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What in the Whirl!? East Edition: Are you ready for Nationals?
132 Plays5 months ago
Welcome to "What in the Whirl, East Edition," your go-to podcast for all things Whirlyball! As we gear up for the upcoming Whirlyball Nationals, join us for an in-depth look at the tournament, including our predictions, favorite players past and present, and the hottest topics buzzing in the Whirlyball community.
In this episode, we'll dive into the contenders and underdogs, spotlighting the players who could make a splash and reminiscing about legends of the game. We'll also tackle the heated debates surrounding the Unlimited tournament structure and what changes, if any, could be on the horizon.
Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to the sport, "What in the Whirl, East Edition" is your ultimate guide to the excitement of Whirlyball Nationals. Tune in and stay ahead of the game!
Apologies for the end of the episode, internet issues =(
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Whirly Ball Nationals
00:00:01
thedfsdeli
Just when you thought it was over, we still have more talk about the whirly ball national competition coming up. One show has retired for the season a leading up until nationals, but I refuse, refuse to let them rest.
Meet the Hosts and Guests
00:00:16
thedfsdeli
Chill and I join you on a East coast edition of what in the world, a podcast. Welcome on in. Here we go.
00:00:40
thedfsdeli
And welcome in to what in the world a podcast brought to you by and blessed by our and ambassador all the way from Seattle Steve and his tag team partner Noah and My partner in crime over on my other podcast, the DFS deli chili guys, we are here to discuss everything Whirly ball related on tonight's inaugural episode of the word and world podcast, the East coast edition.
Steve: The Whirly Ball Ambassador
00:01:12
thedfsdeli
Guys, I'm so happy and blessed to have you guys on my show tonight. First of all, I'd like to introduce the ambassador of Whirly Ball, the man behind the mic on the What in the World podcast. Steve, what's going on, man? How you feeling tonight?
00:01:31
The Ambassador
I'm feeling great, man. What's going on? Thanks for having me on the show.
00:01:35
thedfsdeli
um Man, thanks for being here. It is definitely, a ah again, a blessing, like I said, to have you on, to debate some We'll leave all topics as our national competition. Uh, what did I, did I hear that correctly? Our 40th national competition coming up.
00:01:48
The Ambassador
The 40th annual Whirly Ball National Tournament. Yes, sir.
00:01:53
thedfsdeli
Awesome. Awesome.
Noah's East Coast Enthusiasm
00:01:54
thedfsdeli
Noah, baby. How you doing?
00:01:55
Noah
How we doin', my goodness. It is good to see you. um On this East Coast edition, it brings me back to my roots. I come from the East Coast, and I'm ah i'm happy to be back at least auditorially.
00:02:13
thedfsdeli
Yeah, absolutely. Like I said, this is is going to be the audio version of this podcast. Again, if we want to branch out as Chilly and I produce more episodes of the East Coast edition of the what the world podcast, we might go into some video formats, but for now you get to hear the blessings of our voice online.
00:02:27
Noah
Mmm.
00:02:29
thedfsdeli
Let's speak about some whirly ball.
DFS Deli Podcast's Whirly Ball Involvement
00:02:31
thedfsdeli
Chilly, what is up? My tag team partner on the DFS deli. Welcome to what in the world? What's up?
00:02:38
Chilly
I just need to know am I still mopping at the end of the night or what am I doing? you know When we usually close the deli, you know i I'm i mopping, I'm getting the buckets. ah No, man, it's ah it' it's great to have on these two. These two have done a lot, especially for the game in terms of podcasts and all of the off the court stuff. So it's it's great to have them on. And you know <unk> it's just good to talk about Whirly Ball, a game we all been playing for a long time. So it's ah it's great to do something like this. It's real cool.
00:03:09
thedfsdeli
Yeah, absolutely.
00:03:09
The Ambassador
you
00:03:10
thedfsdeli
Uh, Steve, I need a shameless plug. First of all, I'm going to be promoting my own podcast, but again, this is not direct competition. This is a, this is a branch. This is like a sister branch of your podcast. So I need your shameless plug for your podcast. The one you started, give give me the plug and where can they find your podcast at?
00:03:30
The Ambassador
All right, well, first off, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that it's I am just a co-founder. Our good friend, Mr. Mark Mills, a.k.a. Kramyar Slim, ah actually came up with the idea initially and and and pitched it to me. And we made it a reality, soon joined ah by Noah after that.
National Competition Structure
00:03:51
The Ambassador
But of course, on What in the World podcast, we discuss all things past, present and future with the sport of Whirly Ball, as we say. And you can find that on Spotify, um pretty much any and all of the major podcasting platforms.
00:04:09
thedfsdeli
Awesome, awesome. If you haven't checked out any of your previous episodes of the World in World podcast, shout out to Mr. Mark Mills. A link will be in the description below our podcast. So make sure you leave a like on this one. After you're done listening, then go over to their podcast and listen to part one and two of their nationals build up. Because this is kind of like a part three, what we're going to be talking about here tonight. Because when I listened to the podcast, I got antsy, I got hype.
Expectations for Nationals: Chicago Edition
00:04:34
thedfsdeli
I got ready to talk some whirly ball, not just play, but speak about some whirly ball topics. So I want to get a little rundown. I'm going to shoot some questions at you, what we're looking forward to, what the teams are looking like, certain players, a plethora of topics tonight that we're going to go ahead and discuss with one another. so
00:04:51
thedfsdeli
ah Chill, I want to start with you actually. What are you looking forward to the most as we enter Chicago for the first time in our Whirly Ball careers? What are you looking forward to the most for Nationals this year?
00:05:06
Chilly
I mean, ah selfishly, I'm looking forward to playing in a first year. We're doing that first time Cleveland's played a man probably in a good 20 or so years, probably even longer. So selfishly looking forward to that.
Pokémon Go and Whirly Ball
00:05:20
Chilly
um I mean, I mean, just for me, for me, it's all about just hanging out with everybody regardless of location. It's cool to be in Chicago. Uh, for nationals, they haven't obviously hosted one in a long time. But, uh, for me, for me, it's always going to be about the people. Uh, so it's cool like that. Whirly balls kind of second to me and that, and that. ah
00:05:42
Chilly
in that aspect. So ah it's good just to to catch up with the peeps. ah And then us folk will be playing some Pokemon Go. So any whirly ballers out there that play Pokemon Go, ah hit up me, Sully, or Anthony. And we're going to do some raids while we're down there. So hit us up.
00:06:01
The Ambassador
Dead!
00:06:01
thedfsdeli
Damn right. Damn right. Don't be, don't be a hater all your life, bro.
00:06:04
Noah
Don't be hatin'.
00:06:06
Chilly
me
00:06:08
thedfsdeli
right yeah Yes, absolutely. If you got some, ah you got some raids down on your downtime, we're in Chicago. Hit us up. We're going to be spinning them stops and catching them legendaries. You feel me? ah Noah, what are you looking forward to the most when it comes to Chicago's nationals?
00:06:23
Noah
Man, ah what Chili said resonates with me. It is also my first time in A, and so I'm looking forward to that next level of competition. ah There's a lot of trepidation, a lot of nervousness around that. i'm getting I'm getting prepared for it, but I just feel like I'm gonna see something I haven't seen before. um And then, ah you know, seeing some new teams, some new team formulations. I mentioned on on our podcast that I'm excited to see Cleveland ah come to a Texas has got a new formulation of the teams that they're bringing
00:07:02
Noah
Um, you know, I think kind of like chili is saying seeing the people hanging out giving some big hugs Then going to battle for a couple of days hanging out off the court I'm going to be doing a lot of coaching with some teams doing a little bit of outreach making sure that that folks feel supported. I'm excited to see the look on the Chicago employees' faces when we start banging on the glass, which is something that they probably have never experienced. And they're probably going to be crazy nervous about us ready to break something, bringing that energy. um And we are going to do it anyway, I bet.
Commentary and New Headsets
00:07:39
Noah
So that's one of the one one of the things that I'm excited about.
00:07:46
thedfsdeli
Absolutely. I wholeheartedly agree with all your points so far. The people, the whirly ball, like you said, is is kind of secondary to getting getting together with everybody to, you know, catch up, have some beers, have some good food. I mean, it's just a good time and all. And it's it's normally, you know, for a lot of people, this is our only vacation that we're going to get the entire year. And we choose to spin it on whirly ball. So you know shout out to people that can actually go on multiple vacations. Listen, I get one and a half a year of fantasy football draft and a whirly ball trip.
00:08:15
The Ambassador
Thank you.
00:08:19
thedfsdeli
That's it. So to spend it with you assholes is going to be the the time of my life. I'm very excited. ah Steve, what are you looking forward to the most, man?
00:08:30
The Ambassador
Well, I think you said it the best, ah you assholes. Looking forward to hanging out with you guys and ah looking forward to seeing the new and upcoming players as well as the returning ones, you know, Minnesota.
00:08:35
thedfsdeli
yeah
00:08:47
The Ambassador
They've got two teams returning this year. That's exciting. And of course, I can't leave out my beloved Portillo's man. I'm looking forward to having some of that. Got to get me some of that cake shake and Uh, yeah, it's gonna be great.
00:09:03
thedfsdeli
it
00:09:03
The Ambassador
It's gonna be great.
00:09:04
thedfsdeli
some of that cake shake. I respect that.
00:09:06
The Ambassador
Yes, sir.
00:09:06
thedfsdeli
I respect that. So um let's enter, let's enter a little bit. Oh, by the way, the another thing that I'm looking forward to is actually getting behind the microphone and commentating some games because I didn't do enough of that last year.
00:09:15
Noah
Hell yeah.
00:09:18
The Ambassador
Yes.
Humor with Player Intros
00:09:21
thedfsdeli
The times that I spent behind the mic with you guys, especially, you know, when I got the tag team with, with you, with both of you, Noah and Steve, it was, it was an amazing experience. It enhanced. the experience and I know it enhances the people that can't be there because Gus does a great job of doing the feeds to his YouTube channel and to watch games and listen to commentary is completely different than just watching the games like just listening to cars go back and forth occasionally yelling on the court.
00:09:51
thedfsdeli
To get that extra experience when it comes to commentary is what I always look forward to. like My most watched games were ones that Noah, you were commentating. Steve, you were a commentary. Dan Doherty was on a couple. like Those were awesome experiences. So I think that's what I'm looking forward to the most is getting a couple beers in the booth and hanging out with you guys to talk shit about some volleyball players because that's that's what we do.
00:10:16
Noah
Bob with you chicken.
00:10:18
Chilly
So I think me and Sully need to run some play by play.
00:10:18
thedfsdeli
You know what I'm saying?
00:10:25
Chilly
I'm not saying we need like an NFL Fox 8 intro for our game, but you know we we need that we need somebody to highlight a game for me and Sully to commentate.
00:10:35
The Ambassador
Yeah, the we can certainly make that happen.
00:10:35
thedfsdeli
We, uh...
00:10:38
The Ambassador
And as a matter of fact, we have some ah new headsets that we bought for commentating.
00:10:40
thedfsdeli
Ooh!
00:10:44
The Ambassador
We're not going to be bringing our ah traditional stand up mics that we plug in. We've we've got headsets now, ah two of them. So you just pop those on and you're able to get around easier and and peer at the glass. And you know you're not having to worry about carrying around a clicky mic.
Team Dynamics and Strategies
00:11:01
The Ambassador
It's going to be awesome.
00:11:03
thedfsdeli
You know what we need? We need some ah key and peel intros for different players.
00:11:05
Noah
Mmm.
00:11:07
Noah
Oh my god, now.
00:11:08
Noah
Yes.
00:11:08
thedfsdeli
That's what we need.
00:11:09
Chilly
I
00:11:12
thedfsdeli
We we need to work on that. we We definitely need to work on that.
00:11:13
Noah
Jack Marius tech ferretrics.
00:11:16
thedfsdeli
So. um
00:11:16
Chilly
think.
00:11:23
thedfsdeli
Jammy, jammy, jammy. The Ohio State University.
00:11:28
Chilly
Fudge. you
00:11:31
thedfsdeli
yeah We can't talk enough about fudge.
00:11:34
The Ambassador
but
00:11:36
thedfsdeli
That would be a, would, would doc be like the fudge of a, of Texas, you know what I'm saying? Not because I mean, he's a bigger gentleman. I know he's been working on himself. He looks great, but he's still, he's still a large man. So I think like an unstoppable force underneath that glass underneath that backboard, you know what I'm saying? He is a tough mother lover to shoot over, man. So I think, I think he'd be the fudge of whirly ball. Yeah. That's just, that's just me though.
00:11:58
Noah
Yeah.
00:11:59
Noah
Especially because I think Troy Montgomery probably has the Dan Smith BYU on lock.
00:12:01
thedfsdeli
know
00:12:07
Chilly
Yeah. Hahahahaha!
00:12:08
The Ambassador
Ha ha ha! yeah
00:12:15
thedfsdeli
I couldn't agree more, actually, with that point. All right, so ah let's do ah let's do a little let's do a little hazing and glazing right now, OK? I need you to hazing, glazing, and praising, all right? So I want you to give your honest opinion on your team's chances in set division. As you know, Noah and Chill, you'll be battling against one another, kind of like you guys did last year, just in a different division, different team, different team format. um Tell me, Noah, and I'll start with you, about how you're feeling to this adjustment to A and your thoughts on your teammates and how you feel like this new this new crop of individuals that you're going to be working with, not necessarily new, but a different team.
00:12:56
Noah
Yeah.
00:12:57
thedfsdeli
um How are you going to work together in A and what do you feel like your chances are to take home a banner for Seattle?
