Chris Amaral is a great example of what it means to strive for foosball perfection. He is doing the work to make his way up in the ranks and he has a plan. Drive and determination combine with talent...
Become a Foosball Radio Patreon: Patreon.com/FoosballRadio
[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_01]: The following is a presentation of Foosball Radio.
[00:00:06] [SPEAKER_01]: It's FoosTalk Live.
[00:00:08] [SPEAKER_01]: You talking to me?
[00:00:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Compelling and lively banter.
[00:00:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Are you gonna talk to us?
[00:00:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Talking foosball.
[00:00:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Foosball was how I measured my body!
[00:00:15] [SPEAKER_01]: He was a man? You took that away!
[00:00:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Players and fans, promoters and pros.
[00:00:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Unedited and raw.
[00:00:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Talk, talk, talk.
[00:00:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Living in the moment.
[00:00:23] [SPEAKER_01]: We have a lot of important things to talk about.
[00:00:25] [SPEAKER_01]: All while practicing social distancing.
[00:00:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Cool, we'll talk, no big world.
[00:00:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Let's get this thing started.
[00:00:32] [SPEAKER_01]: FoosTalk Live.
[00:01:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Cameron Burrows, Jimmy Love, Dwayne Stewart, Judy Shelbur, Reid Rector, and our friends from the 716 Buffalo Foosball Club.
[00:01:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Your continued support brings expanding content from Foosball Radio as we cover the greatest sport on earth.
[00:01:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Visit patreon.com forward slash foosball radio to find out how to become a foosball radio Patreon.
[00:01:31] [SPEAKER_01]: FoosTalk Live is brought to you by Original Leonhart.
[00:01:36] [SPEAKER_01]: The Leonhart Tournament Model is the most popular foosball table at the ITSF World Cup.
[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Designed and handcrafted in Germany.
[00:01:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Order online and have it delivered to your door.
[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Visit www.original-leonhart-usa.com and use promo code foostalk to save 10% off your purchase price.
[00:02:04] [SPEAKER_01]: And we are live on FoosTalk Live.
[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome back.
[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_01]: It's episode number 223.
[00:02:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Keep losing track here.
[00:02:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Hey there, I'm Tom.
[00:02:14] [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to have some fun tonight.
[00:02:15] [SPEAKER_01]: We're going to talk about foosball like we always do.
[00:02:18] [SPEAKER_01]: And of course, when you want to talk about foosball, it always pays to have somebody to talk to about the sport of foosball who happens to really dig it.
[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Which would be Randy Raposo or shall I say Randy Denba Raposo?
[00:02:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Denba.
[00:02:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Denba.
[00:02:35] [SPEAKER_01]: So welcome, Randy.
[00:02:36] [SPEAKER_01]: What's happening?
[00:02:37] [SPEAKER_04]: What's up Tom?
[00:02:38] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm sore, Tom.
[00:02:39] [SPEAKER_01]: You're sore?
[00:02:40] [SPEAKER_01]: So wait, wait.
[00:02:41] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I...
[00:02:42] [SPEAKER_04]: Go ahead.
[00:02:44] Sore?
[00:02:46] [SPEAKER_04]: I picked up a new table today.
[00:02:48] [SPEAKER_04]: My dear, dear friend, one of my best friends, Chris Folsom helped me pick up a table today and then moved it into the house, got it set up and then Chris beat the hell out of me for a couple hours.
[00:02:57] [SPEAKER_01]: New table?
[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_04]: He's actually...
[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I'm pumped.
[00:03:00] [SPEAKER_04]: He's actually probably listening right now on his way home.
[00:03:04] [SPEAKER_04]: We played four sets.
[00:03:04] [SPEAKER_04]: I won a set.
[00:03:06] [SPEAKER_04]: He said he let me win.
[00:03:07] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't believe that.
[00:03:10] [SPEAKER_04]: But Chris, Chris, Chris, great singles player, man.
[00:03:12] [SPEAKER_04]: Chris, you know, Chris Folsom, UK.
[00:03:14] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, anybody listen, man.
[00:03:17] [SPEAKER_04]: Listen, Chris, Chris going to Florida.
[00:03:18] [SPEAKER_04]: He got a stud for a partner too.
[00:03:19] [SPEAKER_04]: He's got good partners.
[00:03:20] [SPEAKER_04]: Nice.
[00:03:21] [SPEAKER_04]: He's playing pro doubles with Mark Krause.
[00:03:23] [SPEAKER_04]: Mark, yes.
[00:03:24] [SPEAKER_04]: And I think he's got a stud for an open doubles partner.
[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm not going to name him, but you guys will find out soon.
[00:03:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Interesting.
[00:03:33] [SPEAKER_01]: It's not me.
[00:03:34] [SPEAKER_01]: It's not me.
[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_01]: What's he going to say?
[00:03:36] [SPEAKER_04]: He would be like, oh yeah, it's you, Randy.
[00:03:38] [SPEAKER_04]: No, it's not me.
[00:03:38] [SPEAKER_04]: But I'm really excited.
[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm excited for him, man.
[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_04]: He's got a really, really good partner.
[00:03:42] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm hoping they go win open doubles.
[00:03:45] [SPEAKER_04]: That's a tough tournament to win, but yeah.
[00:03:49] [SPEAKER_04]: So I'm sore.
[00:03:50] [SPEAKER_04]: My back hurts from moving the table and then my butt hurts from the beat down I took.
[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Man.
[00:03:55] [SPEAKER_01]: So congratulations on the new table.
[00:03:58] [SPEAKER_01]: And you know, you shouldn't be losing the first couple of sets on your own table for goodness sake here.
[00:04:03] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you know, is he going to give you a rematch sometime in the future here?
[00:04:07] [SPEAKER_04]: Thanks, Tom.
[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:04:09] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean, now that I got the table at the house, I mean, typically I go over to Chris's house.
[00:04:13] [SPEAKER_04]: He's got an awesome setup.
[00:04:14] [SPEAKER_04]: But now that I got I got the new table because the old girl here, she's nice.
[00:04:21] [SPEAKER_04]: She's smooth, but it's not like playing on something new.
[00:04:23] [SPEAKER_04]: I needed some new equipment to, you know, the new tournament tables just play different than the old stuff.
[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_04]: So I just I needed something new to, you know, to make sure that I was tournament ready going forward.
[00:04:35] [SPEAKER_01]: So, well, yeah, the new table.
[00:04:38] [SPEAKER_01]: It means one thing.
[00:04:39] [SPEAKER_01]: You're going to continue to play, which I'm I'm overjoyed to hear that you're going to continue doing this.
[00:04:45] [SPEAKER_04]: That's the plan.
[00:04:45] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:04:46] [SPEAKER_04]: I hope so.
[00:04:47] [SPEAKER_04]: As long as I can.
[00:04:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. No question.
[00:04:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, that makes all the difference.
[00:04:52] [SPEAKER_01]: So I just have to say that that this week has been very interesting.
[00:04:58] [SPEAKER_01]: There's been a, you know, I would say not a lot going on necessarily in the sport, but it's been a it's been a good week.
[00:05:05] [SPEAKER_01]: I think people are getting ready, getting ready for a few things.
[00:05:09] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, a couple of really good tournaments coming up, not the least of which is going to be the Great Lakes Classic in Lansing, Michigan.
[00:05:19] [SPEAKER_01]: I just booked my flight and we've got the last room in the place.
[00:05:23] [SPEAKER_04]: Shut up. Yeah, let's go.
[00:05:25] [SPEAKER_04]: All right. So I'll be there.
[00:05:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, we're gonna have some good times.
[00:05:29] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh, yeah, dude. It's gonna be fun.
[00:05:31] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:05:31] [SPEAKER_04]: Did you did you guys did you put together a team for the like?
[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't know what it's called.
[00:05:38] [SPEAKER_01]: The team event, the six player event thing like the cup thing.
[00:05:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, we're talking about that and we have to see what we come up with here.
[00:05:46] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not sure Tommy yours gonna make it, but I know Sam's going to be there and Nino and Chuck and the usual the usual suspects will be there.
[00:05:54] [SPEAKER_01]: So we might be able to do something.
[00:05:57] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, oh, yes.
[00:05:57] [SPEAKER_01]: The other thing I have to celebrate is I went to check my I.F.P. points today.
[00:06:02] [SPEAKER_01]: I am now officially a rookie.
[00:06:05] [SPEAKER_04]: Sweet, dude. Congratulations.
[00:06:06] [SPEAKER_04]: Officially. That's awesome.
[00:06:07] [SPEAKER_04]: Let's go.
[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_01]: And I have to hand it in no uncertain terms.
[00:06:10] [SPEAKER_01]: I have to hand it to our guest this evening who played with me during the 2024 World Championships or the tornado worlds.
[00:06:19] [SPEAKER_01]: He played rookie doubles with me and we had a great time.
[00:06:22] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think he really he's the one who kicked me over the top here to finally make it to rookie.
[00:06:27] [SPEAKER_01]: So I want to thank we want to welcome and thank Chris Emerald for being with us.
[00:06:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Hello, Chris.
[00:06:32] [SPEAKER_00]: What up, Chris?
[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Hey, Tom.
[00:06:34] [SPEAKER_00]: What's happening?
[00:06:35] [SPEAKER_00]: How you guys doing?
[00:06:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Man, you are that you are the you are the juice.
[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_01]: That's all there is to it's what I needed to get me over the top from beginner to rookie.
[00:06:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Here I am.
[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_03]: I'm nice.
[00:06:45] [SPEAKER_03]: He called you OJ.
[00:06:46] [SPEAKER_03]: Let's go.
[00:06:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Nice.
[00:06:49] [SPEAKER_01]: We did have fun.
[00:06:50] [SPEAKER_01]: And in your honor, I don't know if you can see that five away.
[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, nice.
[00:06:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, five away.
[00:06:56] [SPEAKER_01]: I got the mass foos on one side.
[00:06:59] [SPEAKER_01]: We got Carla.
[00:07:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, we got the Don.
[00:07:02] [SPEAKER_03]: You got the dog.
[00:07:03] [SPEAKER_03]: There you go.
[00:07:04] [SPEAKER_03]: That's what's up.
[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_03]: Tom. All right.
[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_00]: The best part is the new look.
[00:07:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:07:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Who's Tom?
[00:07:09] [SPEAKER_03]: The New England New England Foosball with the food on top.
[00:07:12] [SPEAKER_03]: That's awesome.
[00:07:13] [SPEAKER_00]: There you go.
[00:07:13] [SPEAKER_00]: The old and boom back.
[00:07:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, seriously.
[00:07:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, nice.
[00:07:17] [SPEAKER_01]: That's awesome.
[00:07:17] [SPEAKER_01]: It is.
[00:07:18] [SPEAKER_01]: We're like almost related.
[00:07:21] [SPEAKER_01]: You know what I'm saying?
[00:07:22] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, yeah.
[00:07:24] [SPEAKER_01]: But it's astounding because I think, you know, at this stage in the game of foosball,
[00:07:31] [SPEAKER_01]: you know, the Northeast is coming back with fire.
[00:07:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Fire.
[00:07:37] [SPEAKER_01]: You know?
[00:07:37] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:07:38] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, no, for sure.
[00:07:39] [SPEAKER_04]: You know, it's grown.
[00:07:40] [SPEAKER_04]: The game in the North.
[00:07:42] [SPEAKER_04]: So I don't want to say COVID killed it.
[00:07:44] [SPEAKER_04]: It was already kind of dead, but I think COVID kind of revived it a little bit.
[00:07:49] [SPEAKER_04]: So, you know, John, John Garcia.
[00:07:56] [SPEAKER_01]: He's got a T-shirt.
[00:07:59] [SPEAKER_01]: He's got a T-shirt for you.
[00:08:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, for you.
[00:08:01] [SPEAKER_04]: All right.
[00:08:01] [SPEAKER_04]: Sweet.
[00:08:02] [SPEAKER_04]: Thank you, Johnny.
[00:08:03] [SPEAKER_04]: So I met John 20 plus years ago and John, you know, was a predominant player in the area.
[00:08:10] [SPEAKER_04]: Love foosball.
[00:08:10] [SPEAKER_04]: And then John disappeared.
[00:08:12] [SPEAKER_04]: I think he moved away and then came back.
[00:08:15] [SPEAKER_04]: He moved to California.
[00:08:17] [SPEAKER_04]: And so John Batista was the man running foosball and then John kind of, he kind of stopped running things.
[00:08:22] [SPEAKER_04]: So there was really nobody to carry the torch.
[00:08:25] [SPEAKER_04]: And then when John Garcia moved back into the area, he kind of, I know Matt Contois had some tables and had a location and stepped away.
[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_04]: And John kind of stepped in to fill the void.
[00:08:34] [SPEAKER_04]: And so in the Southeast region of Massachusetts, it's definitely picked up.
[00:08:40] [SPEAKER_04]: I know New Hampshire has a good scene.
[00:08:43] [SPEAKER_04]: Obviously, you guys in Albany have have a great scene.
[00:08:45] [SPEAKER_04]: So I feel like the Northeast, you know, Syracuse.
[00:08:48] [SPEAKER_04]: Yes. Great scene.
[00:08:50] [SPEAKER_04]: There are some players in Connecticut that I don't think people really are aware of, but there's a little group of guys in Connecticut that love to play foosball.
[00:08:58] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:08:59] [SPEAKER_04]: Vermont.
[00:09:00] [SPEAKER_04]: Brian Turman's back.
[00:09:02] [SPEAKER_04]: If anybody doesn't know, Brian Turman was the pro player in the early mid 2000s.
[00:09:09] [SPEAKER_04]: Super nice guy.
[00:09:11] [SPEAKER_04]: I love Brian.
[00:09:12] [SPEAKER_04]: Brian and Kelly Turman are wonderful, wonderful people.
[00:09:14] [SPEAKER_04]: But Brian is such a great player.
[00:09:16] [SPEAKER_04]: Smooth five, great rollover.
[00:09:18] [SPEAKER_04]: Just he's won a bunch of pro events on tour, semi-pro events.
[00:09:21] [SPEAKER_04]: But Brian's making his way back, which is exciting.
[00:09:24] [SPEAKER_04]: The Pyloskis are in Vermont.
[00:09:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh my goodness.
[00:09:27] [SPEAKER_04]: Maine used to have a crew and it kind of fell off.
[00:09:31] [SPEAKER_04]: But I mean, it's definitely getting back to being very formidable.
[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_04]: Yes.
[00:09:38] [SPEAKER_04]: Obviously, you know, John Garcia, Sherwin Pylowski winning rookie doubles at Worlds.
[00:09:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Congratulations.
[00:09:45] [SPEAKER_04]: Well, yeah, Tom, you got a top five finish at Worlds.
[00:09:49] [SPEAKER_04]: Chris, you had a top five finish at Worlds.
[00:09:52] [SPEAKER_04]: You know, Kevin Walker's back.
[00:09:55] [SPEAKER_04]: Tommy Yor is now in the Northeast.
[00:09:56] [SPEAKER_04]: Sam DeJon's in the Northeast.
[00:09:57] [SPEAKER_04]: The Northeast is thriving as far as foosball, man.
[00:09:59] [SPEAKER_04]: People can't count it out.
[00:10:00] [SPEAKER_00]: So we're getting there.
[00:10:02] [SPEAKER_00]: And I've only been back in the game, what, two years?
[00:10:05] [SPEAKER_00]: It's been two years now.
[00:10:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Two years.
[00:10:07] [SPEAKER_00]: And in an hour and 25 minutes, I'm in New Hampshire.
