don't fill it happy anniversary.

[01:24:41] This is Phil Slaper of the Foozball master tour.

[01:24:44] I want to reach out to Fooz Talk Live and say happy anniversary.

[01:24:48] Congratulations guys and gals.

[01:24:50] It's time to Fooz.

[01:24:52] Fooz Ninja here.

[01:24:54] Want to give a shout out to Fooz Talk Live.

[01:24:57] Happy new year anniversary and keep talking Fooz.

[01:25:02] Hi Foozers.

[01:25:04] We're Roberts from London here and I just love listening to Fooz Talk Live.

[01:25:08] It's great to hear the experiences and insights of many of the world's greatest Foozers.

[01:25:13] How could that not be the best thing to do through a clock on a Sunday morning?

[01:25:18] See ya Foozing.

[01:25:20] Hi I'm Liz Moore and I want to wish Fooz Talk Live a very happy birthday.

[01:25:24] Hey what's up Foozball Nation.

[01:25:25] Mike Stall here from Michigan.

[01:25:27] I just want to give a quick shout out to the Fooz Talk Live team of Tom, Jim, Mark and Clay.

[01:25:33] Congratulations gentlemen on one year of doing what you guys do best.

[01:25:38] You guys have really been the light at the end of the tunnel for so many of us during these dark times.

[01:25:43] And for the listeners out there don't forget to subscribe to InsideFooz.com for exclusive content.

[01:25:50] Hope to see everybody on the other side of the table real soon.

[01:25:52] Hi I'm Ari Stevens. Happy anniversary Fooz Talk Live. We'll see ya Foozen.

[01:25:58] Happy anniversary, happy anniversary, happy anniversary.

[01:26:02] Well yes you may have heard tonight is the first year anniversary of our first episode of Fooz Talk Live.

[01:26:09] And I gotta say there's no way we could have come this far without the world's greatest Foozball play-by-player announcer Jim Stevens. Happy anniversary.

[01:26:18] Thank you sir and the same to you.

[01:26:19] Wow what an opening that was. They like us Tom. They really like us.

[01:26:24] I guess.

[01:26:26] And of course anytime I hear my daughter say see ya Fooz and I just melt. I just love it.

[01:26:30] I tell her, I say you know Ari you're the last thing that everybody hears each week on Fooz Talk Live and she just lights up and glows.

[01:26:36] So now what a great opening Tom. Great job on that. Looking forward to a party tonight here at Fooz Talk Live.

[01:26:42] It is a party to say the least. Of course we have some special guests we're going to be stopping by and we have performance coming up though.

[01:26:49] But I think you guys will find fascinating. Some singing. Yeah just general jollity. Let's put it that way.

[01:26:57] Is that a word? Jollity?

[01:26:59] I didn't know I was singing tonight but I can certainly start to get my voice warmed up for whatever it is you guys want to hear.

[01:27:04] Awesome. Speaking of singing I understand there's going to be some karaoke provided by none other than our own Mark Torres.

[01:27:12] Mark are you going to sing for us tonight?

[01:27:13] I bought a ticket to the world.

[01:27:19] But now I've come back again.

[01:27:24] I find it hard to write the next line.

[01:27:29] But I'm using another lyric.

[01:27:33] Not bad though. And what artist? I'm trying to remember and recognize the lyrics.

[01:27:40] Much is true.

[01:27:43] Stand up Olai. Come on.

[01:27:46] That's a great song. What a great song that is. Up until now I really really enjoyed that song.

[01:27:52] Much is true.

[01:27:54] It's such a heartbreaking song you guys. I'm crying right now.

[01:27:57] I'm the glimpsed. Discuss.

[01:28:01] Dude, I'm so moved right now but I'm sound of my own voice. I don't know if I can engage in this.

[01:28:05] I'm experiencing the movement myself.

[01:28:09] Hey Jim, that's kind of kinky.

[01:28:12] Mark, happy anniversary by the way buddy.

[01:28:15] What a great year it's been.

[01:28:18] It's really been quite a year and you might have heard Mike Stahl say it's kind of light at the end of the tunnel.

[01:28:23] I don't know about that but one of the things we wanted to do is keep the community connected.

[01:28:28] Kind of look back at history and talk to some of the personalities and I think it's been a pretty successful person.

[01:28:32] Oh dude, we'll also make a lot of money and we've done that haven't we? Just hand over a fish. Give us some money.

[01:28:38] You guys keep in touch with me.

[01:28:40] Really? What's up with that?

[01:28:42] It's been a labor of love and it's not quite a year until I'm out of year and I started the actual anniversaries in three months.

[01:28:49] Right.

[01:28:51] So we'll do this full anniversary for you guys today.

[01:28:54] As usual it's all about Mark Torres.

[01:28:56] It's Bandel Ballet.

[01:28:58] So Mark it was in June you joined us right? It was June of 2020.

[01:29:03] I don't remember. The night 2020 is a blur and I want to forget it.

[01:29:06] Yeah, yeah, probably was.

[01:29:08] Okay.

[01:29:10] Yeah the weather was warm.

[01:29:12] This is probably the best thing that came out of 2020 for me outside of my life.

[01:29:16] Still breathing but this was incredible.

[01:29:19] It has not been a labor of love because it's been a fun time.

[01:29:22] I look forward to it every single Sunday and it's been great making new friends and

[01:29:25] making new enemies too.

[01:29:28] Where's my nemesis?

[01:29:30] Clay here?

[01:29:32] Hello, Clay.

[01:29:34] How's it going?

[01:29:36] Not quite.

[01:29:38] Clay is the glue.

[01:29:40] Clay is the glue that keeps us together and he's done so for quite some time now and of course you got to have the glue in order to keep this whole thing rolling.

[01:29:47] If you've been a guest on Foos Talk live of course, you know Clay because he kind of handles the green room and takes care of things.

[01:29:56] You know when we've got a boomer up shouldn't say that.

[01:29:59] When we've got somebody who has less technical knowledge, he's right there for you.

[01:30:04] So it's great.

[01:30:06] The irony is that without the glue you have yourself a sticky situation.

[01:30:12] That's her paradox.

[01:30:13] I'm writing that down.

[01:30:15] I'm going to use that in my commentary.

[01:30:17] It's all your extreme part.

[01:30:20] Public access, reverse paradox pun right there for you.

[01:30:25] Yeah, I got to write all that down too.

[01:30:27] Yeah, yeah.

[01:30:29] Speaking of commentary, Mark and I are going to be busy here.

[01:30:33] What is it? Three weeks?

[01:30:35] We're going to be up in Portland, Oregon for Moneyball.

[01:30:37] Of course we had Don and Kopey on last week to talk about it.

[01:30:39] I'm getting excited.

[01:30:41] It's been almost 14 months since I've commentated.

[01:30:43] It's been about 15 years since Mark and I worked a complete event together.

[01:30:47] We're looking forward to the new inside foos, offering some new things and just getting back out on tour and doing what we do best.

[01:30:54] Are you guys going to rehearse in advance?

[01:30:56] Are you going to do a little stage work before you step up there?

[01:30:58] Yeah, it's all scripted.

[01:31:00] You know that every single thing we see is scripted.

[01:31:02] So we'll go through probably hundreds of rehearsals before the event in order to get it right.

[01:31:06] However, we did last night do some live streaming play-by-play commentary.

[01:31:11] You could find it at bearded wonder cruise ball twitch.

[01:31:14] We did it to get the rust off and have some fun.

[01:31:16] I had fun, Jim.

[01:31:18] I hope you had fun.

[01:31:20] It was great.

[01:31:22] Mark and that's something moving forward with technology being what it is these days.

[01:31:25] We can bring the dyp of the week or whatever from different parts of the world.

[01:31:30] Mark and I can sit in and do a little commentary and talk a little smack about some of the players and have a good time.

[01:31:36] Maybe a staff while you're at it.

[01:31:38] Of course, detecting may be an idea for a contest here.

[01:31:41] When the contest, you get your match commentated from a distance.

[01:31:45] Yeah, great idea.

[01:31:47] Like that.

[01:31:49] Very interesting.

[01:31:51] What would a party be?

[01:31:53] What would it be without some kind of social lubricant?

[01:31:55] Let's get down.

[01:31:57] What Jim and I like to do right about this time is to reveal our favorite IPA.

[01:32:01] You know, Tom, the IPA actually was kind of invented by the British when they sent beer down to India.

[01:32:09] They needed a way to preserve it.

[01:32:11] So they just added a little hot to it.

[01:32:13] We're going to have a beer.

[01:32:15] A great elevated IPA out of Elbuquerque, New Mexico.

[01:32:17] Propoconose 7.2 alcohol by volume.

[01:32:20] It's called voodoo ranger.

[01:32:22] I find it very good.

[01:32:24] It's a double IPA called the mercenary NYRC and ARY.

[01:32:26] So things could get interesting here in about 15 minutes or so.

[01:32:30] A lesion space dust.

[01:32:32] It's got a picture of a hops on the front, hops with eyes and a mouth spewing space dust.

[01:32:38] Tonight I'm having a stone IPA out of San Diego, Canada.

[01:32:42] I literally have been drinking since the 90s.

[01:32:45] Gunpowder IPA.

[01:32:47] Sound of power.

[01:32:49] Big bite double IPA.

[01:32:51] Just enough sweetness to balance out the hop load.

[01:32:53] Leaving a dry and resonant finish.

[01:32:55] Did you read that off the label?

[01:32:57] Perpetual IPA.

[01:32:59] It's a gift that keeps on giving apparently.

[01:33:01] Probes?

[01:33:03] Yeah, it seems like maybe a Dutch or German word.

[01:33:06] 7.5, that's pretty hard to come up with.