00:13:02
Noah
Yeah. So my team, I feel very fortunate because, you know, it's led by a couple of just excellent whirly ballers, right? Barrett Davis ah leading us off just a tremendous athlete, a proven winner in whirly ball. um And ah Jordan Huffman, who has become uh uh like the professor for us uh he has been leading the development of our seattle style of whirly ball for a couple of years and has been coaching us both of those guys have been coaching us for a couple of years and brad elky is also on that team and he was our coach uh uh you know for for
00:13:45
Noah
all ah all of Seattle, you know, he ran our leagues, he ran the Nationals prep, he coached every team and every division for a number of years. So those are three of my teammates and Jay Fanya is the fourth and and myself. So ah what has been really exciting is that I've had the opportunity to go from, you know, I played in B for about four or five years And I felt like, OK, I'm not ah learning as much. I'm um a little bit more. I think I can see the court OK. I'm probably top half of the team seeing the court, executing things. And then I jump up to A, and I am very obviously bottom half.
00:14:27
Noah
um I am ah not at the top half of my team. ah you know The top half of my team, those three guys have competed in the unlimited tournament and ah Jordan and Barrett have won the unlimited tournament on multiple occasions, including last year. so I just feel honored to be able to go and get brought up with them. We go bang every week against Joe Tiffany's team and James Gill's team. And I feel like I haven't learned as much about Whirly Ball. I haven't progressed my game as much as I have in the last three months, in the last like no three, four years um has been a similar amount of growth.
00:15:06
thedfsdeli
Wow, wow.
00:15:06
Noah
So um I just feel ah really good. And I feel good about our chances ah because of the strength up top.
00:15:17
thedfsdeli
Excellent, excellent, excellent breakdown. I mean, that's this that's a stack team. A stack team, Noah. That's a good squad, man. That's a good squad.
00:15:22
Noah
Yeah, I'm.
00:15:24
thedfsdeli
I feel very confident about what you guys will be able to, the product that you'll be able to put on the court come here in a few weeks. So it's an awesome squad.
00:15:29
Noah
Yeah, I feel very confident that we are going to be competitive. We're going to we're going to represent Seattle well.
00:15:38
thedfsdeli
Excellent, excellent. Hey, Steve, we're rolling in B this year. So how do you feel about your squad going into the tournament?
00:15:47
The Ambassador
Yes, ah Rolling in B again. And my team is looking pretty competitive as well. We got myself, we have Brandon B. Stew. We got ah Chris Banlow, Tall Chris, Bandolo as I call him. And then we have Nathan Doll, Baby Doll. ah And then we have Dustin Vaughn, Dusty Buns, as he likes to be called.
00:16:18
Noah
He does he like to be called dusty buns or does it do we just like to call him dusty buns?
00:16:18
The Ambassador
And yeah, we're...
00:16:26
Noah
Okay, yeah, it makes me feel good anytime anybody calls him that
00:16:27
The Ambassador
I'm gonna say both.
00:16:29
The Ambassador
Yeah.
00:16:31
The Ambassador
All right, yeah.
00:16:33
thedfsdeli
I think you got these key and PO intros pretty much down for your team, Steve. I think you're good.
00:16:38
The Ambassador
yeah Yeah, oh yeah, for sure. And I mean, the nice thing about that though is Dan Doherty is pretty good about coming up with those key appeals as well. So looking forward to seeing ah which returning names he comes up with along with ah some brand new ones. So it's going to be It's going to be interesting. But in terms of, uh, where I see my team at, uh, we, uh, you know, we're having a little bit of struggles here and there, but you know, we're improving every week. Uh, the other B team, uh, they're very challenging. Uh, they definitely keep us on our toes and it's a battle every time we play them. And ah in terms of our chances overall, I think we, we have a pretty good opportunity to take home a banner.
00:17:30
thedfsdeli
That's awesome to hear and you guys um are playing in one of the two smaller divisions. Like you said, um I think you guys broke it down a little bit on your podcast. I think it was the part, part two, about um how C was like a gatekeeper to B or B was the gatekeepers to a something along those lines, where B has been notoriously small, but then like a couple years, you know, over the past like five or six years, that was the big division. And like C was basically the bridge to D.
00:18:02
thedfsdeli
Like it wasn't in vice versa. It was, we're all playing B to try and get the honor to go to A.
00:18:03
Noah
Mmhmm.
00:18:07
thedfsdeli
Now everybody's either dropping back down to C or gets the right to go play A. So even in a smaller division, obviously you guys for, tournament standpoints are going to get, you know, a little longer games, maybe because of the less, ah least amount of opponents, you get to analyze those guys a little more because there's less teams to worry about. Do you feel like that will give you kind of like more of an advantage compared to the larger divisions with the CNA or is it kind of like you play who you play, you beat who you beat?
00:18:39
The Ambassador
I'll let Noah go first on that one.
00:18:40
Noah
Yeah, sure. I mean, we're we're just to extend what you're talking about, Sally, you know, we're talking about to make the schedule work. We don't think it's feasible to do a double round robin for A or C. We think it'll be a double round robin minus a few matchups. So you won't get to play every team twice. So not only are the games much shorter, but you may have for certain teams half the opportunity. So your your full look at a team ah for the entire tournament, you know, for the entire week before the tournament might be, you know, that Saturday night you play a 14 minute game and then you don't see him again until the tournament. So I think that is a, uh, it could be a disadvantage for being in the, the, the, the larger divisions A and C it's all, I mean, 10 teams in a double round. Robin is crazy.
00:19:38
Noah
ah for Whirly Ball, it is pretty unprecedented. We talk about six teams in a division being a small division. Six teams in a division used to be a healthy number. Like that was a solid, normal representative a number.
00:19:49
thedfsdeli
Yeah.
00:19:51
Noah
So the fact that six is now considered small in comparison to 10 is pretty cool. It speaks to the the growth of this board.
00:20:01
thedfsdeli
Yeah, I 100% wholeheartedly agree. um ah Steve, anything to that point?
00:20:08
The Ambassador
Uh, just to the, yeah, to, uh, kind of piggyback off of what Noah was saying, uh, definitely if we're having the, I find it a disadvantage if we're having, you know, we don't get to play every team twice. Uh, obviously, um, it's kind of a downer, but at the same time, the, you know, the amount of teams and players kind of dictates that and. to your point, you just kind of got to roll with it and you're going to play who you're going to play. But the nice thing about the community being as small as it is and the returning players, we kind of already have an idea and know the competition. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses. We know who we know who the shooters are, the defenders are with, you know, you may get a surprise here and there, but for the most part, you already kind of know. And so it's really more about getting to the center and
00:21:05
The Ambassador
understanding and getting a feel for the cars and the courts and, you know, ah getting a rough idea of what, you know, how you're going to execute as a team, you know, and and that's really what it's about. I mean, obviously, yes, you're playing against the competition and that's the focus. But really for me, my focus, all right, how is my team going to execute, you know, and play our game and then we'll just take the competition as it comes.
00:21:34
thedfsdeli
Excellent. Excellent. Makes a ton of sense. Uh, chill your first Swarway into a, my boys, you know, through my best friends, my BFFs for life, uh, yourself and your brother gets a tag team with the Dobies and Brad patina from ATL. How are you feeling about your team's chances in the aid division? And, uh, just give me your overall thoughts on the division itself.
00:21:57
Chilly
Yeah, I mean, obviously, um any team in A, obviously, you got to respect out there. I don't i don't care who who's on the team. um So you got to take everybody very seriously, ah even even when, obviously, these much larger centers bring in three teams apiece. um you know
00:22:18
thedfsdeli
Yes, Seattle jerks.
00:22:18
Chilly
i I mean, Seattle, Michigan, and Texas, all with three. um you know You could say that they're watered down, but if you're playing in A, i just I just don't see how the teams watered down. So um nothing but respect to to those centers. um I feel a lot better after we played in Michigan last month and playing against their A guys, pretended to come up from Atlanta. So shout out to him. ah So we did get to play as a team there for those two days. I feel a lot better ah playing against those guys, especially when we played on the court that had the brain cars. um you know We performed
Reminiscing Past Games
00:23:00
Chilly
very well. um I don't believe we lost a game on that court, ah but we did lose to them in the clutch cars. So it's kind of an interesting story there. I know Chicago obviously has brain and clutch cars. So ah kind of to see how that plays out. but
00:23:17
Chilly
Matt, I think we're going to do pretty well. um You know, we kind of do get the luxury of putting out our best five. I mean, well, best four, at least from our center. So technically we don't have to water down our team. And we've all been playing together now for about four or five years. So that that experience will help kind of bridge it over. um You know, we'll have bumps in the road, like like any new team in the division. So um for us, this is going to be learning on the fly there and just asking, um the experienced players and A for help as well ah to kind of get their perspective on what we can do better because everybody's willing to help.
00:23:53
thedfsdeli
Absolutely. Absolutely. Definitely. Definitely excited to see ah that team. You know, like I said, you guys are, you know, some of my best friends on the planet and obviously I want to see you guys succeed. um I know Steve, you mentioned when you're not cheering for Seattle, you'll be behind the Cleveland guys. So, ah you know, appreciate you. Shout out you.
00:24:10
The Ambassador
yeah absolutely absolutely yeah i love you guys and um you know you guys play a very similar seattle style and so it's pretty uh easy to kind of dissect and see what you guys are going to do and how you're going to play and it's in and last year ah watching you guys uh it was it was amazing and awesome to see and and to play you in the finals that was uh I couldn't have asked for a better competition.
Coaching and Feedback
00:24:38
The Ambassador
So yeah, absolutely looking forward to seeing you guys compete in A this year. And ah you guys have ah have you designated a coach by chance at all? Are you guys going to be leaning on anyone in particular or just kind of you know whoever steps up to the plate?
00:24:53
Chilly
um I mean for us, um I kind of think we're going to lean ah because when we were like, when we kind of played the Michigan guys after every game, we kind of just, all five of us kind of just talked about what went right, what went bad. Because like everybody on our team is coachable, is extremely coachable and is willing to sit there and listen and you know, if we're doing something wrong or somebody's like, there's no bad attitudes on our team and everybody's a team player. So um I mean, if we, if we find a coach, great. um I know we've had some people offer in the past, as long as they're not playing their centers teams, they'll help. um So it's definitely something to look into when we get there.
00:25:42
The Ambassador
That's awesome that you're you're open to you know anybody's willing to help.
00:25:47
Chilly
Oh, yeah yeah. I mean, in Warly Ball, you have to be willing to listen to more experienced players to get better. You can't do it on your own.
00:25:58
thedfsdeli
Ah, believe him, who needs him?
00:26:00
The Ambassador
no
00:26:03
thedfsdeli
um So I'm going to ask you guys a personal question.
Favorite Whirly Ball Players
00:26:06
thedfsdeli
um you know Over the years, I've i've taken time out um on an individual basis to kind of go up to several players and you know kind of show my gratitude and respect for anything they've done um across the game or anything that I've seen either on film, on the court, or playing with or against certain guys. and i've have developed a bit of favoritism sort towards some players so I know in the back of your mind or maybe in the forefront maybe you've mentioned it before maybe you haven't but let's do a little bit of glazing here you know I'm saying so whoever's listening to this podcast don't get your head all big when we mention your names okay butt comma um who are some of your favorite if not no and not some your favorite whirly ball player
00:26:49
thedfsdeli
past and or present. And I'll give you the example in our start. Okay, because every year for like the past four years that I've been in nationals, I always make it a point to go to Chris Flores and let him know he is my favorite player in volleyball. and it And it's, it's maybe one A and one B with Joe Tiffany, even though Joe Tiffany is game, my more and more respect, he is a great, great player, but it's the intensity and the way that Poppy plays the game that I want to model my game after. So I always make it a point to buy him an alcoholic beverage if he chooses to drink that year and let him know how influential He's been to my game and how it is an absolute pleasure to watch him on the court. So he is without question, like I said, him and Joe Tiffany are my favorite players. And then in the past, from years past, because, you know, not long retired, was Darby from back in the day. I've never seen a cherry picker play the game then and since.
00:27:49
thedfsdeli
Darby has played and left the game. So those are some of those are a couple of the guys that I know that I've shouted out throughout my, you know, tenured whirly ball career here. um I kind of want to get you guys's thoughts on some of the guys that you've either modeled your game after or just enjoy watching. So, ah Steve, I'll start with you on this one. who who Who's the guy who's like you got to go and watch that game because that guy is playing.
00:28:15
Chilly
At least give us a top three.
00:28:17
thedfsdeli
at least at least.
00:28:18
The Ambassador
ah
00:28:18
thedfsdeli
I bet you they're all Seattle guys.
00:28:21
The Ambassador
Oh, I mean, yeah, I mean, put me on the spot here, why don't you guys?
00:28:22
thedfsdeli
I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I'm kidding.
00:28:29
The Ambassador
As our audience like eagerly waits to hear their name called,
00:28:34
thedfsdeli
Like if this mother don't say my name, but like I said, it's not
00:28:37
The Ambassador
can we can we just like can we do a lottery where we have everybody's name and a ball and then we just draw it and then I get to say something like nice about their game? you
00:28:46
thedfsdeli
Absolutely not absolutely not you know why because because the next segment Yeah, the next segment is gonna be your most hated whirlyball players So you might as well get that in your brain right now, too.
00:28:46
Chilly
Now, push this this show is about the toughest things.
00:28:57
thedfsdeli
I want to put you on the spot hard fucking core Yeah arch rival
00:28:59
The Ambassador
oh our our our nemesis, as we like to say, our tribal. um God, I mean, yeah, you already, I mean, all right, I guess the few that come to mind, I mean, Joe Tiffany, obviously, um And it's funny, he just likes to be called just Joe, for those of you out there, you know, because I mean, he's currently the only Joe in the community, as he says, as as far as I know. So ah it's just funny that we all refer to him as Joe Tiffany, even, you know, when we're talking to him.
00:29:32
The Ambassador
But just though the ah swag, the tenacity that he plays with, just he's such
00:29:40
thedfsdeli
The flip flops, the crocs, whatever he wears on his feet.
00:29:42
The Ambassador
Yeah, exactly.
00:29:42
thedfsdeli
Yeah, I get it.
00:29:43
The Ambassador
the the hood The hoodies, you know, whatever. I mean, he that guy could play in a fucking thong of bikini and he would still be awesome.
00:29:53
Chilly
Please, please, Joe, if you're listening, please, from Bikini, please.