[00:10:10] [SPEAKER_00]: They got two groups there, 40 players.
[00:10:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Smashdown is about three hours from us, which I've been making it a point to get to.
[00:10:18] [SPEAKER_00]: And then the Vermont players come up and the Connecticut players have popped into the Don as well at some of John's tournaments.
[00:10:25] [SPEAKER_00]: That's great.
[00:10:25] [SPEAKER_00]: In the last two years, all of the competitive players in our area have really helped with my progression.
[00:10:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yeah. And just, you know, no signs of stopping.
[00:10:36] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, everybody seems to be.
[00:10:37] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, even Kevin Walker is now back in the game and he's serious about his progress.
[00:10:43] [SPEAKER_01]: And man, it's yeah, there's a lot of enthusiasm.
[00:10:47] [SPEAKER_01]: So we just got to maintain.
[00:10:49] [SPEAKER_01]: But Chris, let's take a little look back on your career as a foosball player.
[00:10:54] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, traditionally, whenever you're a guest on Food Stock Live, we got to ask you the question.
[00:10:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Man, what was the first time you saw a foosball table and how old were you and what kind of table was it?
[00:11:03] [SPEAKER_00]: So I was about 11, 11 or 12.
[00:11:07] [SPEAKER_00]: And the funny thing is, is my dad and my uncle were actually members at the Don Carlos at that point.
[00:11:14] [SPEAKER_00]: And they had what I was told was a dynamo.
[00:11:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Didn't know much about it, but my dad, uncles, they'd go over the bar, have whiskey, coffee,
[00:11:22] [SPEAKER_00]: and they would just throw quarters to the kids.
[00:11:24] [SPEAKER_00]: And we just hoss around on the table there.
[00:11:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, kids at a bar.
[00:11:29] [SPEAKER_00]: But it was a different time back then.
[00:11:30] [SPEAKER_03]: Different time.
[00:11:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, and Don Carlos is a social club.
[00:11:36] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it's kind of, you know, it's kind of a private deal.
[00:11:40] [SPEAKER_00]: So yeah, it was a members club.
[00:11:42] Yeah.
[00:11:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Until the wise recall.
[00:11:46] [SPEAKER_04]: You don't understand.
[00:11:47] [SPEAKER_04]: Listen, Portuguese culture is a little different.
[00:11:49] [SPEAKER_04]: My grandfather used to take me into bars when I was like four or five years old.
[00:11:53] [SPEAKER_04]: My dad was the president of a members club in New Bedford, and I basically grew up in a bar room.
[00:11:59] [SPEAKER_04]: So it was a different time.
[00:12:01] [SPEAKER_04]: It was a different and culturally it's different.
[00:12:04] [SPEAKER_04]: So yeah, we probably saw some things we shouldn't have seen.
[00:12:07] [SPEAKER_04]: But anyway, yeah.
[00:12:10] [SPEAKER_00]: So but I never never stuck at that point.
[00:12:13] [SPEAKER_00]: I played a lot of hockey in high school.
[00:12:15] [SPEAKER_00]: So was never really into the table games.
[00:12:17] [SPEAKER_00]: I'd always see my uncle's play at the bar and things like that, but never really got into it until it was actually John Garcia was a friend of the family and had mentioned that they had a league going on in New Bedford at the time.
[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_00]: And Randy, that's actually when I met you.
[00:12:31] [SPEAKER_00]: I think that was an 02.
[00:12:33] [SPEAKER_03]: It was 02 or 03.
[00:12:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:12:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I had graduated already.
[00:12:39] [SPEAKER_00]: I had my first child and had really no hobbies at the time.
[00:12:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I was still kind of playing roll hockey, which Randy, you and I played together for a little bit.
[00:12:49] [SPEAKER_00]: And John talked me into checking out this league they had.
[00:12:52] [SPEAKER_00]: So me and four of my buddies, we put in the team as beginners.
[00:12:56] [SPEAKER_00]: That's when I really found out what foosball was about and immediately addicted.
[00:13:03] [SPEAKER_01]: And that addiction is really the difference, right?
[00:13:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Because there are a lot of people try or they'll say, hey, you know, it looks like it looks like fun.
[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_01]: They might show up for a night or two.
[00:13:12] [SPEAKER_01]: And now, clearly, you know, when you're a beginner, you're playing better players and they're kicking you around the table, kicking your ass.
[00:13:21] [SPEAKER_01]: So it's like a pound.
[00:13:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[00:13:22] [SPEAKER_01]: So what made you come back?
[00:13:24] [SPEAKER_01]: What made you come back after all that?
[00:13:27] [SPEAKER_00]: So I didn't stop.
[00:13:29] [SPEAKER_00]: We actually did the league.
[00:13:31] [SPEAKER_00]: We kind of died out leagues, then started playing at Big City up in Boston.
[00:13:37] [SPEAKER_00]: And then I think it was one Thanksgiving actually.
[00:13:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Randy, you and I and Eli.
[00:13:42] [SPEAKER_04]: And it was it was NC State 03.
[00:13:44] [SPEAKER_04]: That was the first one we drove to you, me and Eli.
[00:13:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Right after Thanksgiving dinner.
[00:13:48] [SPEAKER_00]: We're like, you know what?
[00:13:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Let's just check it out.
[00:13:50] [SPEAKER_00]: And we just drove and we went.
[00:13:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Got my butt kicked.
[00:13:53] [SPEAKER_00]: 14 hours.
[00:13:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Eli actually ended up taking rookies.
[00:13:56] [SPEAKER_04]: No, it was beginner singles rookie.
[00:13:58] [SPEAKER_04]: He won beginner singles.
[00:13:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Right out there.
[00:14:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:14:01] [SPEAKER_04]: And I think did did you and I play?
[00:14:05] [SPEAKER_04]: Did we play?
[00:14:06] [SPEAKER_00]: No, I don't.
[00:14:07] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't recall.
[00:14:09] [SPEAKER_04]: I remember I got I think I got third in rookie doubles.
[00:14:13] [SPEAKER_04]: And then I got I got third and open doubles with Billy.
[00:14:16] [SPEAKER_04]: But you placed in something.
[00:14:17] [SPEAKER_04]: I know you place in something.
[00:14:20] [SPEAKER_04]: I know Eli won beginner singles.
[00:14:22] [SPEAKER_04]: But I just I remember I remember the ride.
[00:14:25] [SPEAKER_04]: I remember the ride down and the ride back.
[00:14:27] [SPEAKER_04]: It was rough.
[00:14:28] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, yeah.
[00:14:31] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:14:32] [SPEAKER_00]: So I did that to all of it, but I wasn't really I was just still learning the game.
[00:14:35] [SPEAKER_00]: I think I had an OK brush down and a rollover.
[00:14:39] [SPEAKER_00]: And that was it.
[00:14:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I had nothing else.
[00:14:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Got it.
[00:14:42] [SPEAKER_00]: And but well, I was what?
[00:14:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Twenty one.
[00:14:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Twenty two at the time.
[00:14:46] [SPEAKER_00]: So I was always at the bar.
[00:14:48] [SPEAKER_00]: And shortly after you guys talked us into going into Vegas.
[00:14:52] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[00:14:53] [SPEAKER_00]: And that was you and I and Eli and Matt Contour.
[00:14:57] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[00:14:57] [SPEAKER_00]: That was the following year.
[00:14:59] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think I forfeited a majority of the events I entered.
[00:15:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Huh?
[00:15:06] [SPEAKER_00]: And that was nine days in Vegas.
[00:15:09] [SPEAKER_00]: My wife actually flew out to spend the remainder of the trip with me.
[00:15:14] [SPEAKER_00]: So at the time, I enjoyed the game, but I just never took it seriously.
[00:15:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[00:15:19] [SPEAKER_00]: I think I was just I hadn't really grown up yet.
[00:15:22] [SPEAKER_00]: And then I had my second child and then I stepped away from the game.
[00:15:27] [SPEAKER_00]: At that point, I grew up, you know, had to focus on my career, raising my family.
[00:15:32] [SPEAKER_00]: And then as Randy had stated, when Matt and I believe Steve Batista had something going on in Bedford, that was what?
[00:15:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Four years ago.
[00:15:41] [SPEAKER_00]: And then John being a friend of the family's had started posting that it was going to be starting up at the Don Carlos again.
[00:15:48] [SPEAKER_00]: And then that's when I think I was in Texas at the time for work.
[00:15:52] [SPEAKER_00]: And Kevin Arruda had texted me saying, hey, we're going to go by the Don, check it out, see what's happening.
[00:15:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Eli.
[00:15:57] [SPEAKER_00]: So I ended up going.
[00:15:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And then that one time going ended up into two days a week, four to six hours of play every week since then.
[00:16:08] [SPEAKER_00]: And I never sold my table.
[00:16:10] [SPEAKER_00]: I still had the table that I had bought from, I believe, was Charles McIntosh.
[00:16:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes. After that North Carolina tournament, I got a gray marble tornado, which just basically moved around my house.
[00:16:23] [SPEAKER_00]: And finally, as thankfully I kept it because now I try to play at least in a day.
[00:16:31] [SPEAKER_00]: And you still have that table.
[00:16:33] [SPEAKER_00]: I still have the same table. I changed out the men.
[00:16:35] [SPEAKER_00]: A couple of the bars and the three and the play strip.
[00:16:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Nice.
[00:16:41] [SPEAKER_04]: Same table. Just like.
[00:16:43] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Same table. Same year. Same table. Yep.
[00:16:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. So that's what got it back was the local guys starting to get together again.
[00:16:54] [SPEAKER_01]: So I got to I got to ask you the question, though, like you're an among this this group of people that are that are playing and clearly you're just just getting in.
[00:17:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Who are you emulating? Who would you watch and say, I got to play like that guy or that that gal who was that?
[00:17:09] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, so back in the day, Randy and I were both kind of beginners and Billy at the time.
[00:17:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, at least with the passing series, I would try to emulate that.
[00:17:17] [SPEAKER_00]: I do. I do still quite a bit from Randy's five because that's kind of what I was familiar with back then.
[00:17:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Mm hmm.
[00:17:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Trevor Park. I was stoked about him winning his I got to play him the first tournament that was for me was the Masters in twenty twenty three.
[00:17:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[00:17:36] [SPEAKER_00]: And I got to play him and he would me.
[00:17:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I was it was in the D.Y.P. I had played with Kenneth Dale and I was like a fanboy.
[00:17:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I was so excited that I got to play him.
[00:17:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, just a smooth five. Right. I'm more of a brush brush passer.
[00:17:54] [SPEAKER_00]: But on the snake side, I do try to mimic Tom your right Tommy Jr. and Tony right walking it.
[00:18:03] [SPEAKER_00]: I haven't really found what's comfortable yet. I'm getting there though.
[00:18:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, you're you're you're three rows is mighty fine.
[00:18:09] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you know, if you take your time and you do what you normally do, your your basics are there, man.
[00:18:15] [SPEAKER_00]: You're a killer. If I if I can only if I got paid for every time someone would tell me to take my time, I get I get excited.
[00:18:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. I just I get so pumped up in play.
[00:18:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes I'll call a timeout when I'm ahead and I'll just step away just to like settle myself down because I'm getting all excited.
[00:18:33] [SPEAKER_04]: That's what it's about. Yeah.
[00:18:35] [SPEAKER_04]: Chris has Chris is just really smooth, really smooth five smooth shot when he's rolling.
[00:18:42] [SPEAKER_04]: He's super, super tough, you know, but just like just like a lot of players, he's just trying to figure it out.
[00:18:48] [SPEAKER_04]: So, you know, he he's he's just putting in the time and he's chasing it, which I respect.
[00:18:55] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean, if you look at all the good players, this is this is how they start.
[00:18:58] [SPEAKER_04]: This is what they do. So, you know, worlds Chris was there.
[00:19:03] [SPEAKER_04]: Flight delays. You know something about that, Tom, right?
[00:19:06] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah. How do you issue don't get me started?
[00:19:08] [SPEAKER_04]: He was like, hey, it was like, you know what? Forget it.
[00:19:10] [SPEAKER_04]: Rent a car, drove six hours, finished the trip just to get the world to play.
[00:19:15] [SPEAKER_00]: That's dedication. Yeah. Yeah. That's what that's about.
[00:19:17] [SPEAKER_00]: I had to make the call. Well, I actually thought I was I was kind of being a smart ass when I saw the flight was delayed three hours out of Providence.
[00:19:25] [SPEAKER_00]: They were letting people off the flight and I'm like, well, if I could just get to Charlotte, I'll figure something out.
[00:19:31] [SPEAKER_00]: So I waited at the Charlotte. My flight was switched three times and then I was two minutes on the last flight.
[00:19:38] [SPEAKER_00]: They closed the doors. Oh, so they're like, just go to customer service.
[00:19:42] [SPEAKER_00]: They'll set you up with a room and you can stay local. So when I saw the line, it was like 300 people.
[00:19:47] [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm like, yeah, I'm going to go to the main gate for that. Yeah.
[00:19:51] [SPEAKER_00]: And that was a mistake because when I went to the main terminal, the main gate, nobody was there.
[00:19:57] [SPEAKER_00]: It was closed and security closed at 845 so I couldn't get back into the airport.
[00:20:02] [SPEAKER_00]: That's what. So yeah.
[00:20:05] [SPEAKER_00]: So then I was like, all right, I have a national account from traveling from work.
[00:20:09] [SPEAKER_00]: So I shot across the street and I was like, I'm just going to make the six, six and a half hour drive.
[00:20:14] [SPEAKER_01]: There you go. Yeah. I mean, it's crossed my mind.
[00:20:17] [SPEAKER_01]: In fact, I had gone through the process of actually booking the rental car to pick up at four in the morning.
[00:20:24] [SPEAKER_01]: But, you know, it was it was five thousand people stuck in the damn terminal.
[00:20:28] [SPEAKER_01]: And just to get my bag back, it would have taken me hours just to stand in line.
[00:20:32] [SPEAKER_01]: And they weren't giving the bags back because they couldn't they couldn't sift through all this stuff that was stuck there.
[00:20:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Because there was every single flight was canceled.
[00:20:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. So yeah, I was fortunate I had carry on.
[00:20:44] [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Back in the roll.
[00:20:47] [SPEAKER_01]: You're lucky. It's it's one of those deals.
[00:20:50] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, sometimes you just kind of have to go take a chance, do whatever you think you got to do and renting a car, man.
[00:20:56] [SPEAKER_01]: That was the way to go. Absolutely.
[00:20:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Man, I wish we'd been there at the same moment because then we could have split it.
[00:21:03] [SPEAKER_04]: But yeah, right. Right. What are you going to do?
[00:21:05] [SPEAKER_04]: Tom, you you called me while you were in the plane in Knoxville.
[00:21:09] [SPEAKER_04]: We had just driven through Knoxville. Yeah.
[00:21:11] [SPEAKER_04]: I couldn't drive out on the tarmac and get you.
[00:21:15] [SPEAKER_04]: But I just I don't I don't understand these these airlines.
[00:21:18] [SPEAKER_04]: They're, you know, multibillion dollar weird and they can't can't get it together.
[00:21:23] [SPEAKER_01]: And it was really one storm system that really screwed the whole thing up, you know, on a Friday.
[00:21:28] [SPEAKER_00]: So I had issues this Sunday leaving as well.
[00:21:31] [SPEAKER_00]: I went four hours at the airport and then I just said, you know what?
[00:21:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Can't just put me on the next flight in the morning.