[01:33:08] IPA of the week.

[01:33:10] I've heard that's a segment here on the show.

[01:33:12] Tampa, Florida.

[01:33:14] Cigar City Brewing.

[01:33:16] It is my IPA of choice.

[01:33:18] Highlight just like the game.

[01:33:20] Citrus inspired IPA with notes of

[01:33:23] Clementine Orange peel and caramel malt.

[01:33:27] I want to consider that.

[01:33:29] It was actually a 2014 World Beer Championship

[01:33:32] silver medalist for Best IPA called the Cranky Anker.

[01:33:35] Brewery Omegang IPA which is called Nervon.

[01:33:38] She drinks double IPAs, must be a crank out of a

[01:33:44] long cat of a very, very tasty.

[01:33:47] I'm going to be a fan of the double IPA.

[01:33:50] The truth about flying dog brewery.

[01:33:53] I'm going to do a toast.

[01:33:55] I think.

[01:33:58] Jim, I'm beginning to wonder if you're going to make it through the night.

[01:34:01] It didn't sound too good there.

[01:34:03] But so you're ready?

[01:34:05] Oh boy.

[01:34:07] The miracle of sound effect.

[01:34:09] Well done, Tom.

[01:34:11] Yeah, no, is this where we actually talking about what we're having tonight?

[01:34:14] That was really quite something.

[01:34:16] Just listening to that, I was starting to get a little buzz.

[01:34:18] So Mark, you've got something to celebrate with tonight for the first anniversary?

[01:34:20] I do.

[01:34:22] And I had my wife pour me a glass of wine to be festive.

[01:34:26] Okay.

[01:34:28] And I don't know what the hell it is.

[01:34:30] I don't have the bottle.

[01:34:32] So it's red.

[01:34:34] You know, I can tell you it's red.

[01:34:36] Dark red.

[01:34:38] It's either a Cabernet or a Merlot.

[01:34:40] Okay.

[01:34:42] And let me try it out and let me tell you what I think.

[01:34:44] All right.

[01:34:46] It's his IPA.

[01:34:48] It's his individual personal alcohol.

[01:34:50] I got a $2 bottle of wine with my friends and it was acidic.

[01:34:54] Like you're supposed to go in like a marinara sauce or something.

[01:34:57] We just behind the 7-Eleven like drinking and then we're riding our bikes

[01:35:02] and they hit a curb and then I started doing flying kicks.

[01:35:05] They saw karate kids and I'm drunk.

[01:35:08] I'm forgetting.

[01:35:10] Spray my ankle because I thought I could do a swan kick.

[01:35:13] An unbreakable swan kick.

[01:35:15] I love it.

[01:35:17] It brings back that memory, you guys.

[01:35:18] That's a fascinating story, Mark.

[01:35:20] Yeah, it comes from the water.

[01:35:22] Wow.

[01:35:24] Man.

[01:35:26] I did crane kicks because I was belligerent eighth grader and spray my ankle.

[01:35:29] Boone's farm wine.

[01:35:31] Well done.

[01:35:33] Boone's farm wine.

[01:35:35] Oh yeah.

[01:35:37] How about we had Mad Dog 2020 was another and what was the other?

[01:35:41] God, I can't think of it now.

[01:35:43] It was like a tankeray and orange juice or something.

[01:35:45] It was something that came in a bottle.

[01:35:47] It's just horrible, but we drank it.

[01:35:49] Did you hang out with Snoop Dogg when you were young?

[01:35:51] I think so.

[01:35:53] I'm pretty sure he raps about all those.

[01:35:55] Were you rolling down the street smoking indo?

[01:35:57] Hey, I drove an identical car to Snoop Dogg.

[01:36:02] I had a 1974 Coupe de Ville de Elegance 2-door with white landow roof,

[01:36:07] mint green just like Snoop.

[01:36:09] Same example.

[01:36:11] I find out that you're rolling down the street with an AK-47 and then drunk, man.

[01:36:15] I'm just going to go ahead and color me surprised.

[01:36:17] True story though.

[01:36:19] True story.

[01:36:21] All I need is Tom Robinson with cornrows like with his arms.

[01:36:24] All I need is a...

[01:36:26] Hey Texas State, right around the corner.

[01:36:29] Somebody around here is kind of on it too.

[01:36:31] You're just maybe doing...

[01:36:33] Oh man.

[01:36:35] From the hood.

[01:36:37] Take control of this show, would you Tom?

[01:36:39] All right.

[01:36:41] So we are going to be toasting our On A Group of the Week.

[01:36:42] And by the way, the On A Group of the Week is very special today.

[01:36:46] Water for Mason's, nobody cares. Go ahead.

[01:36:48] Oh, you're...

[01:36:50] Tom, you're bad at this Tom.

[01:36:52] Oh my God, Clay, you've got to have something to toast with.

[01:36:55] I actually have something special.

[01:36:57] Normally I drink a bottle of water.

[01:36:59] For the special occasion this week,

[01:37:01] I'm drinking a can of water.

[01:37:04] Oh, can of water.

[01:37:06] That metal tastes good.

[01:37:08] New variety.

[01:37:10] And it's delicious.

[01:37:12] Well, so we're toasting the On A Group of the Week.

[01:37:16] This week is you, the listener, you listening right now.

[01:37:20] You're the On A Group.

[01:37:22] And because, well, we wouldn't be here without you.

[01:37:24] I mean, we'd just be talking to ourselves.

[01:37:26] And so you for listening to Fooze Talk Live, here's to you.

[01:37:31] Yeah, that's awesome. Here's to you guys.

[01:37:33] Thank you so much for a great first year.

[01:37:35] This is me hitting the can to the mic.

[01:37:38] Cheers.

[01:37:40] Oh yeah.

[01:37:42] Bump of the can.

[01:37:44] It's like drinking red wine vinegar.

[01:37:46] Red wine vinegar?

[01:37:48] Is that good, huh?

[01:37:50] We got a fun show planned for tonight.

[01:37:52] We've got our, Mark and I are going to talk about our top five guests from this past year without making anybody too mad.

[01:37:58] And of course, you know, we have some other features for you as well.

[01:38:03] So it's a party here at Fooze Talk Live.

[01:38:06] Oh no questions.

[01:38:07] We're also going to be well celebrating in some other ways, which I'll, well, you'll see it's sort of self-explanatory.

[01:38:14] But I think it's time we take a look back in history with this is going to be unique to say the least this Fooze Talk Live flashback with great moments in Fooze Ball history.

[01:38:27] This is a Fooze Talk Live flashback.

[01:38:32] Three, three here in the fourth and this one intercepted by Pappas.

[01:38:36] It's match point for Billy Pappas and Mark Torres.

[01:38:41] Spreedman can't connect.

[01:38:44] It has not been your typical Tony's Predamon performance, but give Mark Torres some credit.

[01:38:50] He has played very well in Billy Pappas of course, has been his super self.

[01:38:55] The table and in and there it is.

[01:38:58] Who scored that baby?

[01:39:00] Who scored that?

[01:39:01] Billy Pappas and Mark Torres, I don't want to say upset because it's Billy Pappas, but they defeat.

[01:39:07] Spreedman never heard that call.

[01:39:09] Mark Torres to advance to the semifinals of Open Dumbals.

[01:39:13] What a performance by Pappas and Torres.

[01:39:17] All your life Mark.

[01:39:19] Listen in next time for another great moment in Fooze Ball history.

[01:39:23] It's Fooze Talk Live.

[01:39:26] So who is it that was yelling call your wife Mark at the end? Who's that?

[01:39:29] That might have been me.

[01:39:31] That actually might have been me.

[01:39:33] It could have been.

[01:39:35] You don't know the backstory on that match.

[01:39:37] Oh, we do.

[01:39:39] We've talked about it.

[01:39:41] Previous game I think I think it was the game before that one.

[01:39:44] Mark during a timeout is on the phone FaceTiming with his wife.

[01:39:48] And I was watching the video and it cuts to Tony and Rob on the other side of the table looking across at Mark.

[01:39:54] And they look real happy with you.

[01:39:56] I gotta say.

[01:39:57] What do you think that did?

[01:39:59] The fact is you think that brought me joy or brought me great pain.

[01:40:03] Then they were uncomfortable with me on the phone.

[01:40:05] Probably the former.

[01:40:08] But it was really something I mean great performance by Mark in that match and nobody was more surprised than me.

[01:40:15] And again let's reiterate that win was over Tony Spreedman and Robert Morris.

[01:40:19] I think did get back to the finals.

[01:40:21] They might even have won that year.

[01:40:23] They lost that year.

[01:40:24] They did.

[01:40:26] They lost to Diaz and Ryan Moore.

[01:40:28] Yeah.

[01:40:30] They got back to the finals in a fifth place finish for Billy Babson and Mark Torres in a very early third.

[01:40:34] Fourth place my friend.

[01:40:36] Fourth place would be Warren Van Lindingham as someone else to get to fourth.

[01:40:40] What we blew it was what we blew it is for winners to play for third.

[01:40:44] We played Lewis and Fernando and I bricked the hell out of Fernando.

[01:40:47] Billy couldn't score on Lewis and we figured it out after the match which is the hallmark of a rusty team.

[01:40:52] We knew what to do on Lewis after the match and all that 2020 hindsight is the difference between being a master team and being a pro team.

[01:40:59] We didn't make the adjustment during the match but I bricked Fernando and Lewis bricked Billy or we'd be at third.

[01:41:04] Okay.

[01:41:06] Very cool.

[01:41:08] Wow very cool.

[01:41:10] We got a bunch of guests coming in tonight don't we?

[01:41:13] We got five or six different people going to pop their way in including Hall of Famers and it should be a lot of fun.