00:29:54
thedfsdeli
Please. Please. Please.
00:30:00
The Ambassador
Yeah.
00:30:02
thedfsdeli
At least for seating. At least for seating.
00:30:03
Noah
Okay.
00:30:05
The Ambassador
Yeah.
00:30:05
Chilly
Against our team, against my team, please.
00:30:10
thedfsdeli
Bye!
00:30:10
Chilly
it
00:30:12
The Ambassador
So, but yeah, just the the style of play and then just, you know, he, uh, the leadership that he exudes, it's just, you can't help, but, you know, be, uh, you know, it, you know, be levitated toward it. It's, it's great, you know, and just like, I, I try and model my shot after him, you know, if I can, you know, just nice, easy, methodical, good release. um And then I guess another player that comes to mind is Jay Fanya.
00:30:44
The Ambassador
Uh, because like me, Jay is a shorter player and in fact, he's shorter than I am. But the way that he drives his car and the way that, you know, he positions his car and where he's at, I mean, he can be in the hole and more often than not, you know, the majority of players aren't going to be able to like score on him. And then, you know, just his, his whirly ball IQ is up there as well. Um, And then I'm trying to think if there's anybody outside the center that I guess Jeremy, ah Jeremy from Michigan or Wisconsin, whatever you want to you know call it these days. He's kind of like, he's kind of like I almost you know would call him the the Joe Tiffany of you know the Midwest just because
00:31:38
The Ambassador
You know, they almost kind of have a ah similar style of play, just really cool, methodical. They both have really good, consistent shots. Their IQ is great, and they both exude massive leadership. So um if Jeremy's playing, then yeah, I'm almost certain to watch that game as well.
00:31:59
thedfsdeli
Chili, a bit of glazing. whoo Who's some of your favorite peeps to watch on that whirly ball court now?
00:32:04
Chilly
Yeah, I mean, at this point, 1A and 1A would be Joe and Jeremy. Obviously, for all things mentioned previously ah but by y'all. I mean, for me, it's kind of what those two, there's a lot of respectful moments off the court. um I remember, ah I mean, you I think you remember 2014 in Seattle ah when Choquette came over to us and tell us we could move back down to sea after we got there. ah And i remember he he had not so kind words about Doug and we defended Doug. ah Jeremy came up to us later on at the hotel and we talked about it. So ah it was really cool moment there by Jeremy to kind of come to our defense.
00:32:53
Chilly
um Obviously a nice individual off the court and on the court too. But again total gamer big game Obviously one unlimited a e cetera ah and Plus it's somebody kind of like my size ah So it's kind of what like I try to relate to ah Obviously Joe's way taller to me and better but um I mean with Joe ah My first year at Nationals for 2010, me and Anthony were playing two on two against Joe and Eric on the other court while our dad was winning B. So instead of winning the national champion, instead of watching our dad win B, we were just playing two on two. So ever since then, I've been pretty close pretty close with Joe and Eric. so And then for somebody like me, um i I love Carl's game from Seattle.
00:33:41
Noah
Mmm.
00:33:44
Chilly
Um, I think Carl is one of the most underrated players because Carl can do everything. And again, it's somebody of my stature.
00:33:46
Noah
yeah
00:33:49
thedfsdeli
Oh, underrated. All right, all right.
00:33:53
Chilly
It's somebody of my stature, right? Like I look at Carl and I'd be like, I should be able to do the things he can do. Right? Like we're the same height. We're just like, I mean, I'm, I think I'm probably fatter and Carl truthfully, but, um, it's like the same things in like, you know, we've always joked around it at our center, but like me and Anthony are the great value version of James and Carl.
00:34:15
The Ambassador
Hahahaha!
00:34:17
thedfsdeli
It's deadly accurate though. It's deadly accurate.
00:34:18
Noah
ah oh man
00:34:21
Chilly
Like, we're the you know we' we're we're great value. we're we You can get us on the cheap. yeah you know if you're If you're on a budget, you can grab the old laws.
00:34:26
thedfsdeli
yeah
00:34:31
Chilly
If you got money, you can get James and Carl. um
00:34:35
thedfsdeli
So you're saying if we're playing whirly ball DFS, I can get you guys like, you know, mid mid range salary, but still get the production.
00:34:41
Chilly
no owner he get us at no We have a high ceiling, but the floor is sketchy. thanks
00:34:47
thedfsdeli
I don't know, man. I don't know if I could put you guys in my lineups in this new division. Like in B, I just jammed y'all in. In A, I don't know, dawg.
00:34:53
Noah
Yeah.
00:34:54
Chilly
what
00:34:57
thedfsdeli
I don't know.
00:34:57
Chilly
Well, I mean, I mean, it is a different story with our two running mates with Adobe's because obviously those boys can ball and ah they can shoot just as good as Anthony can.
00:35:06
Chilly
You know, they could shoot better than me. um So kudos to them. ah But yeah, like Carl is somebody because like again Carl could cherry pick Carl can can shoot really well Carl could play defense. He's smart um And then just one more person I'll toss in there. It's kind of similar to Carl is it's Tommy from from Michigan um Tommy can do everything pretty solidly.
00:35:24
Noah
Mmm.
00:35:29
Chilly
Can he do? Can he do one thing particularly great? you know, like to an elite level, like I don't want to again, I'm not hey, not Tommy, but to there's nothing that Tommy can't do on that court. So those those are similar people that I can relate to on the court.
00:35:51
thedfsdeli
All right, Noah, if you say Joe Tiffany, and you know what, hey, Steve, to your point, why we say Joe Tiffany every time, because it just rolls off the tongue so well.
00:35:59
Noah
Yeah.
00:36:00
Chilly
It does roll off the tongue.
00:36:00
thedfsdeli
I'm not going to, I'm not going to stop at Joe.
00:36:00
The Ambassador
Yeah, yeah, I agree.
00:36:03
The Ambassador
I agree.
00:36:03
thedfsdeli
I'm not going to stop at Joe.
00:36:04
The Ambassador
Yeah.
00:36:05
thedfsdeli
I'm going to say the whole name. So Joe, when you listen to this, I can deal with it, bro.
00:36:07
The Ambassador
Right.
00:36:10
thedfsdeli
You're Joe Tiffany, not just Joe.
00:36:10
The Ambassador
Yeah.
00:36:12
Noah
Hear,
00:36:12
thedfsdeli
Just Joe is some normal average mother.
00:36:12
The Ambassador
Yeah.
00:36:12
Chilly
Yeah.
00:36:14
thedfsdeli
Okay. You are Joe.
00:36:15
thedfsdeli
God Tiffany deal with that shit.
00:36:15
Chilly
Yeah.
00:36:17
Chilly
yeah
00:36:18
thedfsdeli
Okay. Anywho, Noah, we got it.
00:36:19
Noah
hear.
00:36:22
Chilly
That's like calling, it's like calling, it's like calling Flores, Chris.
00:36:25
Noah
Yeah.
00:36:27
The Ambassador
Right.
00:36:27
thedfsdeli
Yeah, right?
00:36:27
Chilly
detect It's weird.
00:36:28
The Ambassador
Yeah, that's that's just weird. I don't think he responds to that.
00:36:32
Noah
Yeah, have you guys.
00:36:32
thedfsdeli
Right. It's weird.
00:36:33
The Ambassador
Yeah, yeah.
00:36:35
The Ambassador
I mean, I think we we tried to roll with JT at one point for Joe, and and and that didn't take off. So yeah either that or a member of a boy band, I don't know.
00:36:41
Chilly
JT, was he a 40 year old man?
00:36:42
thedfsdeli
No.
00:36:45
Chilly
Hey, JT.
00:36:46
thedfsdeli
Right.
00:36:47
Chilly
you for that
00:36:50
thedfsdeli
Yeah, I'm so shady!
00:36:50
The Ambassador
know
00:36:50
Chilly
sleep
00:36:52
thedfsdeli
I'm shady!
00:36:56
thedfsdeli
He's about to shoot! I'm shady! Nah, screw on it.
00:37:01
The Ambassador
yeah
00:37:01
thedfsdeli
Uh, Noah, who are some of your guys, man?
00:37:02
Noah
oh man uh... this is this is a tough question you know i think of it in in terms of like generations you know that uh... the the james and and sam uh... kind of generation you know i want somebody that i put in that kind of category who when i first showed up he was one of the The first of that like elite Seattle crew to like to be helpful to to pull me in to say, you know Hey, you could be one of us and and he taught me how to do a little bit of goalie driving and it was Trevor Martin um a Hall of Famer whirly ball player ah longtime Seattle goalie and Yeah
00:37:45
The Ambassador
I'm glad you mentioned him.
00:37:47
Chilly
oh trevor
00:37:48
thedfsdeli
I miss Trevor.
00:37:48
The Ambassador
Yeah, he was he was in the back of my mind as well um for the same reasons, Nella.
00:37:48
thedfsdeli
I miss Trevor.
00:37:52
Noah
Yeah. And you know, just, uh, uh, that openness and inviting and you know, I, I, I in my whirly ball career, that's kind of who, who, uh, what sticks with me, right? It's, it's, uh, my memories of the people that I play with. Sometimes it's what we did on the court.
00:37:54
Chilly
oh
00:38:08
Noah
Sometimes ah more often than not, it's how they made me feel is what I remember when I walk away and what I, what I think about how I want to make others feel when they walk away from me.
00:38:10
Chilly
Oh,
00:38:14
Chilly
Trevor.
00:38:18
Noah
Um, and, uh, So, you know, I remember Jimmy early days, grabbing me, bringing me into the Nationals um a fold and getting me involved and ah addicted to this thing. um And a leader in Seattle that he was our our our cultural leader, ah our community leader, um as much as he was the lead coordinator. um and, ah you know, than other generations. So then as I started progressing, I remember ah Joe and Barrett and Sam Kim in Michigan invited me to the back bar and, you know, okay, hey, Noah, you come drink with us.
00:38:57
Noah
You're you're part of us now.
00:38:58
Noah
um And that was like a huge moment that those guys invited me over. And Sam and Driscoll have been nothing but inviting and inclusive to me over the times. What I also have been really enjoying watching is the next generation of Michigan elites get put to, you know, kind of bring up. And so this is David Bernard. This is BJ. This is Timmy. um You know, Wingy is in that is in that crew. but But those guys
00:39:00
thedfsdeli
Yeah, yeah.
00:39:34
Noah
they They feel like the future of Michigan Whirlyball. They feel like when Sam and Clint leave, those guys are going to go with Jeremy. Jeremy hasn't ah left and gone to Chicago by that time. And they're going to be the next ah the next crew. And i've I've really enjoyed coming up with those guys. you know On this podcast, I'd be remiss if I didn't say, oh, Billy, oh! You gotta throw some love at Billy O. um He's, you know, one of the guys that I just really enjoyed, you know, on the court, we could have a conversation and and and crack some jokes. And it was obvious how much experience he had off the court. You know, he'd have some, you know, when I say quick pep talk, I mean, like five seconds, four words, just like
00:40:21
Noah
get them, something that would just grab my attention and and bring that energy. And so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to throw some love at Billy O on the on the East Coast version.
00:40:37
thedfsdeli
Yeah, shout out to Billio, no doubt.
00:40:39
Chilly
Shout out to that Billy O guy.
00:40:39
thedfsdeli
It's a shame that he, you know, you know. Yeah, yeah. What has he done for the game right now?
00:40:44
Chilly
I don't know, man. I'd really like to meet him.
00:40:49
thedfsdeli
You mean go in the other fucking room?
00:40:49
Noah
ah
00:40:52
The Ambassador
Hahaha!
00:40:53
Chilly
it it's probably He's probably sleeping by now, him and the dog.
00:40:58
thedfsdeli
Fair, fair, fair. um Well, those are actually you know all all interesting takes and you know a guy's that a lot of the commonality between the guys is that they're experienced. They've been in the game a very long time and they are willing to reach out the olive branch, teach, you know do things that ah others aren't willing to do.
00:41:19
Chilly
no no i his hand up
00:41:19
thedfsdeli
ah Noah, no you got something to say? Noah, you got something to say?
00:41:20
Noah
do so there's somebody else that I gotta throw out there um and that's someone whose game I started watching when I started paying a lot more attention to A and it's Mario from Texas. So as much as it's it's it's fun to watch Chris and it's cool, you know, you see Ross towering over people, ah the person that I think ties Los Carnales together, and now they're going their separate ways, but Mario is going to be you on Texas's unlimited team, but watching Mario do the work that he does all the The unsung hero stuff, the little things, the dirt work, it's been really an inspiration to me to like, yeah, okay, I can go block shots or I can go try and you know hit a long one, or I can just like ah tie my team together and set everybody else up and do all the little things.
00:41:43
Chilly
No, I had his hand up.
00:42:17
Noah
And so Mario's game has been an inspiration to me recently.
00:42:22
Chilly
Yeah.
00:42:22
The Ambassador
Some of the most unselfish whirly balls played by Mario.
00:42:27
Chilly
Let me, uh, let me get just a little bit more Texas love in here.
00:42:29
thedfsdeli
I respect that.
00:42:30
Chilly
I think the most underrated player that I've ever played with and against is Gary.
00:42:30
thedfsdeli
I respect that.
00:42:35
Noah
Say more!
00:42:39
The Ambassador
Yes.
00:42:39
Chilly
I'm telling you, man, Gary, Gary's another one of those people that just does everything on the court, right? He needed to play goalie, plays goalie. You need him to float. He floats. You need him to shoot and score. He shoots and scores. And like the amount of um respect and how much of a general he's out there. ah You know, I know when he played with the Montgomery team, I mean, they anything Gary said, those boys did. um So again, just a shout out to Gary. i do why I do enjoy playing with and against Gary.
00:43:12
thedfsdeli
I like that. That's a good take. Um, before I get into, before I get into the hating portion of, uh, this brief discussion, cause that's a lot of glazing. That's a, that's a lot of people. Um, another guy that's a really unique, uh, before I switched topics is little Dave, by the way, he has the most unique cherry picking game of all time. Like that man can shoot through you, under you, over you, through your car, behind the back, behind his back, and put the ball in the bucket. You want to talk about a four general? Like if your scoop is down for 1.2 seconds, it's a wrap. You're done.