[00:21:37] [SPEAKER_00]: And I went back to the tournament and got to play a bunch of fun games with a bunch of your buddies from Alabama.
[00:21:43] [SPEAKER_00]: So I had a blast and then I just left out on Monday morning.
[00:21:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. Yeah. No issues coming back on Monday.
[00:21:51] [SPEAKER_04]: So now it's a good time, man.
[00:21:53] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm telling that I'm really glad your flight got canceled.
[00:21:55] [SPEAKER_04]: I know it kind of sucks.
[00:21:56] [SPEAKER_00]: I had a ball and I got to go to the Waffle House with you guys.
[00:21:59] [SPEAKER_04]: So yeah, that's what's up.
[00:22:02] [SPEAKER_04]: Waffle House, baby. Let's go tradition. Yeah.
[00:22:05] [SPEAKER_04]: Well, we you know, we got we got our thing that we do.
[00:22:07] [SPEAKER_04]: So it was it was nice having you and John there.
[00:22:10] [SPEAKER_04]: You know, I world is good this year.
[00:22:13] [SPEAKER_04]: So, you know, but you've been you've been hitting it pretty hard.
[00:22:15] [SPEAKER_04]: So what did you play this year? What have you hit?
[00:22:18] [SPEAKER_00]: So I did TKO.
[00:22:20] [SPEAKER_00]: I did Nationals and then Worlds.
[00:22:25] [SPEAKER_00]: And then I'm actually going to be hitting the Masters.
[00:22:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Got my wife cool on board with that one.
[00:22:31] [SPEAKER_00]: So I'm going to Florida and then Michigan.
[00:22:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, Michigan. That'll be good.
[00:22:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. That was my goal.
[00:22:40] [SPEAKER_00]: That was my goal last year because last year I had done.
[00:22:43] [SPEAKER_00]: I did Florida in April and then took a little bit.
[00:22:47] [SPEAKER_00]: And then I did Michigan. Yes.
[00:22:50] [SPEAKER_01]: I've had a blast. So then great place.
[00:22:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Then I was like, all right, I got to I got to figure out
[00:22:56] [SPEAKER_00]: because you take you take a beat. Right.
[00:22:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And then it's just like I got to figure this out
[00:23:00] [SPEAKER_00]: because my game before was very different.
[00:23:02] [SPEAKER_00]: I would just go and national ability and just play.
[00:23:04] [SPEAKER_00]: But that would only get me so far when people start picking up on patterns
[00:23:09] [SPEAKER_00]: and they're analyzing. Right.
[00:23:11] [SPEAKER_00]: And I think that's what's helped me lately is, you know, Randy,
[00:23:15] [SPEAKER_00]: I call you on my way home from work.
[00:23:17] [SPEAKER_00]: We'll talk some of the other guys looking at pointers.
[00:23:20] [SPEAKER_00]: I read a couple.
[00:23:20] [SPEAKER_00]: I read one book that you had recommended
[00:23:25] [SPEAKER_00]: and then I'm still on the mindful athlete right now.
[00:23:28] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[00:23:30] [SPEAKER_00]: So just working on the mind aspect.
[00:23:33] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, obviously I'm still a rookie. Right.
[00:23:35] [SPEAKER_00]: So consistency table time.
[00:23:37] [SPEAKER_00]: But I'm just there's a lot of players in the area.
[00:23:41] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not there to just sit down and just sit down and just kind of
[00:23:41] [SPEAKER_00]: monitor that look and see things differently.
[00:23:43] [SPEAKER_00]: So as I listen,
[00:23:44] [SPEAKER_00]: I kind of just incorporate that along to how I evaluate when I'm
[00:23:48] [SPEAKER_00]: playing.
[00:23:49] [SPEAKER_01]: This is the the fascinating part about this sport.
[00:23:52] [SPEAKER_01]: You know,
[00:23:54] [SPEAKER_01]: clearly when it comes to dedicating yourself to putting that
[00:23:58] [SPEAKER_01]: 10,000 hours of practice on the table, that's one aspect.
[00:24:01] [SPEAKER_01]: But there's another aspect to this that's that's you cannot achieve
[00:24:05] [SPEAKER_01]: without going on tour,
[00:24:07] [SPEAKER_01]: without getting out there and actually being with other players from
[00:24:11] [SPEAKER_01]: other places because then that really forces you to like you say,
[00:24:15] [SPEAKER_01]: you can get out there and play your comfort, your comfort game.
[00:24:18] [SPEAKER_01]: But as soon as they figure out what you're doing,
[00:24:20] [SPEAKER_01]: you're done.
[00:24:22] [SPEAKER_01]: So the mind is you have to really use the mind now.
[00:24:27] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah. And what are you,
[00:24:28] [SPEAKER_04]: what are you going to do when somebody takes away the things you like?
[00:24:31] [SPEAKER_04]: What are you going to do?
[00:24:33] [SPEAKER_04]: So again, that's the thing about foosball.
[00:24:38] [SPEAKER_04]: Some people get frustrated.
[00:24:40] [SPEAKER_04]: I like, I love it.
[00:24:41] [SPEAKER_04]: That's kind of where I'm stuck right now.
[00:24:43] [SPEAKER_04]: That's why I'm, you know,
[00:24:44] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm doing the things I'm doing because I want to like,
[00:24:49] [SPEAKER_04]: like you guys are trying to climb.
[00:24:51] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm trying to call.
[00:24:52] [SPEAKER_04]: We're all trying to climb right for the most, for the most part.
[00:24:54] [SPEAKER_04]: So I'm trying to, I'm trying to be the best I can be.
[00:24:54] [SPEAKER_04]: And you would think the competitive, the, you know,
[00:24:58] [SPEAKER_04]: the competitive person inside of me,
[00:25:01] [SPEAKER_04]: that competitive aspect inside of me, like wants to,
[00:25:03] [SPEAKER_04]: wants to win and do good for some foosball players.
[00:25:07] [SPEAKER_04]: It's just, I want to go hang out and, and that's fine.
[00:25:10] [SPEAKER_04]: That's cool.
[00:25:10] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't hate on like, yeah, man, that's cool.
[00:25:13] [SPEAKER_04]: But for me, it's like, it's business, right?
[00:25:15] [SPEAKER_04]: Like I want to go and see where my game compares to everyone else.
[00:25:19] [SPEAKER_04]: So, you know, physically again, Chris, dude,
[00:25:22] [SPEAKER_04]: your five is beautiful, man. Like it's smooth. It's nice.
[00:25:26] [SPEAKER_04]: You take your time. Your three rod is improving, right?
[00:25:30] [SPEAKER_04]: It's just the brain and that's 99% of foosball players.
[00:25:34] [SPEAKER_04]: And you know, and you know what? A lot of them.
[00:25:37] [SPEAKER_04]: Never figure it out. They can't, they can't figure it.
[00:25:40] [SPEAKER_04]: It's just, it's tough.
[00:25:42] [SPEAKER_04]: So, you know, putting in the time to work.
[00:25:44] [SPEAKER_04]: And then like Tom said,
[00:25:45] [SPEAKER_04]: the most important thing is just going out and playing.
[00:25:47] [SPEAKER_04]: That's the biggest thing is, is going to tournaments.
[00:25:50] [SPEAKER_04]: So you're, yeah, you're hitting five this year.
[00:25:54] [SPEAKER_04]: Freaking great, dude.
[00:25:57] [SPEAKER_04]: How's next year looking?
[00:26:00] [SPEAKER_00]: My goal would be five minimum.
[00:26:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
[00:26:02] [SPEAKER_00]: That's kind of what I said to myself.
[00:26:03] [SPEAKER_00]: See the caveat with that is if I do that many,
[00:26:09] [SPEAKER_00]: so for every foosball or two tournaments I go to,
[00:26:12] [SPEAKER_00]: my wife gets a trip.
[00:26:14] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's where it gets expensive.
[00:26:15] [SPEAKER_00]: That's the deal.
[00:26:17] [SPEAKER_00]: So I'm cool with it.
[00:26:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Right?
[00:26:20] [SPEAKER_04]: I know, I know how that goes.
[00:26:21] [SPEAKER_00]: If I can play, you know, I'll take her where she wants to go.
[00:26:26] [SPEAKER_00]: She's coming with me to Florida.
[00:26:27] [SPEAKER_00]: We just came back from the Azores, right?
[00:26:31] [SPEAKER_00]: In Michigan, I don't know what's going to cost me.
[00:26:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Michigan is probably going to be a Teddy Swims concert or something like that.
[00:26:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[00:26:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Added bonus.
[00:26:41] [SPEAKER_03]: Let's go.
[00:26:43] [SPEAKER_03]: See, so like still Michigan, right?
[00:26:46] [SPEAKER_03]: You guys are going to drive, right?
[00:26:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we're driving.
[00:26:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:26:49] [SPEAKER_00]: John and.
[00:26:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Hold on, Chris.
[00:26:51] [SPEAKER_03]: Hold on.
[00:26:52] [SPEAKER_03]: Hold on.
[00:26:54] [SPEAKER_03]: For everybody listening.
[00:26:55] [SPEAKER_03]: Right, Chris?
[00:26:55] [SPEAKER_03]: How long of a drive is it?
[00:26:58] [SPEAKER_03]: Took me 14 and a half, about an hour last night.
[00:27:00] [SPEAKER_03]: One way.
[00:27:01] [SPEAKER_03]: One way.
[00:27:02] [SPEAKER_01]: One way.
[00:27:03] [SPEAKER_01]: 14 hours.
[00:27:03] [SPEAKER_01]: One way.
[00:27:04] [SPEAKER_03]: 30 hour round trip for foosball.
[00:27:07] [SPEAKER_03]: Right?
[00:27:07] [SPEAKER_03]: So when people say, you know, the flight was four hours or.
[00:27:15] Delays.
[00:27:16] [SPEAKER_04]: Again, it's like, no delays are one thing, but I'm saying like, dude, imagine driving 15 hours one way to go play foosball.
[00:27:24] [SPEAKER_04]: You know, it's like.
[00:27:25] [SPEAKER_04]: And that's the thing.
[00:27:27] [SPEAKER_04]: I tell people all the time, like, I'm fortunate, man.
[00:27:29] [SPEAKER_04]: Like I'm in an area of the country where I can drive six hours to be at a tournament.
[00:27:32] [SPEAKER_04]: So.
[00:27:34] [SPEAKER_04]: But this is the cool thing about foosball, and this is one of the things I love about it.
[00:27:38] [SPEAKER_04]: Right?
[00:27:38] [SPEAKER_04]: Like you were saying, you're going to pile up in a car with a couple of dudes.
[00:27:41] [SPEAKER_04]: And you guys just going to hit it right.
[00:27:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Yep.
[00:27:45] [SPEAKER_01]: That's being able to split the drive that really helps a lot too.
[00:27:48] [SPEAKER_01]: I know last year when I hit Michigan, I was 11 and a half hours by myself.
[00:27:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that's.
[00:27:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, I had to stop.
[00:27:55] [SPEAKER_00]: I most of the time I'll do the ride like John and I did.
[00:28:00] [SPEAKER_00]: I believe it was TKO.
[00:28:01] [SPEAKER_00]: We drove and then Matt and I did nationals.
[00:28:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, actually, I'm sorry.
[00:28:05] [SPEAKER_00]: We flew to nationals.
[00:28:07] [SPEAKER_03]: I typically I'll drive Louisiana.
[00:28:09] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[00:28:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Nationals.
[00:28:11] [SPEAKER_00]: I asked you, I was going to drive and you're like, bro, 24 hours at 25 hours.
[00:28:16] [SPEAKER_00]: No, straight ahead.
[00:28:18] [SPEAKER_00]: I'll fly.
[00:28:19] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, dude.
[00:28:20] [SPEAKER_03]: Why?
[00:28:20] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[00:28:21] [SPEAKER_03]: Because it's 20 hours to me and then another five down there.
[00:28:24] [SPEAKER_03]: So let's go.
[00:28:25] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[00:28:25] [SPEAKER_03]: Uh huh.
[00:28:26] [SPEAKER_01]: It's not like it used to be, you know.
[00:28:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Uh, a pint or two in the back seat and a couple of whatever's to get you through.
[00:28:33] [SPEAKER_03]: A little booger sugar.
[00:28:34] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[00:28:34] [SPEAKER_03]: Booger sugar.
[00:28:35] [SPEAKER_03]: Get me over the line.
[00:28:36] [SPEAKER_03]: Let's go, baby.
[00:28:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Not happening that way anymore.
[00:28:39] [SPEAKER_01]: No, no, no, no, no, no.
[00:28:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Road trips back in the day.
[00:28:44] [SPEAKER_01]: You think about, you know, when you're in your 20s and you do a road trip, especially
[00:28:48] [SPEAKER_01]: with your buds, I mean, that's that's paradise, man.
[00:28:51] [SPEAKER_01]: That's awesome.
[00:28:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Let it let it go 24 hours.
[00:28:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Who cares?
[00:28:54] [SPEAKER_03]: You know, I still love it.
[00:28:55] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[00:28:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Still love it.
[00:28:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
[00:28:57] [SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, I don't mind it at all.
[00:28:59] [SPEAKER_03]: But that's one of my favorite parts, man.
[00:29:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Love it.
[00:29:03] [SPEAKER_03]: Get in the car with the buddies, drive to Foosball.
[00:29:05] [SPEAKER_03]: Let's go.
[00:29:05] [SPEAKER_01]: It's where the interesting bonding takes place.
[00:29:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh yeah.
[00:29:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh yeah.
[00:29:10] [SPEAKER_00]: You get to find out whether you're really Thursday drive was football.
[00:29:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[00:29:15] [SPEAKER_00]: We had, uh, Amazon prime had the chiefs on.
[00:29:17] [SPEAKER_00]: So we watched that.
[00:29:19] [SPEAKER_00]: We, when we were going up to Michigan and then all like the Twitch feed and we
[00:29:23] [SPEAKER_00]: have bottom foos on or whatever.
[00:29:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, you kids, you know, you and your technology.
[00:29:29] [SPEAKER_01]: We had nothing.
[00:29:30] [SPEAKER_01]: We had dial dial phones and, and, uh, you know, and McDonald's that was it.
[00:29:38] [SPEAKER_04]: Nevermind.
[00:29:39] [SPEAKER_04]: You have to roll.
[00:29:40] [SPEAKER_04]: You have to roll your own joints back then.
[00:29:42] [SPEAKER_04]: Right.
[00:29:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh God, man.
[00:29:43] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, we will.
[00:29:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Randy, when we did NC state in 03, I mean, cell phones had just come out.
[00:29:52] [SPEAKER_00]: What?
[00:29:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Couple of years prior.
[00:29:54] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't recall us watching anything.
[00:29:56] [SPEAKER_00]: We just talked.
[00:29:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah.
[00:29:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[00:29:59] [SPEAKER_03]: We, I had, I had an expedition at the time.
[00:30:02] [SPEAKER_03]: That's what we took down.
[00:30:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Was it on the Magnum?
[00:30:04] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it was the Magnum.
[00:30:05] [SPEAKER_03]: No, it was my, I had an expedition, the white expedition.
[00:30:08] [SPEAKER_03]: And then I remember, I remember I had, I had itis from all the
[00:30:12] [SPEAKER_03]: Turkey I ate.
[00:30:13] [SPEAKER_04]: So I think we got halfway in and either you or Eli started driving.
[00:30:17] [SPEAKER_04]: I got in the back seat and went to sleep.
[00:30:19] [SPEAKER_04]: We got there.