[01:41:18] And before we get to all that and of course the top five.

[01:41:22] Well after listening to some of our past episodes we could use a little bit of class in our show.

[01:41:29] Welcome Fuzers ladies and gentlemen.

[01:41:33] Inside Fuz will now present to you the first year anniversary performance of the Fuz Talk Live.

[01:41:41] Anniversary choral singers conducted this evening by Dr. Mark Amphthadey-Torres.

[01:41:47] What?

[01:41:49] A renowned karaoke performer on amateur Fuzbo world champion.

[01:41:54] Sit back and enjoy our performance.

[01:41:58] My stroke if you please.

[01:42:02] Happy anniversary.

[01:42:06] Happy anniversary.

[01:42:09] Happy anniversary.

[01:42:12] Happy anniversary.

[01:42:14] I wish you happy, happy anniversary.

[01:42:21] Happy anniversary.

[01:42:24] This special day I'm happy with you.

[01:42:27] Let's celebrate a happy anniversary.

[01:42:30] Happy anniversary.

[01:42:33] Happy anniversary.

[01:42:36] Happy anniversary.

[01:42:38] Happy anniversary.

[01:42:41] That was lovely.

[01:42:42] I can't believe you are so good with voices between you and clay.

[01:42:45] You guys can do it.

[01:42:46] Any kind of voice.

[01:42:47] That's amazing.

[01:42:47] A little off key, but you know, I think we managed to make it.

[01:42:51] That was beautiful.

[01:42:51] There's a kazoo back there.

[01:42:53] I thought I heard a kazoo like that.

[01:42:54] Yeah.

[01:42:56] Love it.

[01:42:56] Crowd loves it.

[01:42:57] Crowd loves it.

[01:42:58] Take a bow, Mark, for being our conductor tonight.

[01:43:00] Yes, sir.

[01:43:01] Yeah.

[01:43:01] Amazing.

[01:43:02] Great stuff.

[01:43:02] Mark and doing a duet with Alvin the chipmunk.

[01:43:05] Very well done, Mark.

[01:43:05] Really well done.

[01:43:07] Oh, and I own Alvin the chipmunks.

[01:43:09] Own that.

[01:43:10] Own that.

[01:43:11] No, it's a party.

[01:43:12] So why not?

[01:43:13] We needed a little class in our lives.

[01:43:16] So there you go.

[01:43:17] Anyway, love it.

[01:43:19] So where we were at, oh yes, the top five.

[01:43:23] By the way, top five, we're going to be talking about the last year

[01:43:27] because it is the anniversary.

[01:43:28] The top five guests.

[01:43:30] Now we should probably preface this by saying that everybody was a top five guest.

[01:43:34] Everybody.

[01:43:36] Well, well, that's a fake staff for sure.

[01:43:40] I had to stop eating my salad just so I can say that.

[01:43:45] There were certain bottom fives in there.

[01:43:47] I don't mind saying that.

[01:43:47] OK, I had to listen to the bottom five for another time

[01:43:50] and a couple of them are pretty obvious.

[01:43:51] I think wait, I have a bottom five.

[01:43:53] I thought that's what we were doing tonight.

[01:43:54] I'm sorry.

[01:43:55] Well, let's here's the other thing.

[01:43:57] OK, I'm going to actually chime in as well because I think I was

[01:44:01] all done.

[01:44:01] I can be as much of an authority on this topic as anybody else.

[01:44:06] I think so I'm going to have my own top five as well.

[01:44:09] So I love it.

[01:44:10] It is in case you just tuned in the first anniversary celebration of Fooz Talk Live.

[01:44:14] It's been a year as of yesterday, in fact, that we first came on the air

[01:44:19] with this great concept of bringing Fooz Ball to everybody's attention

[01:44:24] even though we can't play.

[01:44:25] But Jim, I think we've had some great times.

[01:44:29] So we have special guests lined up who want to hang out with us briefly tonight.

[01:44:32] So our number one, of course, is going to be Steve Murray.

[01:44:36] Steve, how are you doing?

[01:44:38] Hey, guys, what's going on?

[01:44:39] What's happening, man?

[01:44:41] Well, hold on before we go anywhere.

[01:44:43] All right now this isn't this isn't play audio or anything like that.

[01:44:46] But stand by.

[01:44:53] It's Little River Band happy anniversary.

[01:44:55] I know that song. Yeah.

[01:45:02] So Tommy kind of stole my thunder, buddy.

[01:45:04] I mean, how in the heck do you top the chipmunks with the Little River Band?

[01:45:08] Yeah, right?

[01:45:11] That's great. It's impossible.

[01:45:13] Great choice. Absolutely.

[01:45:15] Great choice.

[01:45:16] It's good to know you know music.

[01:45:18] Now, do you should have just played that 45 on 33?

[01:45:23] You're showing off my collection and my age.

[01:45:25] There's your come on.

[01:45:28] First things first, a no BS happy anniversary, guys.

[01:45:31] I can't believe it's been a year.

[01:45:33] It's literally flown by.

[01:45:35] Thank you. And and honestly,

[01:45:38] I think this show without blowing too much smoke up your rear ends

[01:45:42] has really helped the Fooz family get through one of the most

[01:45:45] difficult years in most of our lives as far as us Foozers, right?

[01:45:49] Yeah. I mean, you kept everybody thinking about it

[01:45:52] and talking about it and watching videos and stuff like that.

[01:45:56] I mean, honestly, the show has really been helpful

[01:45:58] and trying to get us through a tough period. So thank you.

[01:46:01] I really think I think you guys deserve some kudos for that.

[01:46:05] And, you know, again, I don't want to blow too much smoke, but

[01:46:08] but it would have been really, really, really boring without you guys.

[01:46:12] So good job and congratulations on your anniversary.

[01:46:16] Steve, we have a caller.

[01:46:17] Mike is on Fooz Talk Live with us.

[01:46:19] Mike, how you doing? Thanks for joining us.

[01:46:21] Hey, guys, it's Mike Green. What's happening?

[01:46:23] What's happening, Mike Green?

[01:46:24] Well, I'm going to say happy anniversary

[01:46:28] and kind of hard to follow Steve Murray.

[01:46:32] The legend.

[01:46:34] It's easy, easy.

[01:46:35] I'll be right out of your way in just a few seconds.

[01:46:37] Here we go.

[01:46:38] I'm going to entice him up here

[01:46:40] and there'll be a bottle of Crown Royal with his name on it.

[01:46:42] Oh, I may or might not partake in that bottle,

[01:46:47] but it's certainly going to have one for him.

[01:46:49] And I will I will just end by saying

[01:46:53] it's really bringing a lot to the table

[01:46:56] and such a great step in the right direction.

[01:46:59] So I'm excited about all that.

[01:47:00] But you got it, Steve.

[01:47:02] Thank you, Steve. Great chatting, buddy.

[01:47:03] Thank you. OK.

[01:47:05] All right. All the best boys.

[01:47:06] Take care. See you soon.

[01:47:08] Wow. So, Mike, you still with us?

[01:47:10] So are you are you having some fun tonight with us?

[01:47:13] Oh, I'm loving it, man.

[01:47:14] And I cannot confirm or deny

[01:47:16] whether I've ever sat down with Steve over the years

[01:47:18] and had a couple of crowns.

[01:47:22] Understood.

[01:47:24] You're safe.

[01:47:25] Well, happy anniversary, guys.

[01:47:27] It's been awesome.

[01:47:28] You know, I'm one of your number one fans.

[01:47:30] So kind of amazing how quickly Mark could kick me.

[01:47:33] I was top five, though.

[01:47:36] I got you in there, nobody.

[01:47:39] I appreciate it.

[01:47:40] Talk a little bit about how, you know,

[01:47:43] I don't know whether it started necessarily

[01:47:45] with your appearance here, but your love of foosball

[01:47:48] has sort of been reinvigorated, hasn't it?

[01:47:50] Yeah, I mean, actually, yeah, it is.

[01:47:52] It's a lot of fun.

[01:47:53] And, you know, that's what I've been saying forever

[01:47:55] that basically they would just put some fun back into this game.

[01:47:58] You know, it would be, you know,

[01:48:00] I would definitely come out and play some tournaments.

[01:48:02] I mean, it's not about the money for me.

[01:48:04] I mean, it's it's not about, you know,

[01:48:06] I mean, I'll go to Steve's Tournament Flyout

[01:48:08] and I've done it in plenty of times.

[01:48:11] But yeah, I mean, yeah, I love the game

[01:48:13] and it's a lot of fun to be around it.

[01:48:15] And I know the Florida Tournament is a small tournament.

[01:48:18] But I mean, I'm going to put a shout out to those guys

[01:48:20] that Tommy and his wife, you know, Dana

[01:48:23] and the whole crew, those guys.

[01:48:25] Hello, happy birthday, happy anniversary.

[01:48:28] Thank you, Liz.

[01:48:30] Thanks for it's an honor to be on the top list

[01:48:33] and always another beyond the show.

[01:48:35] It's always a blast listening to you guys

[01:48:37] chatted up about this and that.

[01:48:40] And of course, being a part of it is is even more fun.

[01:48:43] So how are things in your part of the world?

[01:48:45] What's what's happening for you right now?

[01:48:48] Well, you know, my life is super busy and it's good.

[01:48:53] So I work a lot and I mom a lot and I wife a lot.

[01:48:59] Any way inside food is a little

[01:49:01] yes, yes, food is in there too.

[01:49:04] I'm not going anywhere anytime soon.

[01:49:06] So who's follows still definitely a priority

[01:49:10] and still want to be competitive and and be present.

[01:49:16] So that's definitely happening as well.