00:43:46
thedfsdeli
So anybody that wants a unique style of play, little Dave has always done that from the years and years you've been playing. And it's always a pleasure as a goalie going against him because you always have to be 1000% alert because the ball could be at the net without you paying attention.
00:43:52
Noah
Thank you.
00:44:04
thedfsdeli
So I've always loved that guy. And he's cool off the court too. He's a good guy. so
00:44:10
The Ambassador
It'll be interesting to see if and and if he tries any of those moves against like the likes of Barrett, because he's playing an A this year, if I'm not mistaken.
00:44:19
Chilly
Oh, he's trying.
00:44:19
The Ambassador
So yeah, he's trying on like Barrett.
00:44:23
thedfsdeli
He's gonna try.
00:44:23
The Ambassador
That's a matchup that I'm looking forward to. Is him against Barrett?
00:44:25
Chilly
ah like Oh, he's going to try.
00:44:28
thedfsdeli
He's gonna try. There ain't no doubt about that.
00:44:30
The Ambassador
well well Well, will he succeed though? That's the real question.
00:44:33
thedfsdeli
I don't give a damn. He's gonna try.
00:44:35
The Ambassador
what Let's see over under on that.
Competitive Respect and Rivalries
00:44:40
thedfsdeli
Oh God. It's seating. Oh man. You best believe he's putting about four or five shots of those a game.
00:44:43
Noah
No.
00:44:46
thedfsdeli
Oh, there ain't no offense coming down court. Yay. One on one race. See if you can block it. Um, so briefly, um, there, there's a lot of love in the game, but like as a competitor, as a battler, as a warrior, there's always that, that one guy that like, if you're playing goalie or you're playing defense or like they're playing defense against you, if you want to dunk on that person, just to like, give him a little clout, little, little, little, Or you know I'm saying they're trying to shoot over you, give them that piece.
00:45:18
thedfsdeli
I know Steve, everybody's shooting over you, so maybe this doesn't apply to you. It applies to the offensive side for you.
00:45:24
The Ambassador
Hahahaha
00:45:25
thedfsdeli
But so there's always that one guy that you just wanna make eat it. And as cool as he is off the court, because I love talking with this guy. He's great, great guy, great player, he's come a long way. um You already know who I'm about to say. I wanna shove the ball down Timmy's throat so bad.
00:45:41
Noah
Hahahaha!
00:45:43
Chilly
Thank
00:45:46
thedfsdeli
Like I know, you know, he's moved on to a, he's a great player. You know what I'm saying? He's single-handedly beat my team in a C where we were in Michigan, you know, in his home court. um But like, just to, for one time, just like when Jared posts all those TikToks of him blocking Timmy, ah he's just that one guy that just want to just show me some respect, you know what I'm saying?
00:46:04
The Ambassador
Yeah.
00:46:07
thedfsdeli
And like kind of shove it down his throat. Again, cool guy, great guy, but on the court, Man, I just want to cock back and send one to the other backboard when he shoots. So that's just my that's just my one guy. This is my one guy. Steve, who is your one guy that you just want to shoot over? You want to dunk over? You want to just hit him with the too small sign, the barbecue chicken sign? You know what I'm saying? Who's that one guy?
00:46:32
The Ambassador
Oh, man, the person that comes to mind is probably George Bishton from Chicago.
00:46:38
thedfsdeli
Oh, that's a good one.
00:46:38
The Ambassador
ah
00:46:39
Chilly
five
00:46:39
The Ambassador
e
00:46:40
thedfsdeli
Yeah, that's a good one.
00:46:41
The Ambassador
He, I mean, he, I mean, she she gets he, he, for some reason, yeah, he gets under my skin a little bit, you know, just because I think he, he knows that, uh, on, you know, a lot of days he, he has my number when I'm trying to cherry on him.
00:46:42
Chilly
Thank you.
00:46:51
thedfsdeli
Ha ha!
00:46:59
The Ambassador
Um, I don't try and shoot on him one on one as much. Particularly obviously if it's a tournament game, but you know in seating um or just in you know Invitationals or whatever if I'm going one-on-one with him. I'm I'm ah you know like little Dave. I'm trying I'm trying because you know he
00:47:17
thedfsdeli
yeah Are you succeeding? We don't know, but damn it, I'm trying.
00:47:19
The Ambassador
Yeah, he that guy likes to talk a lot of shit. So it's you know it's it's very gratifying if I can score on him or if I can help set up a play where you can score on him as well.
00:47:21
Noah
No.
00:47:33
The Ambassador
So I do enjoy a good battle against George. um And yeah.
00:47:40
thedfsdeli
Skip pick.
00:47:41
The Ambassador
and Yeah, he yeah, he's the one that cut I mean, there's plenty of others, you know, I agree with you on the whole Tim thing. It's kind of nice that to have seen him when he moved up to be he kind of got took down to earth a little bit, you know, found out like, oh, you know, there's, you know, you know better players I'm playing against who are you know what they're gonna take notice of me they're gonna you know do what they can to defend me it's they're not gonna just let me roam and shoot you know I'm pretty sure that you know Tim is Jared's favorite person to block as you know you pointed out earlier you know and it's just um
00:48:10
thedfsdeli
Oh, yeah.
00:48:23
The Ambassador
as Mark had said in our previous show ah it's just awesome to see Jared just get fired up you know play against you know Tim and whenever he gets a block and stuff it's a thing of beauty to watch but right but but but yeah yeah he's he's not posting
00:48:33
Chilly
Jared plays fired up against everybody.
00:48:36
thedfsdeli
Yeah, man, you should see him at home, bro.
00:48:37
Chilly
think
00:48:38
thedfsdeli
it's it It don't change.
00:48:39
thedfsdeli
It don't change.
00:48:39
Chilly
should you like you you should You should see this man against the D players to see players.
00:48:46
The Ambassador
Yeah, but he ain't posting like, you know, those players he's blocking, it's just always Tim.
00:48:49
Chilly
they
00:48:52
The Ambassador
Although I think i think he sent me like, he either sent me or posted for a second, ah actually a block he got on me. Might've been this last year. And and my response to him was like, yeah, you batted it right back to me. So no harm, no foul.
00:49:08
Noah
Yeah.
00:49:10
Chilly
When in our Michigan practice when he blocked Sam like three in a row and told him welcome to the highlight reel.
00:49:10
The Ambassador
Yeah.
00:49:17
thedfsdeli
Hahaha!
00:49:17
The Ambassador
Oh-ho!
00:49:17
Chilly
We did lose that game because we we built a huge city, but it was still hilarious.
00:49:27
thedfsdeli
And one of my favorite stories in practice was, uh, Jared and I were on the same team and, uh, we were going against, you know, just a split squad in our practice. And, uh, him and I were playing, he was like the goalie and I was right, right next to him. And then someone was trying to shoot over him and he was like, welcome to my block party bitch. And then he went up to shoot, but he rolled to my, like, I think it was, I think it was, uh, Jim chill. He rolled to my side and then I blocked this. I blocked this shit right in his face. And I was like, Jerry, our block party. out
00:49:56
The Ambassador
yeah
00:49:58
thedfsdeli
And he's like, damn, right. Freaking turns around gives me his fist bump and we go on our merry way.
00:49:59
Chilly
Yeah. I mean, I mean.
00:50:02
thedfsdeli
So yeah, and you want to talk about fired up that, that man is an emotional, but you're going to see it in a, I hope to God he's not timid because it Noah, if he gets you, if he gets anybody on your freaking team, that emotion will skyrocket.
00:50:07
Noah
Oh yeah.
00:50:13
The Ambassador
We
00:50:15
Noah
Oh yeah.
00:50:17
Chilly
Hey, you know who he doesn't block in practice that he always gets mad at?
00:50:17
thedfsdeli
it is
00:50:20
The Ambassador
know.
00:50:23
Chilly
Me.
00:50:24
thedfsdeli
you
00:50:27
Chilly
it did It's so mad.
00:50:29
The Ambassador
Sounds like I need to take some like shit talking notes from like Jared or something cuz yeah my My game's pretty weak out there, but that's assuming I'm gonna block somebody right but yeah Yeah, yeah, I'll I'll work on that I'll get right I'll get right on it
00:50:35
thedfsdeli
Amen. Like facts,
00:50:39
Chilly
first First step, be about six foot three, weigh 70 pounds, and jump out the car. okay
00:50:45
thedfsdeli
fast, extend.
00:50:47
Noah
Ha!
00:50:48
Chilly
yeah
00:50:53
thedfsdeli
Yeah, man, I think I think ah Cleveland does have a little bit of reputation, especially amongst ourselves to talk a lot of shit to one another. I mean, it's all love off the court on the court. Sometimes we're in trying to teach one another. But like, you know, I've shot over Anthony before and I hit him with the too small and went right up court. And he was disrespected. So I don't care who you are, you get something good on somebody, let them freaking know.
00:51:13
Chilly
exactly
00:51:18
thedfsdeli
I got barbecue chicken stickers this year, Noah. Stickers that I will be handing out to those that get dunked on this year, okay?
00:51:20
Noah
ah I love it.
00:51:22
The Ambassador
Oh shit.
00:51:24
Chilly
right
00:51:28
thedfsdeli
So ah there will be a level of disrespect in Chicago.
00:51:32
Chilly
That's barbecue chicken. and
00:51:33
The Ambassador
and
00:51:34
thedfsdeli
Disrespect, that's barbecue chicken.
00:51:35
The Ambassador
ooh another Another sticker for the the podcast board. I like it.
00:51:39
thedfsdeli
without question, without question. Noah, who's that one guy? Who's that one guy?
00:51:42
Noah
Oh man, it is tough to pick, but I will say someone who, uh, uh, when I play against them, I feel like I get a little nervous because like, I've gotta be on my game. He plays the game hard. He plays the game fast. He talks a lot. Um, he's an offensive threat. And so when I'm ah backing up and trying to play defense, I know that I cannot make a mistake. Uh, and when I don't, I can usually be successful if I play it perfectly and that's brand reading.
00:52:14
Noah
I really enjoy watching him give up taking a shot on me and then drive away and try and get some distance or God forbid pass the ball to somebody um but
00:52:16
thedfsdeli
Mmm. Mmm.
00:52:30
The Ambassador
Hahaha!
00:52:31
Chilly
ah
00:52:31
Noah
but it is it means that my driving was on point that my positioning that my school was working to be uh... and uh... and then i stayed with them because the man moves any drives uh... hard and fast uh... and it just makes me feel like yeah i'm doing it i'm doing it i belong here when uh...
00:52:51
thedfsdeli
and you mean guys excellent great pick great great pick chill who you look who who's that one guy is he playing a this year you looking to uh extend that ass out the car and and get them
00:52:51
Noah
uh... what i can slow them down ah
00:53:07
Chilly
Um, actually, I don't really have anybody, uh, from when I'm, you know, playing goalie and not extending, you know, that I beat that I want to block because, you know, there's no like picture on the internet that says I extend, um, doesn't exist.
00:53:21
The Ambassador
hahaha
00:53:23
Chilly
Um, it's not saved in my phone or anything.
00:53:23
thedfsdeli
Yeah, ah about that.
00:53:27
Chilly
I swear to God. Um, for reference, um, uh, actually for me, uh,
00:53:28
Noah
I've seen it!
00:53:30
thedfsdeli
hey
00:53:35
Chilly
as as a shooter for whatever reason and it's nothing this individual is nice we have a good time on the court together it's KB from Texas because that dude has my number ill I don't know for whatever reason if it like I can shoot Jarrett no problem Doc no problem KB I struggle
00:53:48
thedfsdeli
KV, hell yeah.
00:54:02
The Ambassador
It's cuz he's so nice. Like, I mean, even when he...
00:54:05
Chilly
I mean, he is a is an amazing person. And like him and I always have an amazing, because like a lot of times when we played together, I was floating. So him and I, we would just we'd be telling each other we love each other, blowing kisses. like That was our thing down there. And it just and I would roll up behind a screenshot. And I'm like pretty far away, because I don't shoot close. And I just get blocked. And I'm like, what the hell was that?
00:54:32
thedfsdeli
yeah All right. So you're coming for KB this year. Got it. Got it.
00:54:36
thedfsdeli
Got it.
00:54:36
Chilly
I'm going to try.
00:54:37
Chilly
I'll probably still, I'll probably, he'll still probably get me, but I'll,
Unlimited Format Innovations
00:54:40
Chilly
I'm going to try, damn it.
00:54:41
thedfsdeli
It only takes one to make the highlight rule. Remember, it's a highlight reel. We don't worry about the times you got blocked. We worry about the times you shot over that ass. Okay.
00:54:49
Chilly
I'm going to try.
00:54:50
thedfsdeli
Those are what we're worried about. Those were worried about. Um, Okay, switching topics to something a little more controversial. um Before we, you know, wrap it up with a couple, you know, tournament picks. I know you guys have major picks on you guys's show, obviously chilling, I can throw in our little insight on, um you know, what's going on with or our thoughts on each division. I want to say probably A through C because, like you guys mentioned on your podcast, is that you know D, a lot of Chicago guys, newer players, et cetera, it's tough to pick. you know There's a lot of unfamiliar faces, names, et cetera. So like put ah put a random generator you know a ball in a and little mixer and you know pull an A. I am excited to obviously watch those guys. I'm excited to watch everybody, you know whether you've been playing the game for 30 years or three months. I'm very excited to.