[00:30:20] [SPEAKER_04]: Like we left in the afternoon, drove straight there, got there at like
[00:30:25] [SPEAKER_04]: five in the morning, slept for like three, four, whatever hours, and
[00:30:28] [SPEAKER_04]: then got up and went and played.
[00:30:30] [SPEAKER_04]: It was a rough, it was a rough week, dude.
[00:30:32] [SPEAKER_04]: It was a rough weekend.
[00:30:33] [SPEAKER_04]: I remember it was a rough weekend, but, but it was fun, man.
[00:30:37] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm his foosball.
[00:30:38] [SPEAKER_04]: There was dude, Terry Moore was at that tournament.
[00:30:40] [SPEAKER_04]: Tommy Atkinson was at that tournament.
[00:30:44] [SPEAKER_00]: It was in a bar.
[00:30:45] [SPEAKER_00]: It wasn't a hotel.
[00:30:46] [SPEAKER_00]: It was a bar.
[00:30:47] [SPEAKER_00]: I remember people were smoking in there.
[00:30:50] [SPEAKER_00]: If I remember back then.
[00:30:52] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:30:54] [SPEAKER_03]: Well, it was, you know, it was a bar in the South and it was still
[00:30:56] [SPEAKER_03]: coming weekend.
[00:30:58] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[00:30:59] [SPEAKER_03]: Absolutely.
[00:30:59] [SPEAKER_03]: So, but that dude, that was fun.
[00:31:01] [SPEAKER_03]: And then Vegas oh four and then, and then, yeah, Chris,
[00:31:04] [SPEAKER_03]: Chris kind of disappeared.
[00:31:05] [SPEAKER_03]: I think your daughter was like three when, when, when we were
[00:31:10] [SPEAKER_04]: hanging out, cause I'd come to the house and we'd play and then,
[00:31:13] [SPEAKER_04]: and then you just, you know, you kind of fell off.
[00:31:15] [SPEAKER_04]: I know you had your kid and yeah, I had my son.
[00:31:18] [SPEAKER_00]: There was some complications and surgeries and all that.
[00:31:22] [SPEAKER_00]: So that was the first couple of years.
[00:31:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:31:25] [SPEAKER_00]: So it was just, you know, I needed to take care of the family.
[00:31:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[00:31:28] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
[00:31:29] [SPEAKER_00]: And then I worked on my career at that point and now I'm in a
[00:31:32] [SPEAKER_00]: good place where, you know, they're a little older now and I can
[00:31:36] [SPEAKER_00]: enjoy myself and do what I had loved back then.
[00:31:39] [SPEAKER_01]: Cool.
[00:31:40] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[00:31:41] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it's, it's great to see, I mean, especially you and
[00:31:44] [SPEAKER_01]: people like Matt Contoy are just diving into this and Matt's in
[00:31:48] [SPEAKER_01]: that stage of life as well where he can devote more time and
[00:31:50] [SPEAKER_01]: making head road, you know, making head headway with this,
[00:31:53] [SPEAKER_01]: with your careers in foosball.
[00:31:55] [SPEAKER_01]: It's great.
[00:31:57] [SPEAKER_01]: And speaking of careers, what, what is it you do for,
[00:32:01] [SPEAKER_01]: for your waking hours?
[00:32:04] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm a general manager for refrigerated logistics and
[00:32:09] [SPEAKER_00]: temperature control.
[00:32:10] [SPEAKER_00]: So like a three PL.
[00:32:11] [SPEAKER_00]: So pretty much all the grocery chain chains, DSD, you know,
[00:32:16] [SPEAKER_00]: direct store delivery.
[00:32:18] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't own any product.
[00:32:20] [SPEAKER_00]: We just, we house it.
[00:32:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Okay.
[00:32:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Put it, slice it, dice it, and then get it, get it to the
[00:32:25] [SPEAKER_00]: supermarkets.
[00:32:26] [SPEAKER_01]: So when you say general manager, basically in charge of the
[00:32:29] [SPEAKER_01]: whole deal.
[00:32:30] [SPEAKER_03]: Chris is really important.
[00:32:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:32:33] [SPEAKER_00]: I have four sites right now.
[00:32:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Two in Mass.
[00:32:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Well actually all four in Mass, but in
[00:32:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it's like a five hour drive from the city of
[00:32:40] [SPEAKER_00]: So I was in town in middle borough.
[00:32:41] [SPEAKER_00]: They're like 15, 20 minutes from each other.
[00:32:43] [SPEAKER_00]: But then Gloucester got thrown in early on this year and
[00:32:46] [SPEAKER_00]: that's two hour drives.
[00:32:48] [SPEAKER_00]: So that.
[00:32:49] [SPEAKER_00]: And I was disappointed because when I travel,
[00:32:52] [SPEAKER_00]: I always look for a table.
[00:32:55] [SPEAKER_00]: John Garcia reach out to Steve Rogge.
[00:32:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Cause I believe he was from the Gloucester area and I
[00:33:00] [SPEAKER_00]: couldn't find any tables in Gloucester.
[00:33:01] [SPEAKER_00]: So I wasn't able to practice.
[00:33:03] [SPEAKER_00]: When I was up at the Portland main warehouses.
[00:33:06] [SPEAKER_00]: I actually made it a point.
[00:33:07] [SPEAKER_00]: I found two bars that had tables.
[00:33:10] [SPEAKER_00]: So after work,
[00:33:12] [SPEAKER_00]: I would go and just warm up.
[00:33:14] [SPEAKER_00]: But the tables were so bad that I needed two hands to move
[00:33:17] [SPEAKER_00]: the three rod.
[00:33:20] [SPEAKER_00]: So I'm going to start traveling with my table,
[00:33:22] [SPEAKER_00]: a table cleaning kit.
[00:33:27] [SPEAKER_04]: Yes.
[00:33:27] [SPEAKER_04]: You never know, dude.
[00:33:28] [SPEAKER_04]: You never know when you're going to play.
[00:33:29] [SPEAKER_04]: You need a little like a silicone and a wrench.
[00:33:32] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, dude.
[00:33:33] [SPEAKER_03]: Oh yeah.
[00:33:34] [SPEAKER_03]: Some quick maintenance.
[00:33:37] [SPEAKER_00]: So food distribution in a nutshell.
[00:33:39] [SPEAKER_00]: That's what I do.
[00:33:41] [SPEAKER_00]: And that happened to the last 24 years.
[00:33:43] [SPEAKER_01]: 24 years.
[00:33:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Wow.
[00:33:45] [SPEAKER_01]: That's a long career, man.
[00:33:46] [SPEAKER_01]: That's that's I mean,
[00:33:47] [SPEAKER_01]: how many people do you know actually can keep a gig for
[00:33:50] [SPEAKER_01]: 24 years or 10 for that matter?
[00:33:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[00:33:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:33:57] [SPEAKER_00]: I have some people I work with.
[00:33:58] [SPEAKER_00]: There's a couple of guys with me that have 44 years.
[00:34:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Wow.
[00:34:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Majority of my team.
[00:34:03] [SPEAKER_00]: They're 15.
[00:34:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Randy actually used to work with me for a short period of time
[00:34:07] [SPEAKER_00]: back in the day.
[00:34:08] [SPEAKER_04]: OK, I was there for for a year and some change.
[00:34:12] [SPEAKER_01]: And did you guys get a table in the place?
[00:34:14] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you got have you got something?
[00:34:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Not not back then.
[00:34:17] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh, I wish.
[00:34:18] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh, oh, man.
[00:34:21] [SPEAKER_04]: We wouldn't we wouldn't have got anything done.
[00:34:23] [SPEAKER_00]: No, it's difficult.
[00:34:25] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I heard Randy told you guys a story that I was
[00:34:29] [SPEAKER_00]: actually my vice president, not the CEO.
[00:34:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:34:33] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
[00:34:34] [SPEAKER_00]: But with all the time off I've been taking,
[00:34:36] [SPEAKER_00]: he just wanted to know what it was about.
[00:34:39] [SPEAKER_00]: And so I brought up some YouTube videos and then showed him
[00:34:42] [SPEAKER_00]: a couple of matches that were on Inside Foods myself.
[00:34:44] [SPEAKER_00]: And then he's like, I want a table and get my next visit.
[00:34:48] [SPEAKER_00]: So John sold me one from the hub that I put in nice
[00:34:52] [SPEAKER_00]: and had a food truck come from employees and we're all hanging out.
[00:34:56] [SPEAKER_00]: I got him a ping pong table, foosball table.
[00:34:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And I just teaching the employees, you know, how how the game can be played.
[00:35:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Dude, that's that's the dream right there.
[00:35:06] [SPEAKER_00]: That's the dream.
[00:35:08] [SPEAKER_04]: You got any talent?
[00:35:09] [SPEAKER_04]: Any talent in that place?
[00:35:11] [SPEAKER_00]: There's there's two kids that I could tell had the ability
[00:35:15] [SPEAKER_00]: where they were actually able to pin some balls.
[00:35:17] [SPEAKER_00]: But we'll see.
[00:35:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, it's a couple.
[00:35:20] [SPEAKER_00]: There's about 40 or 50 on that day shift.
[00:35:23] [SPEAKER_00]: So I haven't gotten them all on it yet.
[00:35:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe establish some rivalries, a couple of friendly wagers here and there.
[00:35:31] [SPEAKER_01]: You never know.
[00:35:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Wow. That's cool.
[00:35:34] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, you think about this.
[00:35:37] [SPEAKER_01]: I've spoken to a few people who play on a regular basis in Europe and in Germany.
[00:35:42] [SPEAKER_01]: And in just about every employee, every business in Germany,
[00:35:47] [SPEAKER_01]: there is at least one foosball table.
[00:35:49] [SPEAKER_03]: Really?
[00:35:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Just kind of a thing.
[00:35:51] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, that's just like a you know, it's just obviously they it's almost like,
[00:35:56] [SPEAKER_01]: you know, a Coke machine.
[00:35:57] [SPEAKER_01]: It's there's always something like that there.
[00:36:01] [SPEAKER_01]: So what what what's holding us back here?
[00:36:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Why don't we start talking to employers more say,
[00:36:08] [SPEAKER_01]: you know, guys, morale would be so much better if we could beat each other up on the table once in a while.
[00:36:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, yeah.
[00:36:16] [SPEAKER_00]: We call we I spun it as an engagement.
[00:36:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Right. So I think it's just how you spin it.
[00:36:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. Oh, yeah.
[00:36:23] [SPEAKER_00]: And what the usage is right as long as there's messages, you know, a company value, a mission.
[00:36:27] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh, sure.
[00:36:28] [SPEAKER_00]: You can get some stuff done in those rooms.
[00:36:30] [SPEAKER_04]: So what's the mission? What are you guys you building unity teamwork?
[00:36:34] [SPEAKER_04]: What is it?
[00:36:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:36:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Customer service integrity.
[00:36:37] [SPEAKER_00]: We give back accountability and teamwork.
[00:36:41] [SPEAKER_00]: That's that's actually our five five five pillars.
[00:36:44] [SPEAKER_03]: Let's go.
[00:36:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Some some of the biggest companies on the planet, you know, IE Amazon, Google, Apple.
[00:36:53] [SPEAKER_01]: They've got amazing facilities and obviously not every company can afford that.
[00:36:57] [SPEAKER_01]: But to go in the direction of saying, you know,
[00:37:00] [SPEAKER_01]: there's going to be times when a when an employee needs to blow off steam or something,
[00:37:04] [SPEAKER_01]: you know, something they can do together that that's not work related.
[00:37:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Foosball is perfect, man, because it's relatively inexpensive.
[00:37:11] [SPEAKER_01]: It doesn't take up a lot of room, you know,
[00:37:14] [SPEAKER_01]: and as long as you put it in a place where it doesn't disturb everybody else.
[00:37:17] [SPEAKER_01]: What the hell? Why not?
[00:37:19] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I wish my company felt that way.
[00:37:25] [SPEAKER_04]: Unfortunately, no.
[00:37:27] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, that'd be great. But no, no, I'm going to come back to work for Chris.
[00:37:30] [SPEAKER_01]: There you go.
[00:37:32] [SPEAKER_04]: I'll be I'll be the foosball guy at your I don't know whatever anyway.
[00:37:39] [SPEAKER_04]: Dude, I like that.
[00:37:41] [SPEAKER_04]: That's awesome. You know, like Tom said in Europe, it's it's part of the culture here.
[00:37:47] [SPEAKER_04]: It's when I tell people I play foosball professionally, they're like.
[00:37:52] [SPEAKER_04]: No, that's like, yeah, yeah, I really like it.
[00:37:57] [SPEAKER_04]: Or usually what I what I get from people and this is the one that cracks me up.
[00:38:00] [SPEAKER_04]: They're like, I'm really good at that.
[00:38:02] [SPEAKER_04]: Like, I'm I'm really good. I'm probably the best at it.
[00:38:05] [SPEAKER_04]: And I'm just like, OK, dude. Yeah.
[00:38:09] [SPEAKER_04]: So but now, man, now, man, it's you know, when John told me you were coming back around,
[00:38:14] [SPEAKER_04]: I got super excited because I just you know, well, one, dude, I just love hanging out with you.
[00:38:19] [SPEAKER_04]: You're a lot of fun to you always had a ton of potential.
[00:38:22] [SPEAKER_04]: And now you're actually like, I feel like you're kind of hitting your stride.
[00:38:26] [SPEAKER_04]: And, you know, you won you won beginner singles at Florida last year.
[00:38:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Right. I was my first tournament a couple months after playing.
[00:38:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, all guys had booked. So I jumped on that bandwagon.
[00:38:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Wow. I took beginner singles and second doubles.
[00:38:43] [SPEAKER_04]: Second and beginner doubles. Yeah. And you're a rookie.
[00:38:45] [SPEAKER_04]: You're a rookie now working your way up.
[00:38:48] [SPEAKER_04]: Who are you playing with in Florida?
[00:38:52] [SPEAKER_04]: Steve Batista. Oh, great choice. Yeah.
[00:38:55] [SPEAKER_04]: Nice. Nice. I think you guys will you'll be formidable for sure.
[00:38:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I'm doing five events.
[00:39:02] [SPEAKER_00]: My plan is we'll do rookie dubs and then we have three single events on Friday
[00:39:07] [SPEAKER_00]: and then we'll do amateurs. And then because I have a family there,
[00:39:10] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not going to play any events late Saturday into Sunday.
[00:39:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Gotcha. So I could spend a couple days with the family.
[00:39:17] [SPEAKER_04]: Fair compromise. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely.
[00:39:21] [SPEAKER_04]: You should get to play.
[00:39:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Then Michigan. It's just the boys.
[00:39:24] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not sure what I'm going to do.
[00:39:25] [SPEAKER_00]: So probably play seven or nine, seven or nine events.
[00:39:29] [SPEAKER_04]: Who are you playing with in Michigan?
[00:39:31] [SPEAKER_00]: The only person I have slated to play with so far is Cheryl
[00:39:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Palosky.
[00:39:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh no.
[00:39:37] [SPEAKER_00]: And Ricky Dobs and Ricky doubles.
[00:39:39] [SPEAKER_04]: She's a good goalie.
[00:39:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. And then John, not sure.
[00:39:43] [SPEAKER_00]: I think we might do experts together.
[00:39:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Good.
[00:39:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:39:47] [SPEAKER_00]: And then I haven't really thought past that yet.