[01:49:19] It's good.

[01:49:21] Tommy, are you with us?

[01:49:22] I'm with you. Can you hear me?

[01:49:23] There you are.

[01:49:25] Welcome to Fooze Talk Live.

[01:49:26] We're glad that you could you could make it.

[01:49:28] No, it's something technical must have happened.

[01:49:31] But there you are.

[01:49:32] Yeah, I'm going to have to write a letter to the discord people

[01:49:35] and show them there's something wrong with this.

[01:49:38] And it's so Tom Yor.

[01:49:40] That is so Tom Yor.

[01:49:41] We're going to write a letter.

[01:49:43] It's all right. Here we are.

[01:49:44] Yeah, it's technology. Happy anniversary, boys.

[01:49:47] Thank you very much.

[01:49:48] Appreciate that.

[01:49:49] Now, it's a live broadcasting.

[01:49:51] We fly by the seat of our pants and whatever happens happens.

[01:49:53] Right? It's it's that is what it is.

[01:49:56] Last time we talked to you, in fact, you rescued us.

[01:49:59] You pulled us from from the face of fate worse than death.

[01:50:02] Funny stuff. The funny thing is he didn't even realize it.

[01:50:05] I don't think he heard that part of the show and he came on at the end.

[01:50:08] And we thought, oh, Tom's here to rescue us.

[01:50:09] And you did.

[01:50:10] But you had no idea what it transpired just moments before.

[01:50:14] Funny story because I jumped in because I was listening.

[01:50:18] I was walking the dog, honestly.

[01:50:20] And then I'm listening while I'm walking the dog

[01:50:21] and it was at the end of the broadcast.

[01:50:23] I listened to the beginning and then I listened towards the end.

[01:50:27] And then I kept, you know, hearing you talk about something that annoyed me.

[01:50:32] So that's when I called in.

[01:50:33] So it wasn't till the next day that I listened to the whole thing.

[01:50:36] And I didn't hear the whole interview before me.

[01:50:40] Now, yeah, got the perspective.

[01:50:42] I was dying.

[01:50:43] I was dying listening to it.

[01:50:45] So but I could see the confusion when I called in and you're like,

[01:50:51] you know, I'm complaining about what I was hearing.

[01:50:52] You thought I was hearing something else.

[01:50:54] Right. Yeah, that was funny stuff.

[01:50:56] Incidentally, that that episode is so far broken the record for downloads.

[01:51:01] It's the most we've had.

[01:51:03] Legendary.

[01:51:04] I feel like yelling at my dog right now and telling someone to get out of the room.

[01:51:07] I don't know why, but I imagine it would be funny if I did.

[01:51:12] Oh, man.

[01:51:13] No, Tom, you've got your own legend to live up to, which is.

[01:51:17] The flesh. Yes.

[01:51:18] The flesh around the world.

[01:51:21] Telling people know that's real.

[01:51:24] So funny, dude.

[01:51:26] There are stories going back, you know, 50, 75 years about about radio

[01:51:30] personalities who wore their microphones into the bathroom.

[01:51:34] And we are live with the Fus Talk Live.

[01:51:36] It's the first anniversary celebration and we are flying by the seat of our pants here.

[01:51:40] It's let's see if we can get Reese Roberts on with us.

[01:51:43] He is he's calling in from London, England,

[01:51:46] where it's probably three in the morning, I think there's Reese.

[01:51:50] Are you with us? Hello. Can you hear me?

[01:51:52] We got you. We can hear you. Yeah.

[01:51:54] All right. Sorry about that. I don't know what's going on there.

[01:51:56] No, it's not you.

[01:51:57] It's something to do with this this this discord that we're using.

[01:52:01] So it's already up. Yep.

[01:52:03] But you're you're on.

[01:52:04] So thank you so much for joining us and thank you so much

[01:52:07] for your for your anniversary greeting that you sent us.

[01:52:11] It's a pleasure and thank you for doing the shows for the last year.

[01:52:15] As Steve Murray said, you know, it's

[01:52:18] it's some foods to look forward to every week.

[01:52:21] So I know the last time we talked, you know,

[01:52:24] you're you're also doing some some work on the air.

[01:52:27] Give us an idea what's happening with the with the podcast there.

[01:52:31] Well, it's run by Will Hawke and he is another one today.

[01:52:36] I don't know if anyone tuned in.

[01:52:38] Oh, well, I know Mark did and it was with Steve Lyle.

[01:52:42] Right.

[01:52:42] See you talking about his history as well as a bit about inside foods

[01:52:49] and what's going on there as well.

[01:52:52] So, Rhys, I know things are still pretty much shut down in England.

[01:52:56] Yeah, I know you're itching to play.

[01:52:58] I know you want to get back out there and play.

[01:53:00] You're a huge boost ball fan, huge boost ball man.

[01:53:03] You know, what's it looking like for you?

[01:53:05] When do you think you might be able to get back out and play a little bit?

[01:53:09] I don't know. I know that I think that later on before the end of May

[01:53:15] inside sports will be allowed again.

[01:53:19] And sometime in June, they basically hope to lift pretty much all the restrictions

[01:53:27] that from a person.

[01:53:28] So I guess there will be dyps and things like that probably starting then.

[01:53:35] So this is the first anniversary of Food Talk Live.

[01:53:37] We've been doing this for an exactly year and Jim, you and I kind of hatched this.

[01:53:42] We we plotted this out after an interview on a food ball radio about the pandemic

[01:53:48] and things kind of came together.

[01:53:50] And all of a sudden here we are a year later and how about a blast with this

[01:53:55] with this podcast, this live feed, of course.

[01:53:58] And our final guest is really a great way to finish this off

[01:54:01] because he is renowned throughout the food ball community.

[01:54:05] And really was a terrific guest.

[01:54:07] The first well, I'm trying to think now how many times

[01:54:09] he's been on with us now, but a couple of times.

[01:54:12] Well, he was on for the one the one full show, which which was great.

[01:54:16] Would have made my top five, except it already made Mark's top five tonight.

[01:54:19] So let's bring him on. Let's let's get to talk about Steve's story.

[01:54:22] Telling I want to hear that.

[01:54:23] Mr. Steve Biney. Can you hear me OK? Yes.

[01:54:26] Perfect. OK, I want to tell a story I've never told.

[01:54:30] It gets me emotional really.

[01:54:32] Sometimes I start to think about it and I can't really talk because

[01:54:37] I guess first of all, before I say that,

[01:54:41] thanks for bringing me on the team and on the show.

[01:54:43] Oh, sure. I hope to be an asset.

[01:54:45] Thank you for being here.

[01:54:46] And I know Clay's in the background.

[01:54:48] I appreciate what he does.

[01:54:49] Mark, Jim and Tom, happy one year anniversary.

[01:54:53] Thank you. You're doing an outstanding job.

[01:54:54] I mean, I.

[01:54:57] I really appreciate what you're doing.

[01:54:58] And I see it going to greater heights.

[01:55:00] Cool. Thank you.

[01:55:02] I'm honored to win your anniversary.

[01:55:04] I want to tell you a story we often swing around

[01:55:07] the term foosball family.

[01:55:09] I can't think of a single story in my forty five,

[01:55:12] forty six years of playing that really even comes close to this one to me.

[01:55:18] And the story centers around Adrian Zamora

[01:55:22] and he's a great friend.

[01:55:24] I love that guy who doesn't. Right.

[01:55:28] Basically, if you have a problem with Adrian, you're probably the problem.

[01:55:33] So.

[01:55:35] I'm going to go back to the twenty nineteen

[01:55:39] World Cup and

[01:55:42] I took my son and I had traveled to

[01:55:46] Minneapolis to play on the tables with Gummison.

[01:55:50] Adrian had traveled from his hometown in California to Denver for a week

[01:55:55] to practice on all five tables.

[01:55:59] And then Adrian flew with his wife to

[01:56:02] Murcia, Spain, and I flew with my son, Stevie, who's nineteen years old at the time.

[01:56:07] And that's the first time Adrian met my son.

[01:56:13] As you know, Adrian doesn't have any children, but his dogs are his children.

[01:56:18] He loves his dogs in the back.

[01:56:20] And so my son, if he meets you before he walks away,

[01:56:27] probably ten times out of ten, he's going to give you a hug.

[01:56:30] That's just how he is.

[01:56:31] And I introduce him to Adrian and Adrian is facing me.

[01:56:37] My son is back as to me and my son goes to give him a hug.

[01:56:41] And I watch Adrian feel that uncomfortable

[01:56:45] look when somebody's entered your boundaries and you're a little bit

[01:56:48] uncomfortable, and I could tell that look that that quickly faded because

[01:56:53] then the competition started.

[01:56:56] And of course, my son who's been around

[01:56:58] football and never experienced anything

[01:57:01] like what he saw in Spain, the United States player really can't

[01:57:06] found them until they see the emotion, the excitement, the noise,

[01:57:10] the cheering, the ups and the downs and everything in between.

[01:57:15] And so I'm playing Adrian in classic doubles and senior doubles.

[01:57:23] Me and Gummison are playing Garrett and Adrian.

[01:57:25] They have us down two games and nothing.

[01:57:28] And before the third game starts, my son's there and he's screaming for me.

[01:57:32] You know, I tell him, I didn't fly across the ocean for this, you know?

[01:57:35] And it's long story short as we come back and we win that match.

[01:57:40] But my son loves Adrian so much because of how intense the match was.

[01:57:45] And just the whole way it went, you know, there was nothing

[01:57:51] adversarial, but we were all going at it, you know?

[01:57:53] And so my son makes the point, Stevie, to follow Adrian around in all his matches.

[01:58:01] And he does not miss a single match while Adrian is playing senior men single.