00:55:41
thedfsdeli
You know, sit down and and and watch and commentate and just enjoy the Nationals experience, but comma switching to the more controversial topic is what you guys mentioned on, you know, your podcast before is the unlimited format. I know that there has been talk on revamping it ways to make it more exciting. I know Texas is sending an unlimited team, et cetera. um for the format. And I know it's a lot of additional whirly ball. That's what it really boils down to. Like, are you taking time away from the division seating games? There's going to be teams that, you know, let's say not, quote unquote, earned it, but, you know, still want the experience, you know, things like that. So there was talks about having like a center challenge, like, you know, our five best, your five best, we go at it. Um,
00:56:30
thedfsdeli
I think from a perspective, I did like the mortal, like the kind of mortal combat style where there's final bosses, you know, there's levels to this shit. So like, if you're, if us in Cleveland want to say, here's our best five, we're going against Chicago's best five. And then if we beat there their best five, we go against you know X and then so on and so forth with Seattle and Michigan being you know the final bosses to advance into the actual unlimited you know tournament finals. I think more volleyball is never a bad thing.
00:57:01
thedfsdeli
more exciting competition is never a bad thing. I think getting the experience with playing against upper guys is never a bad thing because you rarely get those instances to play with those upper guys to play with the top of the top if you're if they're not in your center. so ah So I'll start with you on this one. How do you think that the unlimited format is now and what would you what would be the one tweak to change the format to make it more exciting for us us as fans and us as players?
00:57:33
Chilly
I mean, I've said this plenty of times before. um I think unlimited up until for a little while has grown stale. um You've had guys that have been playing in unlimited now for Obviously, 10, 20 years. Obviously, the Seattle team is a little bit more on the younger side of things um with their current five. But even then, you still have you still have guys that have been playing in Unlimited for ah a decent while. um And it kind of grew stale.
00:58:04
Chilly
um My issue with Unlimited has always been, um I don't understand why Whirly Ball as a sport wants to
00:58:05
The Ambassador
All right.
00:58:13
Chilly
um be so inclusive to the biggest prize in the game uh again it'd be like that'd be like the NCAA tournament telling these 64 seeds like these 16 seeds they can't play it's like i still earn my way into that um it'd be like the NFL this is essentially saying well AFC it's the Chiefs none of y'all can attempt to come out of the AFC nope can't do it you guys haven't been here nope
00:58:19
The Ambassador
Thank you. Thank you.
00:58:36
thedfsdeli
yeah
00:58:41
Chilly
Like, so like you said, trying to earn your way to play those two at least, I think makes a ton of sense.
00:58:46
Noah
you
00:58:48
Chilly
But, um, I think with the addition of Texas now, it's going to be, um, I'm going to be more inclined to watch. Um, obviously, um, it's obviously, I mean that, you know, when they play against Michigan, I think there's going to be a lot of eyes on that game.
00:58:56
thedfsdeli
Some spiced spice.
00:59:04
Chilly
I think all the pressure goes on the Michigan side, truthfully, um, as the side that kind of didn't want them in. So, um, you know, prove to us that, you know, you could beat them. you know you didn't want them in, beat them. So that that'll be an interesting storyline ah kind of going into it. um The Seattle guys, I do believe, welcomed the competition. So I don't think any pressure is going to be on them, truthfully. But from the Michigan side, um all the pressure is on their side to to win that game, or to beat them twice if they if they beat Texas and lose to Seattle. but um So I think a limit from that standpoint is going to be way more intriguing
00:59:45
Chilly
Um, now with that being said, do I think like, do I think like Cleveland should be playing an unlimited? No, I don't. But, uh, I think, I think two answers to that would be like, you could put a minimum cap on how many errors you have to play a to play unlimited. whether that be three, four, five years at the minimum, right? um Or you get to say, if you make the championship game in A, you know, you can play in unlimited. Cause you got guys that have won unlimited that haven't won A. So like, who are you to tell me, I can't play in something that you played in without winning A. We had the same amount of A division titles, zero.
01:00:24
Chilly
So who are you to tell me I can and can't play?
01:00:25
thedfsdeli
point
01:00:27
Chilly
But this is kind of how I look at it. So I think this year is it's going to be super intriguing. So I'm here to watch or rough it.
01:00:36
thedfsdeli
I have one to commentate it. So I am hoping that, ah you know, nor Steve will allow me to get behind the mic during unlimited because that's one of the ones I'm definitely looking forward to. So, uh, Noah thoughts.
01:00:48
Noah
Yeah, on Unlimited, i am ah yeah the Mortal Kombat ladder thing is cool. you know As far as taking time away from the schedule, the current edition of the Texas ah team, it basically added two games. ah to the unlimited tournament, which is one hour, which is, depending on how you count, three or six games, probably only three games that it took away um out of the other seating. And so we have like 200 to 210 seating games, 240 if we played, you know, if the ANC teams played the double round robin, which they won't. So we're talking about three games
01:01:32
Noah
out of 200 to 210 games um was the schedule impact. So not a big deal. ah And um so from that perspective, I think it's fine that we're adding the the the Texas team. The Mortal Kombat ladder match, I am still quite curious about. um because, you know, giving giving centers opportunities to play that big competition. You know, Chicago, ah their B team, I mean, I guess they probably have played some Michigan A players, maybe a Michigan A team at some of the practices.
01:02:11
Noah
um and And so that
01:02:12
thedfsdeli
Yeah.
01:02:13
Chilly
Yeah, for sure.
01:02:13
thedfsdeli
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.
01:02:14
Noah
That's really good. You know, having, uh, you know, giving those opportunities to Minnesota, Atlanta, uh, Chicago, Cleveland centers that don't have, uh, a lot of a players just hanging around, you know, we're, we're, we're, like you said, Michigan, Texas and Seattle were lousy with them, right? We're, we're, we're bringing three teams. So to have 15 A players, man, what a luxury. ah So I think that the Mortal Kombat ladder tournament is one of the ways that we could expose some of those centers to ah levels of competition that they don't have available to them, ah which might help them grow and and improve and um maybe, I don't know, I think it'd be fun.
01:03:00
Noah
um for Texas included in this year. I am curious, you know, just hypotheticals. Let's say Texas, who has said that they have put it, you know, they are able to put a team together to win unlimited. They just haven't because they don't want to. But they've said that they can, you know, Snowy said that that sure, they can put a team together to win unlimited. And so they're included in the tournament this year. What happens next year if Texas goes to and out?
01:03:33
Noah
you know, if if Michigan or Seattle,
01:03:33
thedfsdeli
Hmm, right, right.
Texas and the Future of Whirly Ball
01:03:35
Noah
you know, if if if Michigan, uh, uh, uh, beats them and then Michigan or Seattle beats them a second time and they're not close games. Uh, does that mean that like, Oh yeah. Okay. We probably need another threshold. Um, maybe they shouldn't come back.
01:03:51
Chilly
But i my my question to you is, like why restrict them, though? like like what is What is the more likelihood to happen?
01:03:57
Noah
Hmm.
01:04:00
Chilly
Texas goes to and out, or Texas wins one game?
01:04:02
Noah
ah
01:04:06
Noah
I don't know.
01:04:07
Noah
I want to do it.
01:04:07
The Ambassador
We don't know.
01:04:08
thedfsdeli
It's yeah, we don't know.
01:04:09
Chilly
but i ah but i mean that But I mean, that's the question, right?
01:04:10
Noah
Yeah.
01:04:12
Chilly
like Again, like realistically, you should say they should go to and out.
01:04:17
Chilly
These are guys that have won A, have won unlimited, have more experience. like On paper, they should go to and out. But you know what? Upsets happen.
01:04:25
Noah
Yep. Yeah.
01:04:27
Noah
and And so the question
01:04:29
thedfsdeli
Yeah, I mean, people get better.
01:04:30
Noah
they get better. Yeah. And you know, I also think it's quite possible that their unlimited team goes to and out and their A1 team makes it to the A championship and as a, as a chance to win. I think it's very possible that they get um embarrassed in the unlimited tournament and win a in the same year. That is an outcome I could foresee.
01:04:31
thedfsdeli
People just get better.
01:04:52
Chilly
I don't disagree with you there.
01:04:54
Noah
Um, and
01:04:56
thedfsdeli
Steve, your thoughts?
01:04:59
The Ambassador
I like the idea of the Mortal Kombat system as everyone has said but I guess I would kind of maybe tweak it a bit. I like the idea Noah presented about centers without that much experience playing, who have an opportunity to play against upper competition, being able to ah play against people who are better. Obviously, you're not going to have Chicago and Minnesota playing up against, you know, Seattle and Michigan. But, you know, what if we, and like I said, this is what I call Steve's fantasy aisle.
01:05:40
The Ambassador
What if we we tweak it a little bit and let's say all right. Well those guys aren't necessarily ready to play ah You know those teams so what if we take you know the five best C players or the five best B players and have those centers play them it's not necessarily I guess you wouldn't call it unlimited, but you know kind of a ah ah parallel to limited
01:06:04
Noah
It's a some sort of or exhibition.
01:06:09
The Ambassador
Yeah, an exhibition, so to speak. And obviously, I don't know if you could have that the same year as Nationals, although with with the the expansion of you know centers and the player pool, I mean, we're going to have to probably maybe at some point soon extend the tournament by day anyways. I mean, we're right on the cusp of that, I think.
01:06:29
Noah
Yeah.
01:06:31
Chilly
I agree 100%.
01:06:31
Noah
Yeah.
01:06:33
thedfsdeli
100,000% agree.
01:06:34
The Ambassador
So if we're going to do that, then why the hell not? You know, let's let's do something. And, you know, as the the sport grows, we should be open to more ideas, changes. I mean, I get and appreciate um the idea behind ah tradition and you know earning your way for some things and and having you know set rules. ah But at the same time, I'm about you know
01:07:07
The Ambassador
progress, progression, and changing, and and and and opening up avenues, not, you know, keeping doors closed, you know, I want, you know, an open door sport. And then it's like, as I always say, if something doesn't work out, we hate it, and it doesn't turn out well, you know, well, we can change it up just like this year. If Texas happens to go to and out this year, well,
01:07:27
thedfsdeli
Exactly.
01:07:31
The Ambassador
We reevaluate and decide, well, do we want to try and give them another opportunity next year? And to Noah's point, you know, if if the Texas A1 does win, you know, then you got to, you know, that begs the question. Well, to some people's point, you know, in the community who feel like, oh, well, they got to win A in order to compete. Well, You can't back down on that now. they They did it. They won A this year. And so they should still be given an opportunity to play an unlimited, even though they got their asses handed to them, or just lost you know close games.
01:07:58
Chilly
i
01:08:06
The Ambassador
I don't know.
01:08:08
Chilly
I mean like like I said I totally get that but I don't agree on the notion because Michigan had people that didn't win a playing unlimited so if you're gonna do that if you're gonna say
01:08:14
Noah
Yeah.
01:08:19
Chilly
in If you're going to say you have to win A to play unlimited, then you have to have won A. Except for the guys that are grandfathered into it. That that would be my argument. So like there would be none of these guys who know David Bernard, know Timmy's out there. like You have to win A from your center, period. You just don't get in by proxy. that we want to do it that way, that would be the caveat I have to it.
01:08:47
The Ambassador
Right.
01:08:51
The Ambassador
And like Noah was saying, the David Benards, the Timmies, and so on, they're the future of the Michigan Center. And there could be, you know, once Clint, Sammy, and those guys retire, there to your point is a chance when that happens, that those guys may have still not 1a does that mean oh none of your players have 1a you can't you know put you can't you can't put together an unlimited team no because it's still the five best players on that center yeah well no not not me i'm just i i agree
01:09:14
Noah
Thank
01:09:17
Chilly
Well, it should.
01:09:21
Noah
you.
01:09:21
Chilly
Well, but it should should, because you're telling me I have to win A, but they don't.
01:09:32
Chilly
But I'm just saying, that's what that's what the you know the public is saying. So again, that's fine. You want to put that caveat that you have to win A.
01:09:38
The Ambassador
yeah
01:09:40
Chilly
Well, again, you can't be in by proxy. You have to be on a winning A team. Period.
01:09:49
The Ambassador
yeah
01:09:50
thedfsdeli
I mean, I like all the ideas. Like I said, I think there's got to be some system to earn it. Um, you know, I said, if a certain team finishes in, let's say second in a, I feel like they should earn the right to get at least into again, the mortal combat style ladder to say, you know, I'm the bottom seed of this tournament.
01:10:09
The Ambassador
Right.
01:10:09
thedfsdeli
You know, it's one game, one shot. you get killed you're done and then you gotta get to the final boss as opposed to like Seattle being the final boss in this in this instance where they get you know the proverbial pass to the finals like y'all gotta come and get us like we ain't gotta prove shit y'all gotta prove it so if Cleveland finishes in second or if
01:10:15
The Ambassador
Yeah.
01:10:22
The Ambassador
Okay.
01:10:31
thedfsdeli
sure you know, or, you know, Texas, one of the Texas teams finishes in second or wins, they earned, I think they earned the right to say, I should be competing and unlimited in one fashion or another. So.
01:10:44
thedfsdeli
I get it. And again, it if it is an attrition happens, like Steve is saying, like those older guys either leave or at some point get beat by the younger guys, then they should earn the right to get in unlimited. Like let's say there was an unlimited team in a that was competing in, you know, unlimited, but that center, that second team in the center beats that other center in the tournament.
01:10:44
Chilly
Anna.
01:11:02
The Ambassador
What?
01:11:06
thedfsdeli
They finished higher shit. What's to say? They shouldn't be competing in unlimited.
01:11:10
The Ambassador
Well, let's say, at so you know, Cleveland, this is obviously Cleveland's first year in a in a while.
01:11:11
Noah
Oh.
01:11:17
The Ambassador
But let's say, let's say five or six years down the road, they haven't gotten second place. ah when when do we When is enough enough? When do we allow them to compete in A or in unlimited? Is it is it still a a hard no at that point? or I mean, I think Chili said earlier, like maybe putting like a, you know, you yeah you play in A this long, then, you know, you qualify for an opportunity to play unlimited.
01:11:50
The Ambassador
I mean, i mean what do we think about that? I mean, i mean no.
01:11:53
Noah
I. i
01:11:54
Chilly
Well, again, well, hold on though.