[00:39:50] [SPEAKER_04]: You should definitely, you should definitely be considering playing pro
[00:39:54] [SPEAKER_04]: and open, you know, just for the, for the level of experience,
[00:40:00] [SPEAKER_04]: because you're not going to see, well, you know,
[00:40:03] [SPEAKER_04]: this is the thing too, the format everybody talks about the format
[00:40:06] [SPEAKER_04]: and yeah, this is well, and I know I think pro doubles in Michigan
[00:40:13] [SPEAKER_04]: is going to be two out of three, two out of three.
[00:40:15] [SPEAKER_04]: Is it? Okay.
[00:40:17] [SPEAKER_04]: I think open doubles might be championship format.
[00:40:20] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm not a hundred percent sure.
[00:40:21] [SPEAKER_04]: I haven't taken a really solid look at the flyer.
[00:40:23] [SPEAKER_04]: Sorry, Michael Stahl.
[00:40:25] [SPEAKER_04]: And I don't want to misinform anybody, but you know, if IFP,
[00:40:30] [SPEAKER_04]: or excuse me,
[00:40:31] [SPEAKER_04]: if the world foosball tour does decide to go to like a round
[00:40:34] [SPEAKER_04]: Robin or a Swiss format,
[00:40:37] [SPEAKER_04]: I think that would be super beneficial because you're going to be
[00:40:39] [SPEAKER_04]: getting, you know, five, six, seven,
[00:40:41] [SPEAKER_04]: whatever it is multiple rounds into a single limb bracket.
[00:40:44] [SPEAKER_04]: Much better.
[00:40:46] [SPEAKER_04]: But, you know,
[00:40:48] [SPEAKER_04]: getting exposure to the higher level players is definitely what's going
[00:40:52] [SPEAKER_04]: to be the most beneficial as far as like experience and playing that
[00:40:55] [SPEAKER_04]: level of players.
[00:40:56] [SPEAKER_04]: So I tell everybody, man, like you gotta,
[00:41:00] [SPEAKER_04]: you gotta cut your teeth with these guys.
[00:41:02] [SPEAKER_04]: You got to do it.
[00:41:03] [SPEAKER_04]: So or I mean, you can just,
[00:41:06] [SPEAKER_04]: you can just go play Richie Costa because he's the best.
[00:41:10] [SPEAKER_01]: I was just waiting to see how I was,
[00:41:13] [SPEAKER_01]: I was actually timing you on that, Randy,
[00:41:15] [SPEAKER_01]: to see how long into this conversation Richie's name would actually emerge.
[00:41:19] [SPEAKER_04]: Well, you know what, Tom, this is the thing.
[00:41:22] [SPEAKER_04]: All right.
[00:41:23] [SPEAKER_04]: Let me tell you.
[00:41:24] [SPEAKER_04]: Okay.
[00:41:26] [SPEAKER_04]: So anyway,
[00:41:28] [SPEAKER_01]: we just hope that he comes back to the smashdown and brings his own
[00:41:32] [SPEAKER_01]: towel to wipe up the blood.
[00:41:34] [SPEAKER_01]: That's all I can say.
[00:41:35] [SPEAKER_04]: Never going to happen.
[00:41:36] [SPEAKER_04]: Never going to happen.
[00:41:38] [SPEAKER_04]: It's not going to happen.
[00:41:38] [SPEAKER_00]: That was scary, man.
[00:41:39] [SPEAKER_00]: I was concerned.
[00:41:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Right?
[00:41:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I was concerned.
[00:41:42] [SPEAKER_00]: When I saw how much blood I was like ready to drive into the hospital.
[00:41:47] [SPEAKER_01]: That's a first for us.
[00:41:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, man.
[00:41:50] [SPEAKER_04]: So he actually told me after the fact, he planned that.
[00:41:53] [SPEAKER_04]: He's like, I wanted to intimidate everybody.
[00:41:55] [SPEAKER_04]: He's like, I wanted them scared,
[00:41:57] [SPEAKER_04]: but I made a mistake and my nose wouldn't stop bleeding.
[00:42:00] [SPEAKER_04]: So yeah.
[00:42:04] [SPEAKER_04]: You remember that movie?
[00:42:05] [SPEAKER_04]: It was years ago.
[00:42:06] [SPEAKER_04]: It was called The Little Giants.
[00:42:07] [SPEAKER_04]: It was like a little football movie, like a comedy movie.
[00:42:10] [SPEAKER_04]: Anyway, the kids put Alka-Seltzer in their mouths and it looked like
[00:42:13] [SPEAKER_04]: they were rabies.
[00:42:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Foaming.
[00:42:16] [SPEAKER_04]: That was the same thing he was doing except it was blood out of his nose.
[00:42:20] [SPEAKER_01]: So oops.
[00:42:21] [SPEAKER_04]: He's like Tommy, Tommy, you doesn't want to play me.
[00:42:25] [SPEAKER_04]: You know?
[00:42:27] [SPEAKER_04]: So anyway, that back.
[00:42:28] [SPEAKER_04]: Listen, listen, Tom, you think I'm joking right over to the Don one night.
[00:42:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I plan on it.
[00:42:33] [SPEAKER_01]: I just got to,
[00:42:34] [SPEAKER_01]: you guys got to, they got to put on a night when I'm not working.
[00:42:38] [SPEAKER_01]: I'll be there.
[00:42:41] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh, you'll get it, Tom.
[00:42:43] [SPEAKER_04]: You'll get it.
[00:42:44] [SPEAKER_04]: Believe me, you'll understand.
[00:42:45] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh yeah.
[00:42:46] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh yeah.
[00:42:47] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, dude.
[00:42:48] [SPEAKER_04]: So next year, next year you're trying to hit five.
[00:42:50] [SPEAKER_04]: Look, I told Phil, dude, I'm like, if you can do one a quarter, four,
[00:42:53] [SPEAKER_04]: four is like, especially considering how far you guys drive.
[00:42:58] [SPEAKER_04]: And you know, I know there's some things in the works for the Northeast.
[00:43:02] [SPEAKER_04]: It would be nice to see some,
[00:43:04] [SPEAKER_04]: some state events up there for you guys.
[00:43:07] [SPEAKER_04]: But so, so next year, what do you got tentative?
[00:43:11] [SPEAKER_04]: What's scheduled?
[00:43:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I've been thinking about Vegas.
[00:43:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[00:43:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Thinking Vegas.
[00:43:21] [SPEAKER_00]: I'd like to see if I can do something in Texas.
[00:43:23] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm mature now, Randy, I can handle myself in Vegas.
[00:43:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm grown up.
[00:43:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe Wisconsin, right?
[00:43:31] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm trying to, I like to switch it up.
[00:43:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Those are some of the ones that I heard were really good.
[00:43:35] [SPEAKER_00]: I would definitely do worlds again.
[00:43:39] [SPEAKER_00]: I had a ball.
[00:43:40] [SPEAKER_04]: Worlds is solid.
[00:43:41] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm excited to see what world's going to look like next year.
[00:43:43] [SPEAKER_04]: Texas state is always good, dude.
[00:43:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh yeah.
[00:43:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Always.
[00:43:48] [SPEAKER_04]: Texas state's great.
[00:43:49] [SPEAKER_04]: Wisconsin.
[00:43:50] [SPEAKER_04]: I want to check out Wisconsin because they, they do a nice job.
[00:43:53] [SPEAKER_04]: It's been getting really,
[00:43:54] [SPEAKER_04]: it's like every year the tournament seems to be getting kind of like
[00:43:56] [SPEAKER_04]: Michigan, like Michigan it's been, it's been growing.
[00:43:59] [SPEAKER_04]: So that's, that's good that you're like kind of stretching yourself and
[00:44:02] [SPEAKER_04]: wanting to go in different directions.
[00:44:05] [SPEAKER_00]: So I met a lot of cool fuses from there as well.
[00:44:08] [SPEAKER_00]: And that part of it, right?
[00:44:09] [SPEAKER_00]: When I went to Michigan, I met a bunch of people from out there.
[00:44:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Fantastic.
[00:44:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Great, great group.
[00:44:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Great group.
[00:44:15] [SPEAKER_04]: That's an, make connections, dude.
[00:44:17] [SPEAKER_04]: Exchange numbers, find partners.
[00:44:19] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:44:19] [SPEAKER_04]: That's the thing about the Fuswell community.
[00:44:21] [SPEAKER_04]: That's beautiful.
[00:44:22] [SPEAKER_04]: So yeah.
[00:44:23] [SPEAKER_01]: There's a, there's that kinship again, you know,
[00:44:26] [SPEAKER_01]: it doesn't matter where you're from necessarily.
[00:44:28] [SPEAKER_01]: But if you speak the language of Fuswell, that's all that matters.
[00:44:33] [SPEAKER_01]: And you can, you can, you can find, you know,
[00:44:35] [SPEAKER_01]: permanent permanently good friendships that last forever.
[00:44:40] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh yeah.
[00:44:41] [SPEAKER_01]: So I got to ask you the question here.
[00:44:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Now when it comes to your own personal growth and the things you want to
[00:44:49] [SPEAKER_01]: achieve, let's say five years down the line,
[00:44:52] [SPEAKER_01]: where do you think you'd like to be?
[00:44:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Five years down the road.
[00:45:00] [SPEAKER_00]: I would hope I was a pro by then, but I don't know if that's feasible.
[00:45:05] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, ideally, right.
[00:45:07] [SPEAKER_00]: I'd want to be continuing the game, obviously.
[00:45:12] [SPEAKER_01]: And what, what do you think you need to change to make that happen?
[00:45:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Table time experience.
[00:45:20] [SPEAKER_00]: I think the biggest, biggest thing that I've learned because I'll be
[00:45:24] [SPEAKER_00]: hitting five this year, I'm putting scenarios, right.
[00:45:29] [SPEAKER_00]: I've been in scenarios where let's say world,
[00:45:30] [SPEAKER_00]: I was more confident at a four, two ball or I'm down three, one.
[00:45:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Look, look back at TKO and I'm already panicking, right?
[00:45:39] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm rushing and whereas now I feel like the more that I'm playing
[00:45:42] [SPEAKER_00]: and the more hours that I put in playing locally as well,
[00:45:48] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm just a lot calmer.
[00:45:49] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't say all the time.
[00:45:50] [SPEAKER_00]: I got a lot of work to do there, but I just,
[00:45:52] [SPEAKER_00]: I've been in scenarios where I'm not, I'm not panicking as much as I was before.
[00:45:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[00:45:58] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, I'm like, all right, one ball at a time focus.
[00:46:01] [SPEAKER_00]: That's the biggest thing.
[00:46:02] [SPEAKER_00]: And then the timing one of our guys, Stevie actually used to tell me that
[00:46:06] [SPEAKER_00]: my fast shooting, you know, is, is my plan a when it should be my plan D.
[00:46:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Right. Cause I just love, you know, tap rock and then just let it rip.
[00:46:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Sure. Right. But as you get better, people are baiting me and they realize,
[00:46:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Hey, he's hitting the first hole.
[00:46:20] [SPEAKER_00]: I'll show it, close it.
[00:46:24] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's more of where I think the more, the more, the more I play,
[00:46:29] [SPEAKER_00]: the more I tore that that's where I'm gaining growth.
[00:46:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Right. Cause I'm put in situations that I either a figure out at the time
[00:46:36] [SPEAKER_00]: or I don't address quick enough.
[00:46:37] [SPEAKER_00]: And then I go back to the drawing board and then I'm ready for the next time.
[00:46:41] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, do you feel you're that's good?
[00:46:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. Sorry.
[00:46:43] [SPEAKER_01]: No, I was going to say, do you feel your strength is in doubles
[00:46:46] [SPEAKER_01]: or do you like to play singles?
[00:46:48] [SPEAKER_00]: I enjoy, I enjoy the singles because I, I mean, I played with you.
[00:46:53] [SPEAKER_00]: I feel like if I'm playing with someone else is there's more weight on me
[00:46:56] [SPEAKER_00]: as the forward to succeed.
[00:46:59] [SPEAKER_00]: And maybe it just, I need to be more confident in my game.
[00:47:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Cause I feel like I'm, I'm letting you down.
[00:47:04] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, you heard me several times, right?
[00:47:08] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not executed and you get a couple of blocks.
[00:47:10] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm in a position where I'm like, all right, he did his job.
[00:47:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Now I'm not doing my.
[00:47:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[00:47:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, I mean, that's part of the chemistry of a team.
[00:47:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Right?
[00:47:20] [SPEAKER_01]: So, you know, if, if one is, one is not quite on it,
[00:47:23] [SPEAKER_01]: the other one steps up to, to fill the gap and vice versa.
[00:47:27] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, that happens all the time.
[00:47:29] [SPEAKER_04]: Well, look at all your partner, Carrie weight.
[00:47:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, absolutely.
[00:47:33] [SPEAKER_00]: I think back our first match we played,
[00:47:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I believe it was our sister brother combo.
[00:47:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.
[00:47:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Younger kids.
[00:47:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah.
[00:47:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.
[00:47:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Wow.
[00:47:45] [SPEAKER_00]: They came out.
[00:47:46] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it was three Oh, in a matter of seconds where I was like time out,
[00:47:50] [SPEAKER_00]: step back and I was like, what the hell just happened?
[00:47:54] [SPEAKER_00]: And they just came out guns blazing fast.
[00:47:56] [SPEAKER_00]: And I was like, all right,
[00:47:58] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm probably not going to like keep up with this momentum.
[00:48:01] [SPEAKER_00]: I just slowed it right down, gain some composure.
[00:48:03] [SPEAKER_00]: We ended up pulling through.
[00:48:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.
[00:48:06] [SPEAKER_00]: And you adjusted to a shot, right?
[00:48:08] [SPEAKER_00]: So it's just stuff like that,
[00:48:09] [SPEAKER_00]: that before I would have probably never called a timeout and just
[00:48:12] [SPEAKER_00]: tried to battle it out and took, took the weapon.
[00:48:14] [SPEAKER_01]: It was, it was astounding to see that kind of talent, especially that young.
[00:48:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I was awesome.
[00:48:21] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, never, I was stoked.
[00:48:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Never had, had never seen them play.
[00:48:25] [SPEAKER_01]: I guess they're from California.
[00:48:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[00:48:30] [SPEAKER_04]: Their dad's been, their dad's a long time fooser.
[00:48:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[00:48:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Right.
[00:48:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Clearly they've been raised well on the table.
[00:48:37] [SPEAKER_01]: But you know, you can, you can say to yourself, okay,
[00:48:41] [SPEAKER_01]: next time you face those two,
[00:48:43] [SPEAKER_01]: you know, basically what you do, what you, what you, what you got to do.
[00:48:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Cause you know, now you've got that experience who say, Hmm,
[00:48:50] [SPEAKER_01]: this is what they came out with last time.
[00:48:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Let's let's see,
[00:48:54] [SPEAKER_01]: maybe give them a couple of shots in the beginning of the next match and
[00:48:56] [SPEAKER_01]: see if they're still doing the same thing.
[00:48:58] [SPEAKER_01]: And then, and then you get some more information.
[00:49:03] [SPEAKER_04]: Well, that's good that you're at least you're, you're learning, right?
[00:49:06] [SPEAKER_04]: You are learning and growing because now you're getting in situations and
[00:49:09] [SPEAKER_04]: going, okay, I've been here before, or I felt this before.
[00:49:12] [SPEAKER_04]: This is what happened last time.
[00:49:13] [SPEAKER_04]: This is how I need to deal with it.
[00:49:15] [SPEAKER_04]: So, you know, again, I say it all the time.
[00:49:18] [SPEAKER_04]: It's not anything I developed.