[01:58:08] And a couple of times I wanted to go eat.

[01:58:11] He's like, no, dad, I got to watch Adrian.

[01:58:13] You know, he's going to be disappointed if I'm not there.

[01:58:17] So he's screaming for Adrian loud.

[01:58:20] OK.

[01:58:20] And right before the night before we had to play the team event,

[01:58:25] we were heading back to the hotel and Stevie said, I don't want to leave yet

[01:58:29] because Adrian might be playing tonight.

[01:58:30] And so he says, I want to go back and I walk back in Spain.

[01:58:36] I'm not going to let it work about three blocks away from the venue.

[01:58:39] And the mere fact that my son would want to

[01:58:42] walk back there at night where it's dark by himself told me he really

[01:58:48] wanted to do this, so we went back.

[01:58:50] Adrian wins the match.

[01:58:52] So I mean, now Adrian is hugging all over him.

[01:58:56] He acts like he's known him for 30 years and we get all fast forward to where

[01:59:01] we're leaving and we're all at the train station and me and gummy and

[01:59:07] my son Stevie and

[01:59:10] Victor Tracy McMillan.

[01:59:11] And here comes Adrian in Bath about a corner 60 yards away.

[01:59:15] Is TVLs Adrian?

[01:59:16] Adrian, Stevie, it was like straight out of Rocky with Adrian.

[01:59:22] I thought one for each other.

[01:59:23] You know, I can almost hear that chariot to fire theme going in the background.

[01:59:28] They call their hub, right?

[01:59:30] And so, you know, in Bath and Adrian when my son walks away says, boy,

[01:59:36] we just really love your boy.

[01:59:37] He is one of a kind.

[01:59:39] I don't know.

[01:59:40] We've never met somebody like him.

[01:59:42] So I go home.

[01:59:44] And I'm on vacation at Hilton, that island.

[01:59:48] And I get a call from Adrian saying, hey, I sent you something to get it.

[01:59:51] I said, no, I'm on vacation.

[01:59:52] He goes, well, you let me know when you get it.

[01:59:54] I want to send Stevie something.

[01:59:56] I really appreciate him.

[01:59:59] He's really something.

[02:00:00] I said, OK, I get home and we open the mail and

[02:00:05] I can't even believe it.

[02:00:08] Adrian sent my son a card and his gold medal.

[02:00:13] Well, I mean, you'd name me a foosball player.

[02:00:16] Just play 40 years that travels out of town for a week,

[02:00:20] not to mention all the blood, sweat and tears over his career.

[02:00:23] Traveled to Denver, playing with everybody, flew his wife over there,

[02:00:28] stands on the podium, bows down and put a medal over his head.

[02:00:32] And I'm not talking about a duplicate medal.

[02:00:35] It was the metal.

[02:00:36] Wow.

[02:00:37] And so he sent him the card and then the card.

[02:00:41] I don't have to paraphrase.

[02:00:42] And it says, you know, Stevie,

[02:00:46] basically, you don't know what to say.

[02:00:48] Sometimes you meet somebody and they take on this significant

[02:00:53] significance in your life almost right away.

[02:00:56] Yeah. He said, and I could not have won

[02:00:58] this gold medal if it wasn't for you.

[02:01:00] In fact, one match, you showed up a few balls late and I was down and I was

[02:01:05] worried like I was looking around where are you?

[02:01:07] Oh my goodness.

[02:01:08] Here you come.

[02:01:09] And he said, I just can't believe it.

[02:01:11] I want you to have this and

[02:01:15] this is just as much as it is mine.

[02:01:17] Now, keep in mind, we talk about for the family.

[02:01:21] Adrian, when I overseas, I want a gold

[02:01:24] medal for the USA and gave it away to a kid he never met.

[02:01:29] Now, so when I first saw that, we opened up

[02:01:33] the envelope, my first distinction was to say, Stevie, you cannot have this.

[02:01:37] But I just I didn't want to say anything.

[02:01:39] I really couldn't speak.

[02:01:41] I dialed Adrian's phone the next day,

[02:01:44] but after it rang one or two times, I just hung it up because I knew

[02:01:48] I was afraid I was going to tear up, you know?

[02:01:51] And and then about three days later,

[02:01:54] I still couldn't call him because I didn't know what to say.

[02:01:57] I think it was a week later when I finally called us at Adrian.

[02:02:00] I am.

[02:02:03] I'm hardly going to speak, man.

[02:02:05] I'm going to embarrass myself.

[02:02:06] I don't even care.

[02:02:08] And I told my son, I said, and you're

[02:02:11] an entire other than me, my wife, your sister, it's a fact.

[02:02:15] No one will ever in your life give you something that significant

[02:02:21] to you, let alone you never met the man.

[02:02:26] Let alone maybe you understand what he.

[02:02:30] Invested to get that.

[02:02:32] You was there when he they played the national anthem.

[02:02:35] And you know, and they put it over his head and he put it in the mail

[02:02:39] with a card and sent it to you.

[02:02:42] You know, and to me, you know, we talk about family and there is.

[02:02:48] And we know what especially master players, it's so hard to get there.

[02:02:52] People don't understand if you were an expert rate of player

[02:02:56] went out and won every tournament four years.

[02:02:58] I don't still think you could become master.

[02:03:00] Right. It's hard to get to.

[02:03:02] And it's hard to stay there.

[02:03:04] And so I've never been able to tell that story.

[02:03:10] I always wanted to tell it.

[02:03:11] I'm going to make a hundred times to make a face of Facebook post.

[02:03:16] That's beautiful, buddy.

[02:03:17] Yeah, absolutely with Mark, Clay, Tom, I'm gonna say this.

[02:03:22] I can give you all the compliments in the world and you appreciate that.

[02:03:27] But if I make the compliment about your child,

[02:03:31] it's all it's all zero and it's off the hook.

[02:03:33] Yeah, of course it is.

[02:03:35] Yeah, of course it is.

[02:03:37] And that's beautiful.

[02:03:39] Adrian Zemore gave his gold medal to my son.

[02:03:42] Well, it says a couple of things.

[02:03:44] It says obviously Adrian is we all as we all know just

[02:03:47] to superior human being no question about it.

[02:03:50] But it also suggests that young Stevie has a pretty good father himself.

[02:03:54] And great story and really appreciate you jumping in here.

[02:04:00] That's the best story that's ever been told on the show.

[02:04:02] Oh, yeah, my two through five are my stories, but this is the best story.

[02:04:08] No, no, it's a lovely.

[02:04:10] It's an amazing story, some moving story.

[02:04:12] I mean that for the bottom of my heart.

[02:04:13] It's such a great story.

[02:04:14] So Adrian about it.

[02:04:17] Yeah, what has been such a great show tonight?

[02:04:21] Really, what a great way to close it out, Steve.

[02:04:23] Beautiful, beautiful story.

[02:04:25] And I'm envisioning down the road here at some point, Stevie and Adrian once

[02:04:29] again, meeting each other, seeing each other and and reuniting and that bond.

[02:04:35] I'm sure we'll be there again.

[02:04:36] Coming in at number seven with so many great memories with this

[02:04:40] fifty first episode of Fooze Talk Live, the first anniversary of Fooze Talk

[02:04:45] Live airing on April 10th of 2021.

[02:04:48] Thanks so much to our guests and you, the listener.

[02:04:52] Finally, we're up to the sixth most downloaded episode of Fooze Talk Live,

[02:04:56] Fooze Ball Radio.

[02:04:58] Originally airing in January of 2019,

[02:05:01] it's been downloaded 656 times.

[02:05:05] This is the fourth episode of Fooze Ball Radio

[02:05:10] called The Women of Fooze Ball Part One.

[02:05:23] Welcome to Fooze Ball Radio.

[02:05:27] This episode of Fooze Ball Radio is brought to you in part by Five One Eight Prince

[02:05:36] for all your custom Fooze Ball apparel and swag.

[02:05:39] Five one eight prints dot com represent and by Kick Track, the brand new app

[02:05:46] for your phone to track your Fooze Ball matches.

[02:05:48] Download it today at kicktrack dot APP.

[02:05:52] Welcome back to Fooze Ball Radio, the ultimate Fooze Ball podcast.

[02:05:56] I'm Tom Robinson with Chuck Dooley and Nino Dujan and our special guest co-host

[02:06:02] Rob Cadel from RK Fooze Ball in Florida.

[02:06:05] He's in New York State.

[02:06:06] We're not sure why during the winter at any rate.

[02:06:10] We are here to bring you up to speed on our next episode,

[02:06:13] which is called The Women of Fooze Ball.

[02:06:15] This actually will be part one because we're going to break this down

[02:06:19] into two parts.

[02:06:20] We have so many great interviews for you.

[02:06:23] So today we're very lucky.

[02:06:24] We have two really great players and actually one of the promoters too in the

[02:06:29] business. We have Liz Hill, a Hall of Famer,

[02:06:32] and we'll be speaking with Kristen Grogan, who is not just a player,

[02:06:36] but also a promoter and very active in the sport for many, many years.

[02:06:41] So we'll be speaking to those ladies coming up.

[02:06:43] This is part one of The Women of Fooze Ball and we'll begin in just a moment.

[02:06:47] Stick around. We are here on Fooze Ball Radio, the ultimate Fooze Ball podcast.

[02:07:02] I'm Liz Hill and I listen to Fooze Ball Radio.

[02:07:13] It's the ultimate Fooze Ball podcast.

[02:07:15] This is Fooze Ball Radio.

[02:07:16] I'm Tom Robinson with Chuck Dooley and Nino Dijon.

[02:07:20] And today we are working on a fantastic episode.