01:11:57
Chilly
Just let me just like, so to add on to that point, like I'm saying as an individual player, it's not like, it's not like I play A, I play A, I played B, then I play A, then I play A. No, no, no, no. It's, you're in A and like you're just purely in A. Like that's five, like four years consecutively, five years consecutively. Uh, again, I just don't, I don't agree with restricting the the biggest trophy in the game. No other sport does that.
01:12:30
Chilly
None. They they don't restrict you in the slightest. It doesn't matter who it is in the playoffs. I mean, we've seen it in all sports. We've seen low seeds win a Super Bowl. We've seen low seeds get blown out. We've seen every you've seen every scenario in sports. It happens, man.
01:12:44
Noah
you
01:12:48
Chilly
And whirly ball at the time of the tournament, it's a game. but It's just a game of runs and who's hot.
01:12:53
The Ambassador
So, so, so to take your team, for example, like, like, I know you said you, and correct me if I'm wrong, you said that you wouldn't or shouldn't compete unlimited this year, but let's say next year, let it let's say next year, you guys, you're, you're gelling, you're feeling really good.
01:13:05
Chilly
Correct.
01:13:11
The Ambassador
Brad Patina comes back and you come up with the master plan. You guys are firing out all cylinders. You feel that you should have the right and an opportunity to participate in the unlimited tournament.
01:13:23
Chilly
Well, let's say this. So let's say, and I'm by no means saying this, let's say we somehow find our way into second place this year.
01:13:31
The Ambassador
Okay. Yep.
01:13:33
Chilly
That means, other than Seattle and Michigan, we finished second in the past, however many, 40, apparently. That we're the third center in history to get second place.
01:13:43
Noah
you
01:13:47
Chilly
Does that not give us credentials to play in the biggest game?
01:13:51
The Ambassador
I think so. Yeah, absolutely.
01:13:53
Chilly
Now again, with that being said, you know pretty pretty slim, I would think. Again, I'm not going to homer this. I mean, of course, I wish we get first, don't give it don't get it twisted. But again, I just, I think you should at least have to play A to play in Unlimited, so which would rule out Chicago on the state when, of course, um and then like Minnesota, that type of deal. But again, you know, if you Like let's say if we did it this year, that means the Atlantic guys could give it a shot again as a center.
01:14:26
Chilly
Um, you know, we could give it a shot, you know, or, you know, so it would start off Cleveland against Atlanta winner of that game place, Texas. And then you just so on and so forth. Obviously the schedule probably wouldn't allow it this year. But, um, again, with that being said, like this tournament is going to end up getting extended by a day in the near future.
01:14:39
The Ambassador
Right.
01:14:48
thedfsdeli
It has to. It has to. You need an extra day.
01:14:50
Noah
Yeah.
01:14:52
Chilly
um ah or Or we're going to start seeding games way earlier on a Wednesday and everybody's going to have to be there by Wednesday or something like that.
01:14:52
thedfsdeli
You need it.
01:15:01
Chilly
what Or whatever the case may be. That's coming. I think that's pretty inevitable, which is great for our sport, obviously. um you know but But again, like I just don't believe in restricting teams playing for the biggest prize in sports. i just I just don't agree with it. I think everybody should have a shot.
01:15:19
Noah
There is one, there is one restriction that I think does, uh, I do want to bring up, uh, that I, I actually believe in pretty, pretty strongly. I think I've developed this belief over the last year. And that restriction is, uh, against like what Steve was proposing a little earlier of these mixed all-star teams. I think that, uh, the unlimited tournament, the biggest prize in the sport, in order to compete for it, you should be representing a center. And to the maximum extent possible, it should be the best five from that center. Um, I think that, you know, let's take the hypothetical of Cleveland this year, you know, Cleveland plus Brad botania, I'm okay with it, right? It's representing Cleveland this year.
01:16:13
Noah
um The Mylanta team, Sam Kim, BJ, and then Beckett Kyle and like it kylele Chris Mears.
01:16:26
Noah
um That one I'm less like, i that's not I don't think that one should be competing in unlimited. um That's, you know, if the Atlanta guys ah said that that's our Atlanta team, then maybe if the Michigan guys say that's our Michigan team, then no, I'm not for it um because Michigan has other players that they could choose from. So the idea of these All-Star teams. I don't think that they should be included in the Unlimited Tournament. I think the All-Star Exhibition things are a fun idea.
01:16:27
Chilly
Chris.
01:16:55
The Ambassador
well just
01:16:58
Noah
I love the idea of them. I think they should be a separate ah separate thing from the Unlimited Tournament.
01:17:06
The Ambassador
Well, just just to clarify earlier what I said earlier about like the the top best five in like B or C, I was talking about per center, like the best five Seattle B or the best five Seattle C. And like I said, it it's obviously not unlimited, but that was just like a proposal to give these you know lower level playing centers an opportunity to compete against you know upper level players that obviously aren't unlimited caliber. But like I said, that's that's a separate thing, but something that you know
01:17:47
The Ambassador
Uh, I guess, you know, you call it, you know, an exhibition or something. Uh, but yeah, I didn't want to, you know, I'm not proposing like mid cross center players coming together all started like that, but yeah.
01:17:52
Noah
Yeah.
01:17:56
Noah
Good. Good clarification. And I think that that sort of thing would make a lot of sense for like an invitational.
01:18:01
The Ambassador
Yep.
01:18:06
thedfsdeli
Right, right, right.
01:18:06
The Ambassador
Right.
01:18:08
thedfsdeli
Yeah, that's more that's more invitational. I agree 100%. Um, well, let's let's wrap it up with them our our tournament predictions. Maybe some of you guys's minds have changed over the past few days since you filmed with your podcast. um Maybe it hasn't. um So I kind of want to get your feel on who's taking it and why. And we'll we'll wrap it up from there. So, uh, chill, each division,
Tournament Predictions
01:18:32
thedfsdeli
who's winning? And why? Well, who what are you betting on, I should say?
01:18:35
Chilly
All right. Do who am I betting on?
01:18:36
Noah
Mmm...
01:18:37
thedfsdeli
If you had a parlay to place, if you had a parlay to place, like who who we got?
01:18:38
Noah
Ooooh!
01:18:40
Chilly
Oh, all right.
01:18:42
Chilly
A parlay. Uh, all right. So I think for the D division, uh, I'm going to go home or pick here. I'm going to go with the Cleveland team. Uh, I mean, our, uh, our two new players, uh, Zenko and Larry, uh, those guys have been balling out at practice. So shout out to them. I think our D team is gonna be very solid this year. um So again, shout out to them. So I'm gonna go with Cleveland for D. a No disrespect, Sully.
01:19:15
Chilly
I can't homer it up too much, you know?
01:19:17
thedfsdeli
or you can fuck off.
01:19:19
Noah
Yes!
01:19:19
Chilly
yeah get to
01:19:19
The Ambassador
ah
01:19:21
thedfsdeli
All right.
01:19:21
Chilly
but
01:19:22
thedfsdeli
You want to take our, you guys would not take your boy.
01:19:22
Chilly
if
01:19:24
thedfsdeli
I, I, I, I, I.
01:19:26
Chilly
um i'm putting that I'm putting that proverbial chip on the shoulder.
01:19:29
thedfsdeli
No, man. I'm going to go ahead and mute you. Uh,
01:19:33
The Ambassador
I think that just became an opening for a co-host on your show, right?
01:19:33
Chilly
ah the um
01:19:38
thedfsdeli
yeah
01:19:40
Chilly
I'm the only guy that shows up to work. He'd be working by himself.
01:19:44
thedfsdeli
Nah, nah, I think Steve will be dedicated, man. I might have to boot ya.
01:19:49
Chilly
Again, i'm not looking I'm not looking for the homer pick, but for D, I will roll with our guys.
01:19:50
thedfsdeli
Go on.
01:19:56
Chilly
ah For C, I will roll with a Chicago team here. um Let me see which Chicago team I indeed here did enjoy here on paper. I believe it was the one with Walter on it. I think it looked pretty solid. obviously Obviously with those guys playing at home, um we know that at least for like the C and B divisions, a home court tends to matter a lot more for those two divisions, um truthfully.
01:20:13
Noah
Oh yeah.
01:20:29
Chilly
So um I'm going to go.
01:20:31
thedfsdeli
the point.
01:20:32
Chilly
um I'm going to go with Chicago there. ah For B, um I think we get a Chicago-Seattle final but for that one. um i do like I do like Steve's team. i so ah hopefully ah ah So hopefully Steve and the boys kind of cleaned it up there. um And with it being in brain cars, ah or most of the cars being brains.
01:21:03
Chilly
i think I think the Seattle teams are going to have a pretty decent advantage as well. um So I'm going to roll with, the I think that's going to be the upset there. I'm going to go with Seattle for B. um i think I think that's going to be the upset. I think they upset the Chicago guys.
01:21:23
thedfsdeli
I remember these bets. I remember. I don't need to remember. It's on film. It's on tape.
01:21:26
The Ambassador
It.
01:21:27
Chilly
It is off film.
01:21:27
thedfsdeli
Just gonna.
01:21:28
Chilly
i'm just putting now I'm just putting a chip on everybody's shoulder. That's all. Um, I know like, I like if Bill or George listen to this or just gonna be like a motherfucker.
01:21:32
thedfsdeli
Sure.
01:21:37
thedfsdeli
Oh, without question. Without question. Without question.
01:21:40
Chilly
Uh, again, yeah I don't want to pick favorites. I can't win on my parlay with favorites. because I would say that chicago the Chicago B team is probably the favorite. We did we did get to play them again that Saturday in Michigan. They played very well. They played our A team to a tough game as well. um So again, they got a very good team.
01:21:59
thedfsdeli
You got a good team. Got a good team.
01:22:01
Chilly
So again, I will roll with Seattle and B because I need an upset in there and all the pressures on Chicago to win at home.
01:22:02
thedfsdeli
Yep.
01:22:09
Chilly
So I'm going to roll a roll with Seattle there and ah Hey, it's super intriguing. I mean, I really like Noah's team. I do really like the the Texas team ah that Noah had mentioned, and I'll let him run through these names. but ah You know what? I'm just going to go back. We're going to have a resurgence. I think the goat kind of returns back to form here. ah ah Hopefully that shoulder is raring to go. I'm going to roll what Mr. Gill returns back to form and re-get his throne back up there on A. um Are we doing unlimited? Are we saving unlimited to the end?
01:22:52
thedfsdeli
ah Do unlimited. Just do it. It's a division.
01:22:54
Chilly
Oh, unlimited in Seattle.
01:22:54
thedfsdeli
Do it.
01:22:56
Chilly
It's in brain cars. ah Michigan has really yet to get used to playing in brain cars. They've not really adjusted well to them. They're working there. But until the tournament returns to clutch cars anytime soon or Michigan gets a better grasp on them. Obviously, Jeremy should be able to, you know, with that being his home center. ah Jeremy should be able to ah perform pretty well, but until the game goes back to clutch cars, I'll take Seattle it solely based on cars.
01:23:24
Noah
You know, I want to bring up, you know, Michigan, you guys just played at Michigan recently, right?
01:23:25
thedfsdeli
i like it ah like it
01:23:30
Noah
So I have heard that they are switching to brain cars in Michigan.
01:23:31
Chilly
Correct.
01:23:34
Noah
They're going with Minnesota brushes and then ah switching all to brains.
01:23:36
Chilly
So right.
01:23:41
Chilly
So let's give a shout out to Michigan for that. Their court one was all brain cars.
01:23:46
thedfsdeli
I
01:23:47
Chilly
ah The court was awesome. the both ah but Actually, both courts, truthfully, were awesome.
01:23:50
thedfsdeli
like it. I like it
01:23:52
Chilly
ah But court one was all brain cars. They ran smooth. They ran good. The court was awesome. um But like I said before, they struggled to stay in the games with us. ah And again, it's I don't think it's anything they're doing. They just have to get used to the brain cars. um And that's something they haven't had the luxury of doing. ah there're The court, too, in Michigan was all clutch cars. So obviously, it's a way different game over there on the court. The court was still good, like even for being clutch cars.
01:24:24
Chilly
um But that's something that that is it is it is a different game, indeed.
01:24:25
thedfsdeli
completely different game, completely different.
01:24:29
Chilly
but um that's something that they, you know, they have to get used to. And obviously you have a a lot of guys over there that have been playing the game for, you know, 20 plus years that have to, you know, get used to these brain cars that a lot of these centers are switching over to. um Well, I believe Minnesota, Cleveland, Seattle, Chicago, Michigan. So again, like, You know, they they're going to have to get used to playing in these cars and learning how to drive them. I mean, and truthfully, Seattle does drive those brain cars the best.
01:25:03
Chilly
um I mean, that's a proven fact for now that, you know, until these other centers kind of keep up, um I mean, we tend to do very well because we've had brain cars for a while. um But until these other centers kind of catch up to it, it's kind of Seattle versus the field in terms of driving on that.
01:25:13
thedfsdeli
Yeah, yours.
01:25:22
thedfsdeli
Fair, fair. Steve, who you got?
01:25:26
The Ambassador
Well, for the D division, I'm going to go strictly to the math here. I'm going to say that Chicago ah with three D teams mathematically has the best odds to win, ah like we said earlier. um I don't know a lot of the D players, so I can't ah really make a decision. So I'm just gonna say Chicago. um And in terms of C, this is where my homorism begins.
01:25:57
The Ambassador
I'm going with Seattle all the way.
01:25:58
thedfsdeli
Haha.
01:26:00
The Ambassador
That team, oh my God, they they practice against the B teams and they, give the B team's fits. I mean, you got the you got a lot of firepower on that team. You got Gage Davis, you know Barrett's younger brother. You got Jeff Jackson, ah Sean Acheson, and then ah Dan Carney, who hasn't played in many, many years, but he's returned the form.
01:26:31
The Ambassador
And then, of course, you got the ah the big goalie and and Justin no shit to wit. He is locking down the defense. So that team is going to be a force this year.
01:26:43
thedfsdeli
Mmm!