[00:49:20] [SPEAKER_04]: It's just right.
[00:49:21] [SPEAKER_04]: It's a, it's a reality of a situation,
[00:49:23] [SPEAKER_04]: but doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result is
[00:49:27] [SPEAKER_04]: the definition of insanity.
[00:49:28] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
[00:49:30] [SPEAKER_04]: If you're, if, if you're in this situation,
[00:49:32] [SPEAKER_04]: you've been in it multiple times,
[00:49:34] [SPEAKER_04]: you keep handling it the same way and failing,
[00:49:37] [SPEAKER_04]: then maybe you should change the way you're handling the situation.
[00:49:40] [SPEAKER_04]: So, you know, again, now that you're realizing it and, and adjusting,
[00:49:44] [SPEAKER_04]: that's, that's just, you know, you're, you're stretching and growing,
[00:49:49] [SPEAKER_04]: which is, you know,
[00:49:50] [SPEAKER_00]: Easier said than done.
[00:49:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, of course.
[00:49:53] [SPEAKER_04]: But for a lot of foosers, that's tough, man.
[00:49:56] [SPEAKER_04]: It's not easy.
[00:49:57] [SPEAKER_04]: It is not easy.
[00:49:58] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's truly what's helped my game this past this past year.
[00:50:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:50:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[00:50:02] [SPEAKER_00]: Cause I always heard, I mean, a lot of the local guys,
[00:50:05] [SPEAKER_00]: they they're at that level where they think about the game that way,
[00:50:08] [SPEAKER_00]: even though they're not toured or any, or some, right.
[00:50:11] [SPEAKER_00]: But they think about the game that way.
[00:50:12] [SPEAKER_00]: And I was here, but just never really put it to use, right?
[00:50:16] [SPEAKER_00]: I would just listen.
[00:50:17] [SPEAKER_00]: But now that I'm touring and seeing, and it's like, wow, this stuff,
[00:50:21] [SPEAKER_00]: it's all right.
[00:50:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Who can adjust quicker?
[00:50:23] [SPEAKER_00]: A lot of times is what makes or breaks a match.
[00:50:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[00:50:28] [SPEAKER_00]: In situations.
[00:50:30] [SPEAKER_03]: Absolutely.
[00:50:30] [SPEAKER_00]: And you had said earlier,
[00:50:32] [SPEAKER_00]: play in the open events, which I, which I'd like to do.
[00:50:35] [SPEAKER_00]: I think, I don't believe I played any pro in worlds.
[00:50:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I did expert and I went, I think I went three and a half.
[00:50:43] [SPEAKER_00]: But really had some tough competition where I was stoked.
[00:50:47] [SPEAKER_00]: I was like, I lost, but I was like, I'm cool with it because now.
[00:50:50] [SPEAKER_00]: I got to work on some things.
[00:50:54] [SPEAKER_00]: It was Tim kiss and Mike Weiser.
[00:50:57] [SPEAKER_00]: You actually played him on time.
[00:50:59] [SPEAKER_04]: Mike Weiser. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:51:01] [SPEAKER_04]: Mike is from, I think he's from like Missouri.
[00:51:05] [SPEAKER_04]: I think he's from the St. Louis area. Good player.
[00:51:07] [SPEAKER_04]: He's won expert doubles at worlds a couple of times.
[00:51:09] [SPEAKER_04]: Really? He's a real good player. Tough, tough player.
[00:51:11] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:51:12] [SPEAKER_01]: So was there ever occasion at worlds where you got a chance to pull
[00:51:16] [SPEAKER_01]: somebody aside and say, Hey, listen, can I ask you a couple of questions?
[00:51:19] [SPEAKER_01]: Did you get a chance to do that at all?
[00:51:22] [SPEAKER_00]: No. I mean, Randy. Yeah.
[00:51:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:51:24] [SPEAKER_00]: I did with Randy.
[00:51:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Casey.
[00:51:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I did with Randy.
[00:51:28] [SPEAKER_00]: No.
[00:51:30] [SPEAKER_01]: No, it's, it's, you know, especially if it's somebody that's,
[00:51:33] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know, in like the echelon, the top 20 who,
[00:51:37] [SPEAKER_01]: maybe you've got a couple of seconds after the match is over to say,
[00:51:40] [SPEAKER_01]: I just got to ask you this one thing, man.
[00:51:42] [SPEAKER_01]: What, you know, you did this and I did this.
[00:51:44] [SPEAKER_01]: What, what do I need to do differently?
[00:51:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:51:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:51:47] [SPEAKER_00]: I didn't get to play a lot of the top players.
[00:51:50] [SPEAKER_00]: I don't, I didn't do any of those events.
[00:51:52] [SPEAKER_00]: And a lot of the times I was down in the back of the room,
[00:51:56] [SPEAKER_00]: right? In those thirties and twenties.
[00:51:58] [SPEAKER_04]: You were sweating.
[00:52:00] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah. Absolutely.
[00:52:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:52:03] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:52:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, this is a thing.
[00:52:04] [SPEAKER_00]: No, I mean the local guys like even like I played with Rick from
[00:52:07] [SPEAKER_00]: New Hampshire.
[00:52:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Right. We took sift and amateur.
[00:52:11] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:52:12] [SPEAKER_00]: He kept me calm, right?
[00:52:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Just taking my time, right?
[00:52:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Cause I'm more upbeat, full energy.
[00:52:18] [SPEAKER_00]: And so it was a good mix, right?
[00:52:20] [SPEAKER_00]: John Garcia does the same even when I was playing with you.
[00:52:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[00:52:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[00:52:25] [SPEAKER_01]: You need balance.
[00:52:26] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, the balance of aggression and thoughtfulness.
[00:52:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Although sometimes those things can go together too.
[00:52:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Aggression and thoughtfulness.
[00:52:35] [SPEAKER_01]: So it's a, it's, you're developing.
[00:52:37] [SPEAKER_01]: It's funny because I think I said this to you before.
[00:52:39] [SPEAKER_01]: You really remind me of Jeff Scarchilli who's,
[00:52:43] [SPEAKER_01]: who's an expert in the, the five one eight area,
[00:52:46] [SPEAKER_01]: but you both have a similar ability on the five row.
[00:52:51] [SPEAKER_01]: His spiral is also very smooth and his three row when he's on.
[00:52:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Just like you.
[00:52:57] [SPEAKER_01]: He's tough.
[00:52:58] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:52:58] [SPEAKER_04]: He can beat anybody, man.
[00:52:59] [SPEAKER_04]: He's a good player.
[00:53:00] [SPEAKER_04]: Real good player.
[00:53:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[00:53:01] [SPEAKER_01]: I saw him play Todd LaFredo at New York state championships back in,
[00:53:06] [SPEAKER_01]: I want to say it was 20, 2013, 2014 almost beat Todd.
[00:53:11] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh wait, Tom, you were at that tour when Todd and Tony played and he
[00:53:15] [SPEAKER_04]: almost beat them.
[00:53:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes.
[00:53:17] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:53:18] [SPEAKER_04]: G and I got second extra doubles at that tournament.
[00:53:20] [SPEAKER_04]: I was watching that match and I was so excited.
[00:53:22] [SPEAKER_04]: I was like, he's playing great.
[00:53:23] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't have to do anything.
[00:53:24] [SPEAKER_04]: We're going to win.
[00:53:25] [SPEAKER_04]: So, but he, it was hysterical because I,
[00:53:29] [SPEAKER_04]: I remember who he was playing with and I think the gentleman's actually
[00:53:32] [SPEAKER_04]: passed away, but there was like a last minute thing that they hooked up
[00:53:37] [SPEAKER_04]: and, and they couldn't stop them.
[00:53:39] [SPEAKER_04]: Tony and Todd were switching.
[00:53:40] [SPEAKER_04]: They couldn't stop them, but he was just passing shooting.
[00:53:43] [SPEAKER_04]: It was like, he didn't have a care in the world.
[00:53:45] [SPEAKER_04]: That's it.
[00:53:45] [SPEAKER_04]: And they just couldn't,
[00:53:46] [SPEAKER_04]: they couldn't stop them and then they figured something out,
[00:53:49] [SPEAKER_04]: came back and won the match.
[00:53:50] [SPEAKER_04]: But he, I mean, he was putting it on him, dude.
[00:53:53] [SPEAKER_04]: He's good.
[00:53:54] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh yeah.
[00:53:54] [SPEAKER_04]: Really good player.
[00:53:55] [SPEAKER_01]: I still remember cause we were standing outside afterwards.
[00:53:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Just, you know,
[00:53:59] [SPEAKER_01]: it was the middle of the day and everybody's kind of hanging out and
[00:54:02] [SPEAKER_01]: I hear Todd say to somebody else and I've forgotten who he's talking to,
[00:54:04] [SPEAKER_01]: but he said, man, I just played this dude.
[00:54:06] [SPEAKER_01]: I think his name is Jeff from, from the Albany area.
[00:54:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Damn. He almost beat me.
[00:54:12] [SPEAKER_01]: And like, wow, that's, you know, that's high compliment right there.
[00:54:16] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, but, but, but Chris,
[00:54:19] [SPEAKER_01]: you bring the same kind of energy that the G always did.
[00:54:22] [SPEAKER_01]: So, you know, really, you know, I think keep it up, man.
[00:54:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Keep that, keep that, that momentum going.
[00:54:28] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm trying. I love it.
[00:54:29] [SPEAKER_00]: I love playing.
[00:54:30] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:54:31] [SPEAKER_00]: You know,
[00:54:32] [SPEAKER_00]: it just doesn't get old.
[00:54:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.
[00:54:35] [SPEAKER_04]: No, dude.
[00:54:36] [SPEAKER_04]: Like I said,
[00:54:36] [SPEAKER_00]: I'll take my whooping and learn from it and just keep coming back from
[00:54:39] [SPEAKER_00]: them all.
[00:54:40] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm excited.
[00:54:41] [SPEAKER_04]: You're back, man.
[00:54:42] [SPEAKER_04]: Like I said,
[00:54:42] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean the area is really starting to grow and develop and it,
[00:54:47] [SPEAKER_04]: it really just, it puts a smile on my face.
[00:54:50] [SPEAKER_04]: Cause you know, to S to see players like you and Matt and Phil and,
[00:54:56] [SPEAKER_04]: you know,
[00:54:57] [SPEAKER_04]: I just all the local guys just really kind of chase it and be serious
[00:55:00] [SPEAKER_04]: about it. And now like Mikey Mello,
[00:55:02] [SPEAKER_04]: Mikey Mello is a local guy, Tom, who he was actually my neighbor for a
[00:55:08] [SPEAKER_04]: few years.
[00:55:09] [SPEAKER_04]: Had no idea that I played foosball, but he's supposed to be going to
[00:55:14] [SPEAKER_04]: Michigan.
[00:55:14] [SPEAKER_04]: I, he hasn't gone.
[00:55:15] [SPEAKER_04]: Cool.
[00:55:16] [SPEAKER_04]: This will be his first.
[00:55:17] [SPEAKER_00]: First. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:55:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[00:55:19] [SPEAKER_04]: Which is, I mean, it's, it's freaking awesome.
[00:55:22] [SPEAKER_04]: And then we got another, another kid, Corey.
[00:55:25] [SPEAKER_04]: Corey was a D one college baseball player.
[00:55:28] [SPEAKER_04]: So he's got a lot of athletic ability and he's got a brain.
[00:55:32] [SPEAKER_04]: Sports and he's, you know, super competitive,
[00:55:35] [SPEAKER_04]: but he's been getting into it.
[00:55:37] [SPEAKER_04]: You know, they just got a really good group there.
[00:55:39] [SPEAKER_04]: So, and everybody's pushing each other.
[00:55:41] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm just really excited to see what foosball is going to look like in
[00:55:45] [SPEAKER_04]: our area going forward.
[00:55:49] [SPEAKER_01]: There's the, that, that, that, that talent pool is,
[00:55:52] [SPEAKER_01]: is getting deeper and that's a, that's all it matters.
[00:55:55] [SPEAKER_01]: We're, you know, I think, you know,
[00:55:58] [SPEAKER_01]: you think about areas like Florida, Colorado,
[00:56:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Texas.
[00:56:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, they've always had a scene.
[00:56:06] [SPEAKER_01]: They've always had deep waters when it comes to talent.
[00:56:09] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, you think about just Tampa alone,
[00:56:11] [SPEAKER_01]: the number of pros and pro masters.
[00:56:14] [SPEAKER_01]: But you know what?
[00:56:15] [SPEAKER_01]: We're don't count us out because we're,
[00:56:18] [SPEAKER_01]: we're building, we're building a structure.
[00:56:20] [SPEAKER_01]: We're, we're building a,
[00:56:22] [SPEAKER_01]: I guess you'd say a permanent fixture.
[00:56:25] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:56:26] [SPEAKER_04]: I think we just need to get a couple of state tournaments going up in the
[00:56:29] [SPEAKER_04]: Northeast. Yep.
[00:56:30] [SPEAKER_04]: Really, you know,
[00:56:32] [SPEAKER_04]: I think we're right there on the cusp, Tom.
[00:56:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
[00:56:35] [SPEAKER_01]: So, so Chris,
[00:56:36] [SPEAKER_01]: I also got to ask you if you were,
[00:56:37] [SPEAKER_01]: we were to do like a state or regional tournament,
[00:56:39] [SPEAKER_01]: what do you think the best format would be?
[00:56:42] [SPEAKER_01]: And would you like to see multi-table?
[00:56:45] [SPEAKER_00]: I'd be down with multi-table.
[00:56:48] [SPEAKER_00]: I got to touch the Bonzini at the Master in Florida.
[00:56:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes.
[00:56:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Last year had a ball because I don't have a pulled shot.
[00:56:56] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
[00:56:57] [SPEAKER_00]: And for some reason I was able to shoot a pull on the table.
[00:57:00] [SPEAKER_00]: So, you know,
[00:57:00] [SPEAKER_00]: I had a good time there and I got to touch the Leonhard in Michigan
[00:57:05] [SPEAKER_00]: for the first time.
[00:57:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Cool.
[00:57:06] [SPEAKER_00]: Smooth. I mean, so smooth.
[00:57:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Yep.
[00:57:09] [SPEAKER_00]: I'd be down with a multi-table.
[00:57:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Sure.
[00:57:13] [SPEAKER_00]: It's a format.
[00:57:14] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm okay with the championship format.
[00:57:18] [SPEAKER_00]: I found,
[00:57:19] [SPEAKER_00]: so at first I was kind of bummed on my man.
[00:57:21] [SPEAKER_00]: I got to,
[00:57:22] [SPEAKER_00]: you know,
[00:57:23] [SPEAKER_00]: at least you could fight through the loser's bracket.
[00:57:25] [SPEAKER_00]: But I did find that worlds that every ball,
[00:57:28] [SPEAKER_00]: at least in,
[00:57:29] [SPEAKER_00]: in my eyes was it mattered, right?
[00:57:31] [SPEAKER_00]: One ball at a time.
[00:57:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh yeah.
[00:57:33] [SPEAKER_00]: You wanted to stay in that winters bracket as long as possible.
[00:57:37] [SPEAKER_00]: And so that's how I took it.
[00:57:39] [SPEAKER_00]: I was okay with it.
[00:57:40] [SPEAKER_01]: And you just never know when there's going to be an upset.
[00:57:42] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, it does,
[00:57:43] [SPEAKER_01]: it does happen
[00:57:45] [SPEAKER_01]: with that kind of format.