[02:07:23] It's called The Women of Fooze Ball.

[02:07:26] It's so funny.

[02:07:27] I got into a conversation with someone recently who is not a Fooze Ball

[02:07:30] player, and I asked him why he wasn't interested in playing locally.

[02:07:34] And he said, well, you know, I don't think the chicks really dig it.

[02:07:38] And I said, I beg your pardon.

[02:07:40] I beg your pardon.

[02:07:41] The chicks really do dig it.

[02:07:42] In fact, proof positive, we do have one of the best women Fooze Ball players

[02:07:48] with us today on Fooze Ball Radio.

[02:07:50] Liz Hill is with us.

[02:07:52] So welcome, Liz.

[02:07:53] Thank you. Thank you. It's great to be here.

[02:07:55] Now, your status currently, are you a Hall of Fame player?

[02:07:58] I am indeed a Hall of Fame player.

[02:08:00] Sometimes I have to like think twice about it because it's so cool.

[02:08:04] Yeah, it is.

[02:08:06] And when did you become a member of the Hall of Fame?

[02:08:09] I got inducted in 2017.

[02:08:11] Wow, congratulations.

[02:08:12] Yes, congratulations and honor for sure.

[02:08:15] And so let's let's do this.

[02:08:17] Let's trace you back to those origins back to the days when you first saw Fooze

[02:08:21] Ball table. What was that like?

[02:08:23] What kind of table did you first play on?

[02:08:25] My first table was a tornado.

[02:08:28] OK, that was in 1989.

[02:08:30] Oh, wow.

[02:08:31] In Tampa, Florida.

[02:08:32] So I have played on other tables like Dynamo.

[02:08:36] Those were were around in Tampa as well,

[02:08:38] but I pretty much have always been a tornado baby.

[02:08:41] Is that where you started to play in Tampa?

[02:08:44] Yes, I did.

[02:08:45] I started in Tampa, so I kind of got lucky.

[02:08:49] As far as I think my career path

[02:08:52] blossomed so quickly because of all the phenomenal players that are playing

[02:08:56] in Tampa. Yeah, it's crazy.

[02:08:58] Great scene down there.

[02:08:59] Yeah, who was who was the players that were playing back then?

[02:09:02] Down in Tampa.

[02:09:03] Back then we had Johnny Horton and Tom Yor and Chris Darczewski

[02:09:08] and Casey Pruitt and Bobby Diaz.

[02:09:11] No kidding.

[02:09:12] Mike Green was world champion.

[02:09:14] Carl Miller was a world champion.

[02:09:16] I'm sure I'm missing quite a few good players.

[02:09:20] Yeah, but I mean they're all top players.

[02:09:22] I mean, so you're a beginning player back in 1989 and you're playing

[02:09:27] in Tampa and these these soon to be legends or legends at the time.

[02:09:31] What were they like?

[02:09:31] What how did they treat you?

[02:09:35] Well, to be honest, not very well.

[02:09:37] OK, as far as table play goes,

[02:09:40] they definitely didn't really care if you were a new player or not.

[02:09:43] You're going to get creamed on the table.

[02:09:46] Everybody wants to win.

[02:09:47] It was incredibly competitive.

[02:09:49] No sympathy.

[02:09:51] And that's OK.

[02:09:52] You know, looking back on that, it wasn't really fun at the time.

[02:09:55] Well, actually it was.

[02:09:56] Otherwise I wouldn't have stuck with it.

[02:09:58] Yeah, I think about it was fun.

[02:09:59] Now, was it something that there was a point at which you said, OK,

[02:10:03] I don't care that I'm getting beat every time.

[02:10:05] I'm going to continue with this and really push forward in and eventually

[02:10:09] must have been a point where you said, you know what?

[02:10:10] I'm going to be a competitor.

[02:10:11] I'm going to really, really bear down on this.

[02:10:13] What do you remember when that might have been?

[02:10:15] That all happened pretty quick.

[02:10:17] I would say that one one streamed right into the other because,

[02:10:21] you know, first I saw the game and I played it and then and then I saw

[02:10:26] that there was competition involved and I just loved it because it's fun.

[02:10:29] Right?

[02:10:30] It's fun.

[02:10:31] Absolutely.

[02:10:31] And then, you know, when I realized that these people are playing

[02:10:35] local tournaments and they're like competitive and enjoying it.

[02:10:40] And here the first time you slam, you know, the ball into the can,

[02:10:44] it makes that big noise.

[02:10:46] That's what that's what sinks you in.

[02:10:48] Yes, yeah.

[02:10:48] Very addictive.

[02:10:49] And then you find out there's what you mean?

[02:10:52] There's more stuff.

[02:10:54] Oh, what? You guys are world champions.

[02:10:55] Holy cow.

[02:10:56] So, you know, it kind of went from from this local thing that was just kind of

[02:11:00] fun and I was in high school.

[02:11:01] I was only 14 at the time and it moved into Wow.

[02:11:04] You know, there's local.

[02:11:06] Oh, there's regional.

[02:11:07] Oh, there's this tournament, you know, in Atlanta called the Masters.

[02:11:12] That's coming up in six, eight months or whatever it was.

[02:11:15] I can't remember how long and the next thing I know I'm there.

[02:11:20] That's really cool.

[02:11:21] Really cool.

[02:11:22] And did you have friends at the time that played with you?

[02:11:25] Not at the time.

[02:11:26] I mean, the friends that I had in Boothwell were people that I met while playing

[02:11:30] Boothwell, so I didn't personally have anybody that I just kicked the ball around

[02:11:35] with it was everybody that I met there.

[02:11:38] Right. Gotcha.

[02:11:39] And now here's the thing we always wonder when a woman like yourself,

[02:11:46] a young woman who's very adept at the game, playing with these really top

[02:11:51] notch players, when you played with other, let's say, ordinary civilians,

[02:11:56] shall we say, like the boys and you beat them badly.

[02:12:00] How did they take it?

[02:12:01] Were they were they upset typically?

[02:12:03] I would say some of them definitely were hacked.

[02:12:05] I mean, you know, it's nature of the beast.

[02:12:09] It's a male dominated sport anyway.

[02:12:12] But I do want to add that there were several lady players when I first picked up

[02:12:16] the game in Tampa that were really awesome.

[02:12:19] Sure.

[02:12:20] So, you know, it wasn't like I went into a male dominated sport.

[02:12:27] Well, it is no dominate, but in Tampa, there were half a dozen ladies that played

[02:12:31] not a lot.

[02:12:33] Yeah.

[02:12:33] Local theme competitively.

[02:12:35] So so let us know at the point at which you had your first big victory

[02:12:41] when it came to a let's say regional or major tournament.

[02:12:44] What was that like when you had your first big victory?

[02:12:46] I thought to myself, finally.

[02:12:50] Yeah.

[02:12:51] How long did it take?

[02:12:52] By then and I have to say, I earned it rather quickly, but I had put in

[02:12:59] so many hours, so many hours.

[02:13:01] I mean, it was nonstop.

[02:13:03] I had a food ball table in my garage and I was on it all the time.

[02:13:09] Sure.

[02:13:11] Dedication for sure.

[02:13:12] Now, do you remember the specific match, the person that you had to beat to win

[02:13:17] that particular tournament?

[02:13:19] OK, I'm like the absolute worst at this.

[02:13:22] I don't remember matches very well.

[02:13:24] It's all a blur.

[02:13:25] I understand.

[02:13:26] I'm the same way.

[02:13:28] I was playing with a woman from Colorado and her name is Dandy Lucas.

[02:13:34] OK.

[02:13:35] And she played pits for me.

[02:13:39] I don't remember what tournament.

[02:13:40] It might have been like a U.S. Open or something like that.

[02:13:42] That's then we had five major tour stops.

[02:13:44] And anyway, it was it was one of those.

[02:13:47] Right.

[02:13:47] I had one and that was what year?

[02:13:50] Do you remember the year?

[02:13:51] No.

[02:13:53] It had to have been probably like 90, 91 was my first title.

[02:13:57] I mean, it was like right after I started playing.

[02:13:59] It was playing 89.

[02:14:01] So I would give it a good update.

[02:14:03] The end of 90 or the beginning of 91.

[02:14:05] It was pretty quick because I turned pro.

[02:14:07] I started 14 and turned pro by the time I was 16.

[02:14:11] No kidding.

[02:14:12] Wow, right?

[02:14:12] Congratulations.

[02:14:13] It was right away.

[02:14:15] You know, like I said, everything happened fast.

[02:14:16] It was like I started playing and now I'm a pro.

[02:14:19] Yeah, I remember you showed up at some of our tournaments up in the Northeast

[02:14:23] and Albany and Boston and you were a great player back then.

[02:14:25] I mean, you're a great player now.

[02:14:27] How do you maintain that all these years?

[02:14:29] Man, that's a good question.

[02:14:30] I think I think baseball is a lot like riding a bicycle.

[02:14:33] Once you reach a certain level, you're going to retain it, maintain it.

[02:14:36] I took I took 10 years off of the game to raise a family and came back and just

[02:14:41] picked up right where I left off.

[02:14:43] I still have to practice.

[02:14:45] I think practicing is still important, but there's just a lot that you know

[02:14:48] that you gain over the years that just kind of stays.

[02:14:50] Sure.

[02:14:51] I think champions, people who win consistently,

[02:14:55] there's just something that they know.

[02:14:57] I can't even necessarily put my finger on it.

[02:14:59] It has to be a combination of variables and elements.

[02:15:01] You know, when you win and you won several times,

[02:15:05] there's something that gets you there every time.

[02:15:08] And it's just a matter of tapping into that each time.

[02:15:11] And sometimes you miss a few things and you don't win.