01:26:44
The Ambassador
It's going to be a force. So ah C division lookout, Seattle. um And then for the B team, I tend to agree with Chile here. I think it's going to come down to a Seattle Chicago. ah final um in terms of which Seattle team at this point as much as it pains my heart to say I gotta be honest and transparent it's looking like the other team right now ah they have
01:27:18
The Ambassador
They've had our number more often than not. They just have a little bit of an edge over us, but there have been plenty of years and plenty of teams that I've been on in Seattle where that same thing has happened, ah where you know that dave you know we were kicking ass and then come tournament, you know the the tides turned, the tables turned, and and the other team ah just came out of one.
01:27:21
thedfsdeli
Mmm.
01:27:44
The Ambassador
so um if If my team can, you know, make that happen. Awesome. um Yeah, they better.
01:27:50
Chilly
They better. My picks on the line here, Steve.
01:27:53
The Ambassador
Right. Yeah. So well, no, I mean, I think it's going to be it's going to be one of the Seattle teams who wins it. It's either right now, like it's OK.
01:28:01
Chilly
no No, it's your team that's going to win it.
01:28:04
The Ambassador
It's my team. It's my team. It's going to win it all.
01:28:07
thedfsdeli
Yeah.
Anticipation for Finals
01:28:08
The Ambassador
I'll I'll remember that come term and it's like, oh, God, I got to do this for Chile.
01:28:09
Noah
you
01:28:09
Chilly
but ah Oh, um I'll remember.
01:28:12
The Ambassador
I don't want to let him down. He's he's.
01:28:15
Chilly
I'll be screaming it from the door.
01:28:16
The Ambassador
and It's like, we're going to like lock eyes on the glass.
01:28:19
Chilly
i pick two
01:28:21
The Ambassador
yeah
01:28:21
thedfsdeli
yeah
01:28:23
Chilly
ah christian
01:28:23
The Ambassador
um so But regardless of you know which team makes it you know to the finals, it's going to be a great game. It's going to be a great game. I love playing those Chicago guys. I know that those other guys, Mark and Nathan and company, They love playing ah Chicago as well.
01:28:42
Chilly
I
01:28:43
The Ambassador
And then for A, I'm sticking with my original pick.
01:28:45
Chilly
picked you!
01:28:46
The Ambassador
I think it's going to be Noah's team all the way. I love the balance of both offense and defense. Those guys are great communicators. There's a lot of whirlyball IQ. ah And there's a lot of cool heads. you know If things were to go wrong, ah kind of like what Chili said earlier, they're very coachable. they they oh They take, you know, things in stride. There's, you know, nothing that team can't overcome. And yeah, I mean, it's gonna it's it's gonna be weird not playing with Noah for the first time in many years, a little sad, but it's kind of cool though, because I'll be able to commentate and or root for him. And then in unlimited,
01:29:39
The Ambassador
Yeah, I think ah ah several tears just went down my cheek for those of you not able to see me. um Yeah, but Noah's probably like in the fetal position right now.
01:29:46
thedfsdeli
mind you Mine too. Mine too. yeah
01:29:53
The Ambassador
um but ah Unlimited.
01:29:54
thedfsdeli
but
01:29:54
Chilly
put the back
01:29:55
Noah
I'm trying not to yell freedom.
01:30:00
thedfsdeli
yeah
01:30:01
The Ambassador
yeah
01:30:02
thedfsdeli
now
01:30:03
The Ambassador
Oh, that's cold.
01:30:04
Noah
Yeah, I'm sorry.
01:30:04
Noah
That was that was uncalled for.
01:30:06
The Ambassador
Yeah.
01:30:09
thedfsdeli
yeah
01:30:10
The Ambassador
No, I think it it was called for. Now I'm going to have a big chip on my shoulder to get to A now.
01:30:11
Noah
Yeah!
01:30:15
The Ambassador
um
01:30:16
thedfsdeli
Well, according to Chile, you're winning B, so I'll be welcome to A, motherfucker!
01:30:18
The Ambassador
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:30:20
Chilly
Damn right.
01:30:20
The Ambassador
Right. Yeah. Well, I mean, you know call it, I mean, maybe call it early and premature, but i'll mean I'll make the announcement that regardless of the outcome this year, if the numbers allow for it, this will be my final year in B.
01:30:21
thedfsdeli
yeah
01:30:35
The Ambassador
im
01:30:36
Chilly
Last year, it should have been your final year in B.
01:30:36
The Ambassador
I, I, right.
01:30:38
Chilly
I'll say it.
01:30:39
The Ambassador
Yeah. So I, I, well, and there had been talk, there had been talk about moving me up to a this year, but just the numbers didn't pan out. So, um, but hopefully next year that will be remedied and, uh,
01:30:53
Chilly
Well, with it being in Seattle, you are going to have like 27-18s, right? People crawling out the weeds.
01:30:58
The Ambassador
at least, at least 27. Um, And then Unlimited, i'm I'm going with my boys, Seattle. yeah it's um I think they're going to have another dominant performance, dominant year this year. It's going to be great. And then in terms of commentary, I will relinquish my headset to Sully if he so wishes to commentate that game along with ah ah Noah. I think that would be a really great ah commentary to hear.
01:31:33
The Ambassador
And there have been several people in the community who have stated that they really enjoyed your guys' gumption and and and the way that you guys do things. And I definitely enjoyed it myself, ah particularly Sully last year. I remember you know Noah on our final game when he was rocking the car back and forth, trapped in the key.
01:31:52
Noah
you
01:31:57
thedfsdeli
Ha ha.
01:31:57
The Ambassador
Say, I ain't fixing another damn car. He better cut that shit out.
01:32:02
Chilly
first First of all, if we could talk about that play for a second, my father, Billy O, had the ball.
01:32:03
The Ambassador
but
01:32:09
Chilly
We had this man, this young man, Noah, stuck in the key. What does Billy O do? Three, two, one, throws it down there. And we had to let him go.
01:32:23
Noah
You know, that is the dirty little secret of that play because I did not get trapped in the key because you had to let me out or suffer a delay of game.
01:32:25
Chilly
Thanks. Thanks, Billy.
01:32:36
Chilly
I was so mad. um but i I'm like, we held this man rocking the whole court, the car, the boat.
01:32:44
thedfsdeli
Marking it up. Yeah, man.
01:32:45
Noah
now
01:32:47
Chilly
We had him trapped on the wall.
01:32:47
The Ambassador
you
01:32:49
Chilly
Jarrett and I are laughing our asses off. And Billy-O throws it to fucking Noah. what that's That's my father, y'all. My father.
01:32:57
Noah
not Now what was also funny is the next 10 seconds, right so that ball gets picked up and like a half-cocked screenshot goes off prematurely and our defense is screwed and the shot doesn't even go in so all that work and We couldn't even take advantage of the fact that we had a screenshot at the top of the key because we took the wrong we rushed it
01:33:00
thedfsdeli
The legend. the a
01:33:11
Chilly
Thank you.
01:33:27
thedfsdeli
Love it. Love it. Know who you got, man.
01:33:28
Noah
All right. So for D, um, I am going to, I gotta to go against the grain here. Uh, I gotta pick Michigan. I gotta pick the Michigan D team because they're going to have a couple of solid defenders and
01:33:42
Chilly
Oh
01:33:51
The Ambassador
yeah
01:33:54
thedfsdeli
Yo. Yo.
01:33:56
Chilly
Hey, hey, wait. I mean, we can't hate on the Michigan DT because the gentleman that we met at Michigan that Michael Guy my does play Pokemon Go with us.
01:34:03
thedfsdeli
My man.
01:34:04
Chilly
Huge shout out to him for sending us raid invites and hopping in the car to go do that Shadow Entei raid. End of nerd rant, but shout out god. to Michael.
01:34:12
Noah
Yeah, so I think Michael is going to Pokemon Go to the finals.
01:34:14
thedfsdeli
Facts.
01:34:15
thedfsdeli
Facts.
01:34:21
thedfsdeli
Oh, did he pull the Hillary Clinton?
01:34:23
The Ambassador
Yeah.
01:34:27
Chilly
but
01:34:34
thedfsdeli
That's the highlight of the damn show. I don't care what anybody says.
01:34:37
The Ambassador
that
01:34:38
thedfsdeli
That's the highlight.
Breaking News and Team Changes
01:34:40
Chilly
Let's put a little time, do i put a timestamp there.
01:34:40
thedfsdeli
Clip that. Clip that. Yeah, clip that. Clip that. Pokemon go to the finals. My man. My man.
01:34:44
The Ambassador
yeah
01:34:48
Noah
and uh... yeah i have no idea what's gonna happen and see i just don't like the idea of choosing uh uh you know the the the chicago team our seattle team is really exciting i have to admit i've been coaching these guys for a couple of months it is so cool to see the formation of like the core of this team looks like the future of seattle whirly ball right at the very early uh nascent stages um and and so it's just exciting to see it it come together and and the core of that team
01:34:59
The Ambassador
Thank you.
01:35:19
Noah
is Is gonna be is gonna be around for a while and if they do stay around for a while that they're gonna make names for themselves So I'm excited to see them at the national stage All right moving on to see I think Chicago Has stacked a C team at home so that they can win and I think they're gonna get to the finals. I think Cliff and Mike and Dan and Brett and Walter are, that's a dangerous team in C.
01:35:53
Noah
ah We do have some breaking news in the C division, the Seattle C2 team, the mixed team, Eddie from Miami is unavailable to participate in nationals.
01:36:08
Noah
And so we pick, I know what we're, it We were all looking so forward to hanging out with Eddie.
01:36:08
The Ambassador
Thank you.
01:36:10
thedfsdeli
No!
01:36:11
thedfsdeli
That's my boy!
01:36:16
Noah
That's always a good time when he's there, but unfortunately he has some obligations that have come up.
01:36:21
Noah
He's not going to be able to make the tournament. So we are replacing Eddie with an insider, a spy from the inside. It's coming from you inside the house. ah Andy Howison ah from Chicago is going to play C on that Seattle team. So we'll get some a little home court advantage a little inside scoop and so I'm excited that'll that'll that'll help that team and it'll give Andy a Bit of a ah you know an opportunity to lead at his home center It the it Would have
01:36:24
The Ambassador
Well.
01:36:53
Chilly
Oh man. Yeah, it would have been really cool if he would have played for Chicago, you know?
01:37:06
The Ambassador
You had to say it.
01:37:08
Chilly
I say it, this is what the show's all about.
01:37:08
thedfsdeli
You had to say it. You had to say it. You had to say it.
01:37:09
Noah
it would have been
01:37:11
Noah
It would have been easier to pick the Chicago C1 team as ah as a ah clear favorite, um but I don't know how clear of a favorite they are. I think it's going to be a little bit harder road. i think um you know I'm super excited to see that Minnesota C2 team. And I think they're going to get their first real test. I don't think they were tested last year in D. And so we don't know where their ceiling is. ah We know that it was well above the D division last year. And so they could surprise some people. And that team is filled with
01:37:12
thedfsdeli
You had to say it.
01:37:50
Noah
really smart sports, ah sports fans, um athletes, that if they were working in any other center around some some mentors, I think we'd be talking about them as likely favorites. um But I think they're they're just not being in the conversation because we haven't seen them. They haven't you know it's outside of a couple of invites here and there, some individual skill. But their potential is is is off the charts. But I do think it's going to be Chicago, Seattle in the finals.
01:38:24
Noah
The Slammin' Salmon, the C1 team that that Steve was talking about.
01:38:30
thedfsdeli
oh lord
01:38:30
Noah
Get it! In B, the B division.
01:38:32
thedfsdeli
ah like
01:38:32
Chilly
It's
01:38:35
thedfsdeli
like
01:38:35
The Ambassador
Yeah!
01:38:37
Noah
ah Chicago has got to be the favorite. Chicago to the finals. uh... and then i think it's going to be a seattle beating uh... you know uh... i've played with steve uh...
01:38:55
Noah
for a long time i've been in the division with them every a year it is sad to uh...
01:38:56
thedfsdeli
Oh, Lord.
01:38:59
thedfsdeli
I like it. Like
01:39:00
Noah
to break apart the the team that we've had uh... but if i leave the team and steve wins. That means that I was holding him back, Steve and baby doll. Uh, and, and so maybe for my own ego, my own insecurity, I have to choose the be one team with Nate Kiefer and, uh, and be white Mark money mills. Um,
01:39:26
Noah
that
01:39:27
The Ambassador
So you, you moved up, you moved up for our benefit.
01:39:29
Noah
when
01:39:31
The Ambassador
I gotcha.
01:39:32
Chilly
I mean, it's not if Steve wins Noah, it's when.
01:39:35
Noah
when
01:39:35
The Ambassador
Yeah. When, when, when, when, when.
01:39:36
thedfsdeli
Win!
01:39:37
Noah
Otherwise, Steve owes people some money.
01:39:37
thedfsdeli
Win!
01:39:42
The Ambassador
Yeah.
01:39:43
thedfsdeli
I'm here to collect!
01:39:45
The Ambassador
Yeah.
01:39:45
Chilly
I'm just, I'm just, I'm just doing my best Vicky Bellingcourt over here from the water boy.
01:39:47
The Ambassador
All right. Have.
01:39:50
Chilly
That's not a guess. It's what it's gonna be.
01:39:51
The Ambassador
You have that yeah that champagne ready for me, Chili.
01:39:55
Chilly
Oh, bet.
01:39:56
thedfsdeli
ah bad
01:39:58
The Ambassador
Yeah.
01:39:58
thedfsdeli
right
01:39:58
Chilly
Bet. I'll ref, I'll ref the beat championship game. Shit, I ain't doing nothing. I'll make sure you win.
01:40:04
The Ambassador
aye All right.
01:40:05
thedfsdeli
Damn.
01:40:08
The Ambassador
Yes.
01:40:08
Chilly
see
01:40:09
Noah
Collusion!
01:40:12
Chilly
And I just got bar from the rest stand.
01:40:14
thedfsdeli
Alright.
01:40:14
Chilly
All right.