[00:57:47] [SPEAKER_01]: It's kind of unpredictable.
[00:57:48] [SPEAKER_01]: I guess there's been a couple of,
[00:57:50] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know,
[00:57:50] [SPEAKER_01]: negative comments about,
[00:57:51] [SPEAKER_01]: you know,
[00:57:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Trevor Park and the way he made it all the way to the,
[00:57:55] [SPEAKER_01]: to the finals and was undefeated.
[00:57:57] [SPEAKER_01]: And of course beat all those huge players.
[00:58:00] [SPEAKER_01]: You can't take it away from him,
[00:58:01] [SPEAKER_01]: but there was some people apparently that are trying to do that on,
[00:58:04] [SPEAKER_01]: on,
[00:58:05] [SPEAKER_01]: on some of the social media sites.
[00:58:07] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't understand that.
[00:58:09] [SPEAKER_00]: People always will.
[00:58:12] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean,
[00:58:14] [SPEAKER_04]: listen,
[00:58:14] [SPEAKER_04]: Trevor,
[00:58:15] [SPEAKER_04]: Trevor was the best player at that tournament on that day for that
[00:58:19] [SPEAKER_04]: event.
[00:58:20] [SPEAKER_04]: Nobody can ever take that away from look, he beat,
[00:58:23] [SPEAKER_04]: he beat Tommy,
[00:58:24] [SPEAKER_04]: right?
[00:58:24] [SPEAKER_04]: Who's been pretty much been unstoppable.
[00:58:27] [SPEAKER_04]: Like he's been killing everybody in singles this year.
[00:58:30] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:58:30] [SPEAKER_04]: He beat Tony.
[00:58:32] [SPEAKER_04]: Correct.
[00:58:33] [SPEAKER_04]: Who is easily the greatest tornado player of all time.
[00:58:36] [SPEAKER_04]: And then he beat Ryan,
[00:58:38] [SPEAKER_04]: who was one of the greatest foosball players ever.
[00:58:40] [SPEAKER_04]: Surprising.
[00:58:42] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean,
[00:58:43] [SPEAKER_04]: people,
[00:58:44] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't know,
[00:58:45] [SPEAKER_04]: man,
[00:58:45] [SPEAKER_04]: some people just,
[00:58:46] [SPEAKER_04]: some people just hate to hate.
[00:58:48] [SPEAKER_04]: It's unfortunate.
[00:58:48] [SPEAKER_01]: I guess,
[00:58:49] [SPEAKER_01]: I guess.
[00:58:50] [SPEAKER_04]: And don't,
[00:58:51] [SPEAKER_04]: don't get me wrong,
[00:58:52] [SPEAKER_04]: Tom,
[00:58:52] [SPEAKER_04]: you know,
[00:58:53] [SPEAKER_04]: Chris knows I look,
[00:58:54] [SPEAKER_04]: I'll talk some smack.
[00:58:55] [SPEAKER_04]: I will,
[00:58:56] [SPEAKER_04]: but you got to give credit.
[00:58:57] [SPEAKER_04]: You got to give credit where credits do.
[00:58:58] [SPEAKER_04]: So,
[00:59:01] [SPEAKER_04]: but I,
[00:59:01] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm,
[00:59:01] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't,
[00:59:02] [SPEAKER_04]: championship format.
[00:59:03] [SPEAKER_04]: It don't bother me.
[00:59:04] [SPEAKER_02]: I mean,
[00:59:04] [SPEAKER_04]: you know,
[00:59:05] [SPEAKER_04]: Chris,
[00:59:05] [SPEAKER_04]: Chris is a foosball player.
[00:59:06] [SPEAKER_04]: Chris will play a tournament on a Walmart table.
[00:59:08] [SPEAKER_04]: He don't care.
[00:59:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Now there's a,
[00:59:12] [SPEAKER_01]: there's a multi-table.
[00:59:13] [SPEAKER_01]: There's an idea,
[00:59:14] [SPEAKER_01]: multi-table event.
[00:59:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Let's have something like a,
[00:59:16] [SPEAKER_01]: you know,
[00:59:16] [SPEAKER_01]: a Walmart table in the corner.
[00:59:18] [SPEAKER_01]: We'll go to go crazy on it.
[00:59:20] [SPEAKER_04]: I'll play on it.
[00:59:21] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:59:21] [SPEAKER_04]: I'll play on it.
[00:59:22] [SPEAKER_04]: Let's go.
[00:59:22] [SPEAKER_01]: They did that a couple of years ago at Worlds.
[00:59:24] [SPEAKER_01]: They had a couple of,
[00:59:25] [SPEAKER_01]: what was it?
[00:59:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Roberto Sports,
[00:59:26] [SPEAKER_01]: I think.
[00:59:27] [SPEAKER_01]: They were there for,
[00:59:29] [SPEAKER_01]: for the,
[00:59:30] [SPEAKER_01]: the handicap division.
[00:59:31] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh yeah,
[00:59:32] [SPEAKER_04]: yeah,
[00:59:32] [SPEAKER_04]: yeah,
[00:59:32] [SPEAKER_04]: yeah,
[00:59:33] [SPEAKER_04]: yeah.
[00:59:33] [SPEAKER_04]: It was two years ago,
[00:59:35] [SPEAKER_04]: I think.
[00:59:35] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:59:35] [SPEAKER_04]: For sure.
[00:59:36] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:59:36] [SPEAKER_04]: It was a blast.
[00:59:36] [SPEAKER_04]: I remember one.
[00:59:37] [SPEAKER_04]: And it had the legs that came way out so you could roll under it if you were in a wheelchair.
[00:59:41] [SPEAKER_04]: Exactly.
[00:59:42] [SPEAKER_04]: I remember that one.
[00:59:43] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[00:59:43] [SPEAKER_01]: That was a blast.
[00:59:44] [SPEAKER_01]: It was a lot of fun,
[00:59:45] [SPEAKER_01]: that table,
[00:59:45] [SPEAKER_01]: I got to say.
[00:59:46] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean,
[00:59:46] [SPEAKER_01]: you know,
[00:59:46] [SPEAKER_01]: it certainly doesn't have the stature of a tornado.
[00:59:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Incidentally,
[00:59:51] [SPEAKER_01]: there's been,
[00:59:51] [SPEAKER_01]: you know,
[00:59:53] [SPEAKER_01]: more recently having conversations with Ryan Moore right here on,
[00:59:56] [SPEAKER_01]: on Foosball Radio,
[00:59:57] [SPEAKER_01]: Foos Talk Live.
[00:59:59] [SPEAKER_01]: There are some changes coming in the wind this next year.
[01:00:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to ask you both.
[01:00:06] [SPEAKER_01]: First,
[01:00:06] [SPEAKER_01]: you,
[01:00:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Chris,
[01:00:07] [SPEAKER_01]: what would you like to see?
[01:00:09] [SPEAKER_01]: What do you think should be different if,
[01:00:11] [SPEAKER_01]: if all were equal?
[01:00:12] [SPEAKER_01]: What would you like to see most?
[01:00:15] [SPEAKER_01]: And changes?
[01:00:16] [SPEAKER_00]: So the tour?
[01:00:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm.
[01:00:20] [SPEAKER_00]: Uh,
[01:00:23] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm cool with the championship format,
[01:00:25] [SPEAKER_00]: but I still think it ends too late.
[01:00:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Right?
[01:00:28] [SPEAKER_00]: But I get you're trying to get all these events.
[01:00:30] [SPEAKER_00]: So I get the business aspect just because.
[01:00:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Sure.
[01:00:33] [SPEAKER_00]: But I do.
[01:00:34] [SPEAKER_00]: That's what I do, right?
[01:00:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah,
[01:00:37] [SPEAKER_00]: it's tough playing at 1 32 o'clock in the morning.
[01:00:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Not gonna lie.
[01:00:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Right?
[01:00:40] [SPEAKER_00]: That's a challenge.
[01:00:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Right?
[01:00:41] [SPEAKER_00]: So if there was any way to,
[01:00:43] [SPEAKER_00]: to get that to be earlier would be cool.
[01:00:46] [SPEAKER_00]: But I'm cool with the championship format and
[01:00:50] [SPEAKER_00]: the multi-table,
[01:00:51] [SPEAKER_00]: even if it's not,
[01:00:53] [SPEAKER_00]: not part of the event,
[01:00:55] [SPEAKER_00]: at least at
[01:00:57] [SPEAKER_00]: the location.
[01:00:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Have it available.
[01:00:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Like I said,
[01:00:59] [SPEAKER_00]: I would have never been able to touch a Bonzini or a Leonhard
[01:01:02] [SPEAKER_00]: if they weren't sample tables that were put out.
[01:01:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Right?
[01:01:05] [SPEAKER_00]: So,
[01:01:06] [SPEAKER_00]: you know,
[01:01:06] [SPEAKER_00]: a newbie like me,
[01:01:07] [SPEAKER_00]: that'd be great to just
[01:01:08] [SPEAKER_00]: check to see what else is out there.
[01:01:10] [SPEAKER_00]: Cause maybe someday I could get to Europe and
[01:01:13] [SPEAKER_00]: try a tournament on it.
[01:01:14] [SPEAKER_00]: You never know.
[01:01:15] [SPEAKER_00]: A local crew.
[01:01:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Cause John had talked about that at one time
[01:01:18] [SPEAKER_00]: was maybe talking about the Portuguese team out there
[01:01:21] [SPEAKER_00]: and seeing if we could go
[01:01:22] [SPEAKER_00]: and play out there or something.
[01:01:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Right?
[01:01:24] [SPEAKER_00]: So maybe that's part of the five year plan where
[01:01:27] [SPEAKER_00]: a European tournament or something is on the menu.
[01:01:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Who knows?
[01:01:31] [SPEAKER_04]: Well, they do multi-table in Canada.
[01:01:32] [SPEAKER_04]: There's a Leonhard tournament coming up in Canada.
[01:01:35] [SPEAKER_00]: And Bonzini.
[01:01:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, all right.
[01:01:37] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[01:01:38] [SPEAKER_00]: And a bunch of those guys actually,
[01:01:39] [SPEAKER_00]: that's Ottawa Foos, right?
[01:01:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Yep.
[01:01:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Was down at the smashdown.
[01:01:42] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
[01:01:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Those guys.
[01:01:44] [SPEAKER_00]: A couple of smashdowns ago.
[01:01:45] [SPEAKER_01]: They're great players,
[01:01:46] [SPEAKER_01]: great people.
[01:01:47] [SPEAKER_01]: They really, they love to share.
[01:01:49] [SPEAKER_01]: They shared their technology when it comes to streaming
[01:01:51] [SPEAKER_01]: when they were at the smashdown.
[01:01:53] [SPEAKER_01]: That was really a great influence on us.
[01:01:56] [SPEAKER_01]: And we're trying to stream every week now.
[01:01:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Which is something we weren't doing before.
[01:02:01] [SPEAKER_01]: But so Randy, I got to ask you the question in 2025
[01:02:04] [SPEAKER_01]: with all these potential changes that could take place.
[01:02:07] [SPEAKER_01]: What do you think would be the most important thing?
[01:02:09] [SPEAKER_01]: What would you like to see?
[01:02:11] [SPEAKER_04]: Well,
[01:02:14] [SPEAKER_04]: a couple of things.
[01:02:18] [SPEAKER_04]: You know, I'm excited to see what Ryan's going to do.
[01:02:23] [SPEAKER_04]: Ryan is a smart guy and he's pretty business savvy.
[01:02:27] [SPEAKER_04]: I would love to see a lot of the masters that kind of quit playing come back.
[01:02:33] [SPEAKER_04]: Yes.
[01:02:33] [SPEAKER_04]: I'd love to see that.
[01:02:34] [SPEAKER_04]: And I've heard some things, but more than anything else,
[01:02:37] [SPEAKER_04]: I would love to see the top players be incentivized.
[01:02:45] [SPEAKER_04]: Like there's never really been an incentive to move up.
[01:02:49] [SPEAKER_04]: And I would really like to see that change.
[01:02:51] [SPEAKER_04]: You know,
[01:02:52] [SPEAKER_04]: like the players that are improving gaining points and moving up through
[01:02:56] [SPEAKER_04]: the divisions or even just the top 10 players in the world,
[01:03:01] [SPEAKER_04]: the 20 players just give somebody an incentive to want to go out
[01:03:05] [SPEAKER_04]: and win outside of I won first place.
[01:03:08] [SPEAKER_04]: I get a trophy, a jacket and some money. Right?
[01:03:11] [SPEAKER_04]: Like I get it. It is what it is.
[01:03:14] [SPEAKER_04]: But I mean,
[01:03:15] [SPEAKER_04]: the guys that are putting in the time I think should be incentivized
[01:03:20] [SPEAKER_04]: outside of that stuff.
[01:03:22] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah.
[01:03:22] [SPEAKER_01]: So no question in some way like this.
[01:03:25] [SPEAKER_04]: I would like to see them. I would like to see that.
[01:03:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I agree.
[01:03:28] [SPEAKER_01]: I think there's there should be a focus eventually on just a
[01:03:33] [SPEAKER_01]: pro and pro master division wherein if you make it to that level,
[01:03:37] [SPEAKER_01]: you put that kind of time and effort in.
[01:03:38] [SPEAKER_01]: You basically get, you know, sponsorships and you get pretty much
[01:03:43] [SPEAKER_01]: free reign to go to a tournament and of course go to all the main stops
[01:03:48] [SPEAKER_01]: but be incentivized to do that.
[01:03:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Like you say what that incentive might be could be anything.
[01:03:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Could be any number of things.
[01:03:55] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course.
[01:03:57] [SPEAKER_04]: And that's that's the thing.
[01:03:58] [SPEAKER_04]: It's like, you know, not knocking Mary.
[01:04:03] [SPEAKER_02]: No.
[01:04:03] [SPEAKER_04]: Right. But when you know, when her or her I.F.P. stuff,
[01:04:07] [SPEAKER_04]: when she took over, she was paying a thousand dollars rookie amateur expert
[01:04:10] [SPEAKER_04]: and pro division getting a thousand dollars in doubles.
[01:04:13] [SPEAKER_04]: And there were there were players that really took advantage at the lower
[01:04:18] [SPEAKER_04]: division at all at the rookie division, the amateur division,
[01:04:21] [SPEAKER_04]: the expert division.
[01:04:22] [SPEAKER_02]: Right.
[01:04:22] [SPEAKER_04]: And and I know that's why a lot of top masters kind of stopped
[01:04:26] [SPEAKER_04]: because they were like, you know, why are these guys making the same money
[01:04:30] [SPEAKER_04]: or whatever when they're not putting in the same time as us?
[01:04:34] [SPEAKER_01]: So we're winning a table.
[01:04:36] [SPEAKER_04]: You know, yeah, yeah.
[01:04:37] [SPEAKER_04]: And again, and I understand the lower division subsidized the upper
[01:04:41] [SPEAKER_04]: divisions, but you know, I'm really hoping that Ryan
[01:04:45] [SPEAKER_04]: figures out a way to, you know, to motivate all the players,
[01:04:50] [SPEAKER_04]: but more so incentivize people to want to improve.
[01:04:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, absolutely.
[01:04:55] [SPEAKER_04]: You know, reward the people that are putting the time in.
[01:04:59] [SPEAKER_04]: So, you know, I'm I'm I am looking forward to what he's going to do.
[01:05:03] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm looking forward to the events he's going to he's going to put on.
[01:05:07] [SPEAKER_04]: And and I will be doing my best to support him.