[02:15:14] Right.

[02:15:15] So that's that's my theory.

[02:15:18] That's a great theory.

[02:15:20] So when you play a major tournament, I mean, it's usually Thursday through

[02:15:24] Monday, let's say, I mean, that's a lot of playing.

[02:15:27] So what do you do to prepare?

[02:15:29] How do you maintain your stamina?

[02:15:32] Well, at this age, it's hard.

[02:15:34] Yeah.

[02:15:35] I would say definitely go to sleep right away.

[02:15:37] That's that's the one thing I know I have to do is go to bed as soon as possible.

[02:15:41] But there's never enough sleep and I take a lot of ibuprofen.

[02:15:45] Yeah.

[02:15:46] And that's common in football, I think.

[02:15:49] I think a lot of people can relate to that.

[02:15:51] Yeah.

[02:15:52] And some bio freeze.

[02:15:53] You know, I mean, it's stuff like that.

[02:15:55] It's definitely harder now being in my 40s.

[02:15:58] And it was when I was in my 20s.

[02:15:59] I'm sure that's how it is for a lot of players.

[02:16:01] I'd say the same thing.

[02:16:03] Sure.

[02:16:03] You know, so it I mean, I put in my time on the table as much as I can.

[02:16:10] It's a busy life before tournament.

[02:16:12] And I think that's super important because, you know, you got to have that muscle

[02:16:15] memory. I don't want to have to think about a shot thinking about a shot.

[02:16:19] I just got blocked.

[02:16:20] You know, so if I see a hole and I can just hit it without thinking about it,

[02:16:24] you know, that comes with practice repetition.

[02:16:27] There's a least for me.

[02:16:29] Well, let me just start by saying that I'm very surprised and very

[02:16:33] happily surprised that you so early on in this for you guys.

[02:16:38] And when it talks about women, I think that's great.

[02:16:39] But it's gosh, I don't really know.

[02:16:41] I mean, you guys are doing something that that no one's really done before.

[02:16:45] OK, OK, I would say keep it diverse and just keep asking questions.

[02:16:50] We'll break through some way to know what's going on with like the kids.

[02:16:53] And I never hear about what's going on in your part of the country.

[02:16:55] Like I really don't know the players that there's that that well.

[02:16:59] And that's why I chose to go to a couple of tournaments in that area.

[02:17:03] OK, let's go up here.

[02:17:05] So what's going on regionally?

[02:17:07] OK, you know, what are the differences between the Northeast and the California

[02:17:13] players and Texas players?

[02:17:14] And I mean, those are all really cool little tidbits about foosball.

[02:17:17] Sure. Even at the top players that like Tony,

[02:17:20] I mean, surely he's noticed something

[02:17:23] regional, yeah, certain players.

[02:17:25] I think I think those little things would be cool to know.

[02:17:29] So we've been talking to Liz Hill on foosball radio, the ultimate foosball

[02:17:34] can't find the ultimate foosball podcast.

[02:17:37] I'm going to add it that way. That's why we don't do it live.

[02:17:39] Right.

[02:17:42] But it.

[02:17:44] But anyway, thank you so much for being with us.

[02:17:48] And we look forward to seeing you on the stage.

[02:17:58] Hi, my name is Christian Gergen and I listen to foosball radio.

[02:18:09] Yep, it's foosball radio.

[02:18:11] I'm Tom with with Nino and Chuck.

[02:18:14] And this episode is called The Women of Foosball.

[02:18:19] And of course, foosball being the kind of sport that has been for so many decades.

[02:18:24] I think a lot of people have to misunderstand that it's primarily men.

[02:18:28] That is not necessarily the case.

[02:18:30] And here to prove our point is a lady by the name of Kristen Grogan.

[02:18:34] And Kristen has been involved in this sport for how many years now?

[02:18:37] Off and on for 30.

[02:18:39] 30. Wow.

[02:18:41] And you started when you were two, is that the deal?

[02:18:44] Yes.

[02:18:46] I don't mind admitting to my age and yeah,

[02:18:50] I was a teenager 15, 16.

[02:18:53] Got it.

[02:18:53] And so as far as your origins of foosball are concerned,

[02:18:58] where did it all start for you?

[02:18:59] Came from the Mecca of Denver.

[02:19:01] OK, like most of the other top foosball players.

[02:19:04] Great place.

[02:19:05] Got it.

[02:19:06] So you're exposed to some of the we were exposed to professional players

[02:19:09] early on in your career?

[02:19:11] Yes, that was the only style I ever knew.

[02:19:14] Didn't know there was anything else but professional play.

[02:19:17] Really? Now, now we're talking the 1980s when you first got into the industry.

[02:19:23] Yeah, later 80s, 85s, 87, 88.

[02:19:27] OK, very good.

[02:19:28] And so as far as your exposure to foosball,

[02:19:33] what kind of tables were you playing on?

[02:19:35] Tornado.

[02:19:35] Tornado, wow.

[02:19:36] Back then.

[02:19:37] Yeah, Denver was one of the first to migrate to tornado early years.

[02:19:42] And in the early days, how many how many other ladies were playing the game?

[02:19:47] So I'm out, I would say it's still the same percentage as it is compared to the men

[02:19:52] today, you know, 10 to 20 women if we had 50 to 100 players.

[02:19:57] In Colorado, quite a few women players out there too.

[02:20:01] Correct.

[02:20:02] Oh, yeah.

[02:20:02] Yeah.

[02:20:03] There are still very active, high skilled women.

[02:20:07] Sure.

[02:20:07] Denver.

[02:20:08] I can remember back then just about I think all 10 of the top 10 players in the

[02:20:13] world were from Denver or Colorado in that area, weren't they?

[02:20:17] Very much.

[02:20:18] Tom Spare, Tom Petrado, Gus Trevino, Scotty Weidman.

[02:20:22] The list goes on quite a bit of strong.

[02:20:25] So you're playing against a strong player base there.

[02:20:27] Yes.

[02:20:28] And I have no idea how good they were.

[02:20:30] No time to.

[02:20:32] I didn't get that they were the best in the world, because they didn't tour.

[02:20:36] I was too, you know, as a teenager, wasn't that interested at the time?

[02:20:41] Sure.

[02:20:41] As I got a little older, you know, they would come home with money and trophies.

[02:20:46] Quite a bit more money back in that day.

[02:20:48] Sure.

[02:20:48] Mm hmm.

[02:20:49] I just didn't get it.

[02:20:51] I did not understand their skill level, their foosball intelligence until

[02:20:56] many years later when I started touring on the professional level, then I got it.

[02:21:01] Right.

[02:21:02] Oh, you guys really are that great.

[02:21:04] I should have paid more.

[02:21:06] You should have paid a lot more attention.

[02:21:08] Let me tell you, it's a lot of years of good training.

[02:21:10] And so for you, when was it that you

[02:21:12] realized you wanted to tour that you get out on the road?

[02:21:15] Not until 2004.

[02:21:17] OK.

[02:21:17] I played a lot.

[02:21:18] Yeah, I liked playing as a teenager.

[02:21:20] We're not very serious later years in my 20s.

[02:21:24] I didn't take it too seriously, but I did enjoy playing.

[02:21:27] Other things took precedence, college, etc.

[02:21:30] Then in 2000, about late 2000 or early 2000, I'm sorry.

[02:21:36] Early 2000s in California got back into it and then moving to the East Coast DC area.

[02:21:42] It became a full on hobby slash game slash sport for me and started touring.

[02:21:48] Way of life.

[02:21:49] Yeah, right.

[02:21:50] Yes.

[02:21:50] An addiction.

[02:21:51] Yeah, literally a way of life.

[02:21:53] So when you got to DC, was there a scene already there?

[02:21:56] Was there were there a lot of players there?

[02:21:58] Yes, we used to have a pretty good player base as some areas do now.

[02:22:03] But we saw a little bit of a dwindle.

[02:22:05] It was Northern Virginia, Maryland area, DC area.

[02:22:09] There was quite a bit of tables, players, nights,

[02:22:13] but pretty much five nights a week you could play.

[02:22:16] There were leagues, pick up games, regular weekly tournaments.

[02:22:21] Then there was state tournament.

[02:22:23] It's a pretty good team.

[02:22:24] Now, there are other women,

[02:22:25] foosball players that you've known your entire professional career.

[02:22:29] I mean, the people that you that you play with on a regular basis these days?

[02:22:33] Oh, yes.

[02:22:34] One of my favorites and longtime friend, Tracy Berbaker, she and I were

[02:22:38] you know, teenagers and growing up in Denver and she was based out of our

[02:22:42] Vada and Tom Spears location.

[02:22:45] Right.

[02:22:45] Got it.

[02:22:46] Quite a bit.

[02:22:47] We weren't as close as we are now and we didn't tour as much back then.

[02:22:52] But yes, we both grew into it quite a bit.

[02:22:55] I'm curious as to when it comes to being a woman in foosball,

[02:23:00] what are the good stuff?

[02:23:02] What's the good stuff and what's the bad stuff?

[02:23:04] I don't think there is.

[02:23:05] I think it's the same for us.

[02:23:07] I don't see a difference between men and the women.

[02:23:10] OK.

[02:23:11] I know that probably sounds strange, but no,

[02:23:15] we're just like every player, no matter what the gender or age.

[02:23:19] Right.

[02:23:20] So you found a modicum of respect from the male players?

[02:23:25] Oh, it's a loaded question.

[02:23:29] I yeah, I felt a little loaded and I don't know that I could answer that.

[02:23:33] I think so.

[02:23:36] Like I said, I don't see a really big difference between the genders that I

[02:23:41] don't notice anyone talking to me any different than they would everybody else.