01:40:16
The Ambassador
Oh, no, because everybody loves reffing.
01:40:16
Chilly
ah Yeah.
01:40:22
The Ambassador
No!
01:40:22
Noah
Yeah, so that brings us to A. um The teams I'm looking at in A are you guys in Cleveland, the Michigan A2 team, Uh, with, uh, w that came in second last year, Jeremy, Ben Heisel, Kaylin, Zach, John are and David Bernard. Um, so that team came in second last year and then the Texas a one team, three of those guys came in third and they added Ross and Austin to that team. So both the doc and Brad reading are kind of the core of that team. And they added Ross and Austin. Um,
01:41:00
Noah
I think that's one of the strongest teams that Texas has the ability to build. Um, you know, they're unlimited team. They're putting in Mario and and snowy and it's, yeah, I mean, those guys, that's a lot of strength. So that's a team I'm certainly watching. And then, you know, in Seattle,
01:41:18
Noah
one of these Seattle teams is going to be in the
A Division Finals Speculations
01:41:20
Noah
finals.
01:41:21
Noah
you get You got James Gill, you got Joe Tiffany leading their teams, and then you got my team.
01:41:22
thedfsdeli
ah
01:41:25
Chilly
it
01:41:27
Noah
ah So I, you know, I said it on my podcast. ah You know, i'm I'm still the new guy ah in that division. ah It seems just... You know, the empirical data says that Joe Tiffany or James Gill is going to be in the final. Um, so I would choose one of those guys and, uh, and probably the Michigan, the Michigan team that finished, uh, second last year in Cleveland and Jeremy's on his home court now, uh, in, in, in Chicago.
01:41:46
thedfsdeli
Oh, okay.
01:41:55
The Ambassador
you
01:42:00
Noah
So that's, that's what I got in the finals. Uh, yeah, I'll say Seattle wins because again, empirical data, I think it's something like 13 of the last 15 years Seattle has won a, we talk about why has Michigan, uh, had difficulty winning a or having unlimited players when a it it belies the, the kind of unbelievable dominance of the a division over the last, I dunno, around 15 years where I think Seattle has only lost it two or three times.
01:42:23
Chilly
I mean, I mean, and we've had 40 years of whirly ball. Isn't it like 37 to three? Like Michigan's only one A three times.
01:42:39
Noah
ah Michigan may have only won a three times. The first two years were won by Lancaster and I think at some point like Las Vegas or Alaska won. So like stuff gets real weird when you go back.
01:42:51
thedfsdeli
Alaska!
01:42:52
Chilly
context All right, so third let's go 30 to three then.
01:42:56
Noah
Yeah, so I like to think of Whirly Ball in the modern era because there used to only be an A division and that was it. And then they added the B division and the B division was like what we think of as D. But if you take any of our eight teams and you go back in time to play those eight teams, forget about it. It is, I mean, murder smoked.
01:43:20
Noah
I mean, they're like playing an organized defense. Get out of here nerd. Um, so, so in the modern era, yeah, that, that the dominance of, of Seattle is just, I mean,
01:43:20
The Ambassador
They're getting smoked.
01:43:28
thedfsdeli
yeah
01:43:34
Noah
it it It's a thing. It's ah it's a sight to behold. it's It's really incredible, especially with making ah even teams. um Yeah.
01:43:43
thedfsdeli
Fair?
01:43:45
Noah
Noah's opinion.
01:43:46
thedfsdeli
Fair?
01:43:48
thedfsdeli
I like i like Noah's opinion. Noah's opinion is valid.
01:43:51
Chilly
Well, we need Noah's.
01:43:51
thedfsdeli
Everybody's opinion is valid. I love it.
01:43:52
Chilly
I think we know where he's going with this, but you want to give us your unlimited pick, Noah?
01:43:56
Noah
Oh, yeah. um happy to see Texas there. I think Texas has the opportunity to eliminate ah ah Michigan. I think it's going to wind up Seattle, Michigan and Texas. One thing I'm interested in is, so you imagine Michigan is going to play Texas. If Michigan wins, they're going to come out after playing a 30 minute game. They're going to come out hot against the Seattle team that has not yet played. And so there could be, you know, a little early run that happens. They could find a run of form. They could be warmed up a little bit and that could get a little bit, uh, a little wild, a little hairy. You know, last year the Seattle unlimited team did not have to deal with hardship. They jumped out early and just kept pounding and pounding and pounding. And Sam Kim was standing on his head trying to keep the Michigan team in the, in the game.
01:44:48
Noah
But the the games were runaways. um You know, they were further apart than the score indicated. ah So the Seattle team has not been tested but by getting down or having some adversity.
01:45:01
Noah
And so that could be a ah thing to watch. But I mean, after the performance last year was so dominant, how can you not pick Seattle again? So For me, it's in the order of the seeding going into the tournament. I think Seattle's won Michigan 2, Texas 3.
01:45:01
The Ambassador
Yeah.
01:45:25
thedfsdeli
I like that take, I like it.
01:45:26
Chilly
Thank
01:45:28
thedfsdeli
Well, I'll wrap it up with my takes real quick and then we'll get out of here. If you made it to this far in the show, almost two hours of whirly ball talk, you gotta be a real whirly ball nerd to still be here with us.
01:45:34
Chilly
you.
01:45:38
thedfsdeli
So I definitely appreciate everyone that's gonna listen to this podcast. um for For the D division, I kind of agree with Chill.
01:45:43
The Ambassador
Yeah.
01:45:45
thedfsdeli
I think Zanko is single-handedly on paper from playing with him, probably the best player in that division. Um, he can, he's going to shoot you and he's going to shoot you out of a game and I've seen what he can do when our leagues and I've seen what he does in practice when he, you know, shows up, um, ah that again, he could probably single-handedly win a division by himself. So I'm going to go with, I'm going to stick with chills prediction and say that Cleveland will win a D. for for the C division, huge division. Like I said, I think ah Chicago and their home court definitely does have the advantage. um Seattle, like you said, has teams that are blossoming into something that could be special. oh And for me as a complete bias, because obviously I'm playing in that division, ah myself, Chill, Ant, Brad, Jarrett,
01:46:36
thedfsdeli
we've had the conversations about why I'm not playing with the A guys. And it's one reason, one reason only, it's because they want me to be a difference maker on the court. And in order to do that, I have to put the ball in the bucket. So I'm chipping chip on shoulder. Um, i it's a prove it year for me that I'm gonna shoot us in or I'm gonna shoot us out. And that team 100% hinges on me even though there's four other guys like Sean has ah years of experience. We're bringing his wife along with us.
01:47:08
thedfsdeli
um Eric who is like eight feet tall can get can't get buckets on his own you know when he's down cherry picking.
01:47:09
The Ambassador
Thank you.
01:47:15
thedfsdeli
But i'll as far as picking that division, you know if it's not gonna be me, I'm gonna say it's gonna be a,
01:47:23
thedfsdeli
I'm going to say that, that, that Chicago, or I'm sorry, that, uh, that Seattle team that Steve mentioned, I think, I think it'll be, damn it. It will be my team and that Seattle team in the final because
01:47:33
Chilly
There you go.
01:47:34
The Ambassador
No.
01:47:34
Chilly
There you go. let me let me Let's keep putting that chip on your shoulder.
01:47:39
thedfsdeli
I mean, and, you know, like I said, it's, it's, it's personal, you know, it's personal now. So, you know, I, I feel over the years that, you know, this is my first year being apart from either Brad, Jared, chill or aunt.
01:47:43
Noah
you
01:47:52
thedfsdeli
And, you know, it hurts. I mean, and but I get it. I completely get it. So it's a proof of ear and the chip on the shoulder just grows bigger. So, you know, myself and Seattle and the damn finals, screw that shit. um um I'm going to.
01:48:07
The Ambassador
Sometimes that's what it takes, man, is just, you know, getting looked over, having a chip to actually jump shoot you into becoming a better player.
01:48:18
thedfsdeli
Yeah, without question, and that's what I'm relying on this year.
01:48:18
The Ambassador
Getting you out of your comfort zone. Yeah. Yeah.
01:48:20
thedfsdeli
As far as B, you know what, Steve? We're doubling down, baby. We're doubling down. Me and Chill, we're putting it on your squad, damn it. You're winning B this year. Deal with it. Deal with it. And then A, I'm gonna shake up the foundation. I'm gonna shake up the foundation. I think a Texas team thinks the Texas team takes it. Oh, shit.
Technical Glitches and Controversial Picks
01:48:50
Chilly
Oh no.
01:48:50
Noah
Did we lose him?
01:48:51
The Ambassador
uh did he did we lose the host of the show there was oh oh no wow this is gonna make for a really uh he is offline um i mean the yeah
01:48:53
thedfsdeli
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
01:48:53
Chilly
Oh no.
01:48:56
Noah
Oh no!
01:48:58
Chilly
Oh no.
01:49:05
thedfsdeli
No, you're kidding.
01:49:05
Chilly
Well, uh, he's he's the only guy that can end it, so we're going to hit the point in the broadcast now.
01:49:14
The Ambassador
yeah ah yeah Yeah, we lost Sully offline.
01:49:18
thedfsdeli
No, I did not.
01:49:19
The Ambassador
So I guess, Chili, it falls on the U to take over as the host until he hopefully jumps back on.
01:49:19
thedfsdeli
I did not record for two hours not to have it drop.
01:49:27
Chilly
Yeah, I mean, ah you know, we can kind of go on ahead and we can kind of but we're doing it live. Fuck it.
01:49:34
The Ambassador
Yeah.
01:49:34
Chilly
We're going to do it live.
01:49:35
Noah
yeah
01:49:37
The Ambassador
la da data da ah
01:49:39
Noah
So Sully was about to give a controversial pick in the B division.
01:49:46
Chilly
It looks like it was good about to be a bold take.
01:49:47
Noah
It it did, right? So what is, can we predict what Sully's bold take was going to be?
01:49:53
thedfsdeli
I did not record for two hours and have it dropped.
01:49:57
The Ambassador
i mean nobody has mentioned the atlanta b team at all
01:50:00
Chilly
I think it would have been Atlanta. I mean, like listen, to to kind of first of all, let's give those guys credit for playing without a center. um so So again, you know credit to those guys for staying dedicated and coming back and playing. um I mean, they did get a nice upset victory in last year's tournament. I believe they upsetted the two-seat, which I think was the team with Wings and Brandon Stewart.
01:50:24
The Ambassador
I mean, nobody has mentioned the Atlanta V Team at all.
01:50:24
Noah
the Michigan team, yeah.
01:50:28
Chilly
So I mean, the Atlanta guys, that they all, I mean, Carl can shoot, Callum can shoot. I mean, you know, yeah, man, these, these, these these dudes can ball out.
01:50:32
Noah
And Carl's got that high shot too.
01:50:39
Chilly
So, um, I mean, you want to talk about a team that, that could surprise some people.
01:50:40
thedfsdeli
shit me gotta be shit.
01:50:45
thedfsdeli
You've got to be shooting me.
01:50:46
Chilly
and It might be Atlanta and.
01:50:47
thedfsdeli
My fucking internet went out.
01:50:48
Chilly
ah Being somebody who like even ah when we like when we played it in Texas like we barely practice even though we had a center we just didn't have people like It it only takes those seating games to kind of find it find your driving You know this the seating games are great and and being the one seat is great But anything can happen in that tournament. So I think the bold take there was going to be Atlanta
01:51:10
Noah
You know, the other B team that we haven't talked about that Sully, was it Sully was mentioning that Gary ah from Texas is one of those on court generals ah who makes, you know, can do anything on the court and makes his team better through communication.
01:51:26
Noah
Well, Oh, chili said that.
01:51:27
thedfsdeli
My fucking internet internet went out.
01:51:29
The Ambassador
that was That was Chilly who said that. Yeah, Chilly said that.
01:51:31
Noah
Well, you know, Gary's on a B team, uh, surrounded by folks who need a little bit of communication to get pulled together. Uh, and they need a utility guy in the mid court that can pull things together. Um, and Gary is primed to fulfill that role on a team with Josh Montgomery, Troy Montgomery, JJ and Austin.
01:51:32
Chilly
yeah
01:51:53
Noah
kyle
01:51:55
Chilly
Yeah.
01:51:57
Chilly
Yeah, and ah and and again, um yeah you know, to kind of to to talk on that. i I mean, I think the Texas team, I think they're just lacking a little bit of firepower. I think when that team had Greg on it, it was a lot scarier on paper. And again, it's nothing against those guys. But with Greg being on the team, I think Obviously, and I think Greg is very underrated in terms of shooting I don't think the man gets his comeuppance as much as you should but Greg Garcia, yeah, I Agree a hundred percent um So
01:52:31
Noah
You talking about Greg Garcia chronically slept on Greg Garcia
01:52:32
thedfsdeli
Are
01:52:36
thedfsdeli
you fucking kidding me?
01:52:37
The Ambassador
you
01:52:44
Noah
You know, we say that, but he is, uh, he's getting a chance in a this year. So somebody is paying attention and it's good to see him get a chance.
01:52:56
The Ambassador
Well, while we're on the topic of you know not mentioning teams, we did not mention the Michigan ah B team as well ah with Gus, ah Justin Trudeau, Wingy, Roy, and um
01:53:02
Noah
Yeah.
01:53:11
Noah
Dan Sirlin.
01:53:13
The Ambassador
who else Dan Zerlin, yes. That team on paper is also a really solid team.
01:53:15
Noah
Right.
01:53:21
The Ambassador
Those guys have played together ah many times and they've got a really balanced team.
01:53:25
Noah
Okay.
01:53:28
The Ambassador
So that's another team to look out for as well. and They're kind of being slept on, I think. So, ah you know, if they can just ah pull together and and play as a really good unit, they have, ah just about as ah good a chance as anybody as well.
01:53:45
Noah
So.
01:53:46
Chilly
Yeah, man, I think B is going to be really entertaining to watch.
01:53:48
Noah
Yes.
01:53:50
Chilly
um I mean, like you mentioned with the Michigan team,