[01:05:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Cool. So likewise.
[01:05:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, sir. I think I think we all want something to get behind.
[01:05:15] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, we we definitely want, you know, especially as a collective,
[01:05:19] [SPEAKER_01]: you know, we're we're football players.
[01:05:21] [SPEAKER_01]: We all have something in common for God's sake.
[01:05:23] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, yeah. So it's football, Tom.
[01:05:26] [SPEAKER_04]: That's right. Yeah.
[01:05:27] [SPEAKER_04]: Where else can you walk into a room and see a doctor and a mechanic
[01:05:32] [SPEAKER_04]: and a truck driver and a convicted felon standing there talking to each
[01:05:37] [SPEAKER_04]: other about, you know, football or something?
[01:05:40] [SPEAKER_04]: That's well, that's the thread.
[01:05:41] [SPEAKER_04]: That's a common thread there.
[01:05:43] [SPEAKER_01]: So or a general manager of a good sized company or better yet,
[01:05:48] [SPEAKER_01]: let's say, I don't know, the tenth smartest guy in the world.
[01:05:52] [SPEAKER_04]: There you go. Just saying. Yeah, yeah.
[01:05:55] [SPEAKER_04]: The smartest guy. That's what I mean.
[01:05:58] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah. You know, you got you got rocket scientists, you got lawyers,
[01:06:02] [SPEAKER_04]: you got doctors, you got drug dealers, you got, you know, you got,
[01:06:07] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean, all walks of life.
[01:06:09] [SPEAKER_04]: It's a football tournament.
[01:06:10] [SPEAKER_04]: So and we all get together and hang out and have a good time.
[01:06:13] [SPEAKER_01]: So we don't discriminate.
[01:06:15] [SPEAKER_04]: That's not man who's not having fun when you're playing football.
[01:06:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, God. Yeah, absolutely.
[01:06:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, Chris, it's I hope that this is not the last time you and I get a
[01:06:23] [SPEAKER_01]: chance to play together.
[01:06:25] [SPEAKER_01]: I would I would entertain the idea at any time really in the near future.
[01:06:29] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, if there's a there's a need and a place where we can play
[01:06:32] [SPEAKER_01]: together, I'd love the opportunity.
[01:06:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Of course, Randy will I don't know if we'll have a chance to play
[01:06:37] [SPEAKER_01]: with him because he's just too good for us.
[01:06:39] [SPEAKER_01]: But whatever. Yeah.
[01:06:40] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, whatever.
[01:06:42] [SPEAKER_04]: You guys, you guys.
[01:06:44] [SPEAKER_04]: Well, I mean, you guys are going to be at Michigan at the same time,
[01:06:47] [SPEAKER_04]: aren't you? Yep.
[01:06:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. Yeah.
[01:06:50] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean, it's always a possibility.
[01:06:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Whatever can happen.
[01:06:53] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm looking forward to Michigan.
[01:06:56] [SPEAKER_04]: I've never been definitely.
[01:06:58] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh, yeah.
[01:07:00] [SPEAKER_04]: Oh, dude, I'm going to play.
[01:07:01] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, I'm playing.
[01:07:02] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm playing.
[01:07:03] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm going to play two events.
[01:07:04] [SPEAKER_04]: I might play a singles event.
[01:07:05] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't know.
[01:07:06] [SPEAKER_04]: It just depends how I feel.
[01:07:07] [SPEAKER_04]: But I'm playing pro and open doubles with my good friend, Bruce Walton.
[01:07:13] [SPEAKER_01]: So, oh, yeah, Bruce.
[01:07:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Bruce.
[01:07:15] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, Bruce is a really terrific human being and had an opportunity to
[01:07:21] [SPEAKER_01]: really get a chance to really get to know Bruce better last year in
[01:07:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Michigan State and looking forward to just, you know, just catching up
[01:07:28] [SPEAKER_01]: with Bruce and see what he's up to.
[01:07:30] [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm hoping we see him for the big smashdown in Turkey Day this
[01:07:34] [SPEAKER_01]: year.
[01:07:35] [SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, I know Bruce and Kevin are going to Florida.
[01:07:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah.
[01:07:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to actually practice with them on Tuesday.
[01:07:42] [SPEAKER_00]: OK.
[01:07:42] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to come down to the dorm.
[01:07:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Nice.
[01:07:45] [SPEAKER_01]: We'll give my best regards for sure.
[01:07:47] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, looking forward to seeing those guys soon.
[01:07:51] [SPEAKER_01]: So, Randy, I'm going to leave this with you.
[01:07:54] [SPEAKER_01]: What would you like to ask?
[01:07:55] [SPEAKER_01]: One more thing for Chris before we let him get back to his football
[01:07:59] [SPEAKER_01]: game?
[01:08:01] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean, I don't know, Guy.
[01:08:03] [SPEAKER_04]: Look, dude, thanks for coming on.
[01:08:05] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean, I got nothing to ask you.
[01:08:06] [SPEAKER_04]: I've asked you everything I want to ask you.
[01:08:07] [SPEAKER_04]: I just, you know, I'm just excited to see you going out and playing
[01:08:12] [SPEAKER_04]: because again, Tom, we're in a text chat together.
[01:08:14] [SPEAKER_04]: There's like 18 or 19 of us.
[01:08:16] [SPEAKER_02]: So nice.
[01:08:17] [SPEAKER_04]: You know, people start talking about a tournament.
[01:08:18] [SPEAKER_04]: Chris is like, dude, I booked my flight.
[01:08:20] [SPEAKER_04]: I'm going to Florida.
[01:08:20] [SPEAKER_04]: And I'm like, oh, so he's just I get out of meetings and there's
[01:08:25] [SPEAKER_00]: like 47 texts.
[01:08:27] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm saying, all right, let me go through these.
[01:08:30] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, yeah.
[01:08:31] [SPEAKER_04]: That's what I said.
[01:08:32] [SPEAKER_04]: I do.
[01:08:32] [SPEAKER_04]: I just sit on the toilet and go through the text.
[01:08:35] [SPEAKER_04]: It's whatever.
[01:08:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I got to put in the work to get better.
[01:08:38] [SPEAKER_04]: So yeah, but you're doing it and I appreciate that man.
[01:08:42] [SPEAKER_04]: You got my respect, buddy.
[01:08:44] [SPEAKER_04]: So I'm excited for you.
[01:08:46] [SPEAKER_04]: I'll be I'll be watching the brackets in Florida and then I'll
[01:08:48] [SPEAKER_04]: see you.
[01:08:50] [SPEAKER_04]: I'll see you in a few weeks in Michigan.
[01:08:51] [SPEAKER_04]: So, you know, if you need anything, bro, hit me up.
[01:08:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.
[01:08:56] [SPEAKER_04]: Thank you for coming on, man.
[01:08:57] [SPEAKER_04]: We appreciate it.
[01:08:58] [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm going to go out on a limb right here, Chris, and make a
[01:09:02] [SPEAKER_01]: prediction that if we get together next year at this time,
[01:09:04] [SPEAKER_01]: you'll be ranked up.
[01:09:07] [SPEAKER_01]: You're going to go from from where you are now.
[01:09:09] [SPEAKER_01]: I hope so.
[01:09:10] [SPEAKER_01]: You're going to be an amateur by this time next year.
[01:09:12] [SPEAKER_01]: That's that's my prediction.
[01:09:14] [SPEAKER_01]: And so maybe I'm being conservative.
[01:09:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Hey, maybe an expert.
[01:09:19] [SPEAKER_04]: That's a safe.
[01:09:20] [SPEAKER_04]: That's a safe.
[01:09:21] [SPEAKER_04]: I think that's a safe.
[01:09:23] [SPEAKER_01]: I think well, I do like to make even money.
[01:09:28] [SPEAKER_04]: I was going to say you given odds.
[01:09:29] [SPEAKER_04]: I'll take that.
[01:09:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[01:09:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.
[01:09:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe maybe I should amp that up.
[01:09:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe let's make it expert this time next year.
[01:09:37] [SPEAKER_04]: Well, don't jinx it.
[01:09:38] [SPEAKER_04]: Don't jinx it now.
[01:09:38] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean, now it's a work.
[01:09:40] [SPEAKER_04]: Now you put it on.
[01:09:42] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean, dude, tone it down.
[01:09:45] [SPEAKER_04]: My goodness.
[01:09:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, we don't even know what the point system is going to be
[01:09:48] [SPEAKER_01]: like this time next year.
[01:09:49] [SPEAKER_04]: So that's what I mean.
[01:09:50] [SPEAKER_04]: We're all going to be reset.
[01:09:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, there you go.
[01:09:52] [SPEAKER_01]: There you go.
[01:09:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm back to beginner.
[01:09:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Here we go again.
[01:09:55] [SPEAKER_03]: I'm back to beginner.
[01:09:57] [SPEAKER_03]: Let's go.
[01:09:58] [SPEAKER_03]: Oh, yeah.
[01:09:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Go ahead.
[01:10:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Push me back and see what happens.
[01:10:02] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, see what happens.
[01:10:03] [SPEAKER_04]: Listen, if I get bumped down to be if I get bumped down
[01:10:05] [SPEAKER_04]: a beginner, Tom, I'll play with you.
[01:10:06] [SPEAKER_01]: OK, nice.
[01:10:08] [SPEAKER_01]: OK.
[01:10:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, it's like, yeah, not happening.
[01:10:13] [SPEAKER_04]: I mean, you never know.
[01:10:15] [SPEAKER_04]: Stranger things have happened.
[01:10:16] [SPEAKER_04]: If I get bumped down a beginner, Tom, we'll play.
[01:10:18] [SPEAKER_01]: All right.
[01:10:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, yeah, I got to say, Chris, it's so great to get
[01:10:23] [SPEAKER_01]: together and just hang out and chat about the 508 and what
[01:10:27] [SPEAKER_01]: you're up to and of course, the crew.
[01:10:29] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, shout out to everybody.
[01:10:31] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, Matt Contoy and John Garcia and Steve
[01:10:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Bautista.
[01:10:35] [SPEAKER_01]: You guys are the best and we're looking forward
[01:10:37] [SPEAKER_01]: to seeing you guys all on the scene.
[01:10:39] [SPEAKER_01]: And they've all been watching tonight on Twitch
[01:10:41] [SPEAKER_01]: TV.
[01:10:42] [SPEAKER_01]: So we appreciate you doing that.
[01:10:44] [SPEAKER_04]: Vote for John Garcia, president of Fall River
[01:10:47] [SPEAKER_04]: 2025.
[01:10:48] [SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, yeah.
[01:10:49] [SPEAKER_04]: There you go.
[01:10:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Also see Reese Roberts, our Uber fan is on
[01:10:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Twitch TV tonight.
[01:10:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Watching on Twitch TV along with Eric Balcos.
[01:10:58] [SPEAKER_01]: So Eric, yeah, we're so happy to have you guys
[01:11:01] [SPEAKER_01]: and hope you enjoyed it tonight.
[01:11:03] [SPEAKER_01]: And of course, this this this will be a podcast
[01:11:05] [SPEAKER_01]: before you know it so you can download it later.
[01:11:08] [SPEAKER_01]: But again, Chris, Chris Elmerall from from the
[01:11:11] [SPEAKER_01]: great state of Massachusetts.
[01:11:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks so much for being with us.
[01:11:14] [SPEAKER_01]: And Randy, we're doing this again next week,
[01:11:16] [SPEAKER_01]: of course.
[01:11:17] [SPEAKER_01]: But in the meantime, you know, we've got
[01:11:20] [SPEAKER_01]: something special for you here.
[01:11:21] [SPEAKER_01]: And that's the Foos Talk Live Tournament
[01:11:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Beat.
[01:11:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Foosball tournaments are everywhere.
[01:11:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Foos Talk Live proudly presents a weekly
[01:11:31] [SPEAKER_01]: update of events near you with the Foos
[01:11:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Talk Live Tournament Beat.
[01:11:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Here's what's up.
[01:11:38] [SPEAKER_01]: It's the Canadian Championship of Bonzini
[01:11:40] [SPEAKER_01]: Foosball 2024, September 20th through the
[01:11:44] [SPEAKER_01]: 22nd in Montreal, Canada.
[01:11:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Here comes the 2024 Florida State
[01:11:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Championship Masters Open, September 26
[01:11:52] [SPEAKER_01]: through 29th at the Havare Inn in Clearwater,
[01:11:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Florida.
[01:11:57] [SPEAKER_01]: It's the Louisiana Open Battle in the Bayou,
[01:12:00] [SPEAKER_01]: October 4th through the 6th at Sam's
[01:12:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Rocket Arcade in Crowley, Louisiana.
[01:12:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Introducing the $10,000 Great Lakes
[01:12:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Classic featuring the Michigan State Foosball
[01:12:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Hall of Fame, October 10th through the
[01:12:15] [SPEAKER_01]: 13th at the Hilton Garden Inn, Lansing,
[01:12:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Michigan.
[01:12:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Music City Nashville presents the Foosball
[01:12:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Classic, October 12th at Moxie Vanderbilt
[01:12:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.
[01:12:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Two Gun Productions present the 2024
[01:12:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Halloween Open, October 31st through
[01:12:33] [SPEAKER_01]: November 3rd at Magoose in Tulsa,
[01:12:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Oklahoma.
[01:12:38] [SPEAKER_01]: The Virginia State Foosball Championship
[01:12:40] [SPEAKER_01]: with Bonzini, November 7th through the
[01:12:43] [SPEAKER_01]: 10th at Peabody's Nightclub Virginia
[01:12:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Beach, Virginia.
[01:12:46] [SPEAKER_01]: It's the 2024 North Carolina State
[01:12:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Championships, November 28th through
[01:12:51] [SPEAKER_01]: December 1st at the Crowne Plaza in
[01:12:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Asheville, North Carolina.
[01:12:57] [SPEAKER_01]: 518 Foosball proudly presents the
[01:12:59] [SPEAKER_01]: annual Turkey Day Smashdown,
[01:13:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Saturday, November 30th at Trickshots
[01:13:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Billions at Wicked Eatery, Clifton
[01:13:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Park, New York.
[01:13:08] [SPEAKER_01]: The 2024 Louisiana State
[01:13:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Championships, December 5th through the
[01:13:13] [SPEAKER_01]: 8th at the Clarion Hotel in Kenner,
[01:13:15] [SPEAKER_01]: New Orleans, Louisiana.
[01:13:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Each week we do our best to give you
[01:13:19] [SPEAKER_01]: the most up-to-date listing of
[01:13:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Foosball tournaments near you.
[01:13:23] [SPEAKER_01]: If you have an event you'd like to
[01:13:24] [SPEAKER_01]: add, send us all the details at
[01:13:27] [SPEAKER_01]: info at foosballradio.com.
[01:13:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Tune in every week for the
[01:13:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Foos Talk Live Tournament Beat.
[01:13:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Foos Talk Live is a product of
[01:13:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Foosball Radio.
[01:13:39] [SPEAKER_01]: With gratitude we recognize our
[01:13:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Foosball Radio Patreons, our
[01:13:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Visit us at foos.com
[01:13:48] [SPEAKER_01]: and thanks to inside foos.com
[01:13:50] [SPEAKER_01]: for use of their audio during the
[01:13:52] [SPEAKER_01]: show.
[01:13:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Tune in again next week for
[01:13:54] [SPEAKER_01]: another episode of Foos Talk Live.
[01:13:56] [SPEAKER_01]: In the meantime, we'll see you
[01:13:58] [SPEAKER_02]: at Fooson!