[02:23:46] Right.

[02:23:46] Right.

[02:23:47] That's probably a question more for Nino and Chuck.

[02:23:50] But they would know if there's a difference.

[02:23:53] Well, I mean, Nino's got a young daughter,

[02:23:56] Hannah, who's certainly an accomplished foosball player so far.

[02:23:59] And she's what, Nino?

[02:24:00] What she's 13?

[02:24:01] 13.

[02:24:02] 13. Yeah.

[02:24:03] And it seems to be doing well.

[02:24:04] I mean, I guess it depends upon perspective, of course.

[02:24:07] But yeah, it's always good to know that there is some respect involved

[02:24:12] in what you do as a foosball player as a woman.

[02:24:15] Absolutely.

[02:24:16] Oh, sure.

[02:24:17] I've played Hannah and she's great.

[02:24:20] But don't think that when I didn't lock up to the table,

[02:24:22] I knew what I was getting myself into.

[02:24:25] I mean, she is a Dijon after all.

[02:24:28] Yeah.

[02:24:28] I treat her like I would any other player.

[02:24:32] You have to.

[02:24:33] Her age or gender.

[02:24:35] I went in there with the full on intent to beat up.

[02:24:39] You have to.

[02:24:40] Yep.

[02:24:40] Absolutely.

[02:24:41] You cannot take them lightly.

[02:24:43] Consider gender.

[02:24:44] Any type of age range, whether you're 60 or 16.

[02:24:48] That's right.

[02:24:49] How'd you know how old I was?

[02:24:52] Well, that's an easy one.

[02:24:55] I learned years ago.

[02:24:56] I mean, never underestimate the person across the table.

[02:24:59] Absolutely.

[02:25:00] Everybody's put in time and effort to get there.

[02:25:02] Sure.

[02:25:03] You know, especially the bigger tournaments, they're putting a lot of money into it too.

[02:25:06] So they've got they've got a lot invested in just like you do.

[02:25:09] Yep.

[02:25:09] And it's a field of battle, correct?

[02:25:11] Oh, yes.

[02:25:12] And it doesn't matter who's on the other side.

[02:25:14] They are just as much of a competitor as anyone else in the room.

[02:25:18] I gotta ask you, Kristen, you play with Todd a lot.

[02:25:21] What's it like playing against the better,

[02:25:23] not the best players in the world on a consistent basis?

[02:25:26] I guess I become accustomed to it.

[02:25:29] I know that probably sounds odd, but I kind of use to it.

[02:25:34] I take your beatings, you know, and you try to smile and do what you can.

[02:25:39] And then, sir, there's some equality there.

[02:25:42] You've had some great matches against great players and gone neck and neck.

[02:25:46] Or it's been favorable to us or them.

[02:25:49] I don't feel extremely overwhelmed by any of them, except for one.

[02:25:54] Except for one.

[02:25:57] There's there's only one guy in the room at every tournament that is my nemesis.

[02:26:03] That is, I cannot get over the hurdle of managing him.

[02:26:07] But otherwise, it'll happen.

[02:26:09] Yeah, that'll happen.

[02:26:11] I doubt it.

[02:26:13] He's pretty sharp.

[02:26:15] Any time I try to figure something out,

[02:26:17] he figures he figures out any easy than been gracious enough to help me in how to play

[02:26:24] against him. OK. And yet it's it still doesn't help me get over the hurdle.

[02:26:30] He was probably lying to you, giving you the wrong info.

[02:26:32] There you go.

[02:26:33] Reverse psychology. OK.

[02:26:36] Yeah, don't think that didn't go through my mind.

[02:26:40] Come on now we're all football players.

[02:26:42] We know what we're doing.

[02:26:43] All is fair.

[02:26:46] And definitely that has changed a great deal over the decades, is the so-called head

[02:26:52] game. The mental part.

[02:26:53] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[02:26:54] We've even talked briefly about putting together an episode when it comes to

[02:27:00] Fuseball Radio, the mental game of Fuseball.

[02:27:03] I think that would be a fascinating topic.

[02:27:05] It was and especially now compared to say the 70s, 80s and 90s as you guys

[02:27:12] are aware of and play back in those.

[02:27:14] It's different.

[02:27:15] I don't see any major type of so-called head game.

[02:27:19] Everybody's more congenial now.

[02:27:21] It's it's kind of more of a family atmosphere.

[02:27:25] Whereas back then it was, you know, cutthroat.

[02:27:27] You know, you had Johnny Horton colorful and screaming vocal.

[02:27:32] Calling your mother names.

[02:27:35] I kind of miss those days a little bit.

[02:27:37] And I do have to admit I enjoy a good show that some of the players put

[02:27:42] on as long as it doesn't get personal.

[02:27:45] Sure. And most of the time it's not personal.

[02:27:48] It's that's the part of their game.

[02:27:50] That's the comedy that they bring to it.

[02:27:53] I enjoy it.

[02:27:54] I'm terrible to say that, but no, only to a certain extent.

[02:27:57] It's entertainment.

[02:27:58] It's entertaining.

[02:27:59] I mean, I can remember, you know, Johnny was in Kentucky a few years back

[02:28:03] and there's crowds all around him watching.

[02:28:05] You know, it's fun to watch the show.

[02:28:07] It's awesome.

[02:28:08] Really just kind of boost up everything.

[02:28:11] It's probably considered unsportsmanlike to a certain level, of course.

[02:28:17] Yeah, my favorite is Bobby Diaz.

[02:28:19] Oh yeah?

[02:28:23] I mean, I remember the Horton days.

[02:28:25] The Horton days, yes, that was some good time.

[02:28:28] However, the width of Bobby Diaz just cracks me up.

[02:28:33] He's really cutting, I guess.

[02:28:35] Well, didn't Johnny and Bobby play together for a long time?

[02:28:39] Didn't they used to play together?

[02:28:40] They played together some.

[02:28:42] Yeah, well, that must have been quite a show.

[02:28:44] Yeah, I can imagine.

[02:28:46] I can remember them going at each other.

[02:28:47] Oh yeah.

[02:28:48] Sounds about right.

[02:28:49] So now the other aspect of your career as far as a foosball player is concerned,

[02:28:54] you've been doing a lot of tournament work.

[02:28:56] What what is it and how long have you been doing tournaments?

[02:29:00] Tournament work has been probably 13, 14 years now.

[02:29:05] Wow. And how has it changed?

[02:29:07] It has not changed.

[02:29:09] Hasn't.

[02:29:10] OK, no, it has not changed.

[02:29:13] Do you find it does it interfere with your game at all?

[02:29:18] Being running between both?

[02:29:20] It does.

[02:29:22] Unfortunately, there's a kind of work around it.

[02:29:26] You'll get 15 questions asked as you're on your way to your match.

[02:29:31] Right.

[02:29:31] Oftentimes, you can be a little delayed to your match because of something

[02:29:36] that needs to be handled at the moment for the tournament.

[02:29:40] It takes you a minute to get your mindset away from the work aspect

[02:29:44] and then focus on the work that you need to be doing on the table.

[02:29:48] Right.

[02:29:48] And sometimes it can slightly interfere, I think, between player relationships.

[02:29:54] Sure.

[02:29:55] Rarely, but we always try to keep everybody as happy as possible

[02:30:00] and treat them with as much respect because they are our friends,

[02:30:04] our family, our competitors.

[02:30:06] And when you get up to the table, you don't want to start out in a way

[02:30:09] that we had just upset them at tournament work.

[02:30:13] Got it. Yeah.

[02:30:14] Yeah, it makes sense.

[02:30:15] Fine line. Yeah.

[02:30:17] Trying to keep it real, but at the same time, you know,

[02:30:19] it's a tough job running tournaments.

[02:30:21] Yeah, dealing with all the people.

[02:30:22] I mean, I know some foosball players can be winers at times and no.

[02:30:28] Really? Come on.

[02:30:30] Yeah, it is.

[02:30:31] It is very difficult.

[02:30:33] And I don't think we need a lot more people like you, Kristen,

[02:30:35] to do it for the love of the sport.

[02:30:36] You know, yes.

[02:30:37] Well, thank you.

[02:30:40] And yes, we do.

[02:30:41] And I would like to see it done quite a bit differently.

[02:30:45] And what's just

[02:30:46] pretty tell and say in which way would you like to see?

[02:30:50] I want a whole shift in our mentality about foosball.

[02:30:56] I know we refer to it often as a sport.

[02:30:59] And I agree that there is a small niche of sport involved in it with more

[02:31:07] professional, athletic, touring type players.

[02:31:11] But overall, I think we could improve live with foosball.

[02:31:15] The game, I know that sounds a little off.

[02:31:18] No, no, no.

[02:31:19] I think it could really improve live.

[02:31:23] Yes.

[02:31:24] Outside of the tournament as well.

[02:31:26] So yes, this is foosball radio.

[02:31:28] You've been listening to the first part of the women of foosball.

[02:31:32] Part two will be coming up shortly.

[02:31:34] Again, thank you so much for tuning into foosball radio.

[02:31:36] We'll be back again very, very soon.

[02:31:38] And we look forward to seeing you on the table.

[02:31:44] Our sincere thanks go out to Liz Hillmore and Kristen Grogan.

[02:31:49] There you have it.

[02:31:50] Coming in at number six, as we count down the top 10 most downloaded

[02:31:54] episodes of foosball radio and foos talk live,

[02:31:57] we will be finishing the list from number five through number one next week

[02:32:02] during the New Year's Eve episode.

[02:32:04] Meanwhile, thanks for downloading this, the one hundred eighty eighth episode

[02:32:09] of foos talk live.

[02:32:10] Merry Christmas, happy New Year and happy holidays.