This Pickleball Life Podcast Takes An Upbeat Look At The Latest Happenings In Professional Pickleball
Hosts Jill Braverman And Kristin Walla Provide An Authoritative And Enthusiastic Breakdown Of Key Developments Impacting The Fast-Growing Sport
Pickleball’s exponential growth and its journey to become an officially recognized Olympic sport has captivated athletes and fans alike. The hosts of the popular This Pickleball Life podcast, Jill Braverman and Kristin Walla, bring their upbeat energy and infectious enthusiasm to discuss all the recent news shaking up professional pickleball.
In this episode, Braverman and Walla tackle over two dozen hot button topics - from paddle technology run amok to major league pay cuts and merger deals gone awry. The knowledgeable hosts pose thoughtful questions and provide reasoned analysis on issues like tournament scheduling, league leadership decision-making, and what motivates different players. Braverman and Walla advocate for fairness and transparency, while maintaining an overriding spirit of positivism about the sport they clearly love.
- 0:00, Intro - Braverman and Walla welcome listeners to another jam-packed episode recapping recent professional pickleball developments, including the controversial PPA Masters event, paddle quality control concerns, and the ongoing saga of the MLP and PPA attempted merger negotiations.
- 4:45, The Theme Of The Day - With so much uncertainty surrounding league leadership decisions and future plans, "TBD" becomes a running joke and theme as the hosts highlight the lack of definitive answers in pickleball right now.
- 5:29, ICYMI! - Braverman shares she has been nominated for a 2023 Dink Award, while Walla clarifies frequently asked questions about Braverman’s pickleball paddle collaboration.
- 10:00, Paddles - Braverman and Walla express safety concerns about paddle technology advancing faster than players can react, with paddle speeds and ball velocity reaching unprecedented dangerous levels.
- 13:57, New PPA Ball - The hosts weigh the pros and cons of the PPA Tour’s newly announced official ball. While increased durability scores points, the high costs per minute of play raise eyebrows.
- 16:16, New Serve Rule - Braverman and Walla analyze the reasoning behind the controversial PPA rule change restricting serving motions, intended to limit the power of top players like Tyson McGuffin and Dekel Bar.
- 15:40, Drop Serve Secrets?! - The hosts get amusing mileage out of Braverman’s doubles partner Jaume (Ja-way) Martinez Vic’s creative interpretation of the new serve guidelines. His rigorous preparation to learn “the drop serve” proved unnecessary but demonstrated his commitment to continuous improvement.
- 21:00, Jaume in da (literal) House - More laughs come at Martinez Vic’s expense as Walla shares a story of the Spaniard’s legendary post-tournament appetite after housing three In-N-Out triple triples.
- 22:12, Jill reveals her 2024 partnerships! - Braverman enthusiastically announces her mixed doubles partnerships for 2024, including new pairings with Augie Ge and Jaume Martinez Vic. She also discusses promising women she will team up with, like fellow former high-level tennis standouts Christine Maddox and Caitlyn Christian.
- 25:10, The Masters - Walla poses thoughtful objections to the PPA’s use of the storied Masters golf branding for its January major tournament. She argues more apt associations come from its bizarre vibes and player complexions better suited "for wearing white" as line judges versus playing.
- 26:08, Progression draws not very progressive - The hosts thoughtfully debate the fairness of the PPA Tour’s progression seeding and its implementation at The Masters, which resulted in unbalanced matchups and scheduling inequities.
- 28:08, Qualifying For MxD - Braverman details her and Martinez Vic’s journey through The Masters qualifying draws to reach the main draw.
- 28:42, Singles - After seeing the current level of women’s singles play at The Masters, Braverman questions whether she will be competing in one of her best disciplines historically on the pickleball circuit.
- 31:37, Prize Money - Braverman and Walla discuss their reservations around no prize money being awarded at The Masters, despite crown jewels of the sport like mixed doubles not even staging the customary bronze medal match. Both share concerns around how this precedent could diminish incentives moving forward.
- 34:28 Jill and Jaume Journey - Braverman positively recaps her and Martinez Vic’s impressive run at The Masters mixed doubles tournament before finally bowing out in a hotly contested three-game loss in the quarterfinals.
- 36:27 K Dub’s Right Side Theories - Walla shares creative strategies she has formulated to maximize effectiveness as a right-sided pickleball player, an often overlooked skillset.
- 39:03 Prize Money Discussion Continued - The lack of prize funds and player withdrawals add credibility to Braverman and Walla’s misgivings around The Masters event setup negatively impacting pickleball’s development.
- 40:23 Premier MLP player playing APP Punta Gorda - Braverman highlights purported contract conflicts posed by MLP players like Jorja Johnson playing in non-league tournaments before the long-stalled PPA and MLP merger agreement gets resolved.
- 41:51 GIVEAWAY WINNERS - The hosts enthusiastically announce and congratulate winners of autographed merchandise from the show’s sponsors.
- 42:54 Merger update! - Braverman explains how financial concessions offered by billionaire Tom Dundon to reluctant team owners appear to have mollified concerns threatening to derail the MLP and PPA merger.
- 47:45, Pay cut madness - The hosts return to lambasting the divisive tactics used by league leadership to coerce different players into accepting widely varying salary reductions. They argue fairness, transparency and consistency could have eased this painful process.
- 51:33, Does Family Matter - Braverman and Walla extend an olive branch by acknowledging league heads may have initially pursued merger salary cuts with the best intentions to bolster pickleball’s longevity. However, their methods have clearly backfired, sowing resentment and mistrust instead.
- 52:13, Other weirdness - The beleaguered hosts throw up their hands trying to make sense of some of the disorder surrounding MLP, including delays around planning next season.
- 52:35, The Draft - Braverman asserts procedural disarray like the postponed MLP player draft stems directly from unresolved issues hanging over the merger. Top PPA talent may refuse participation without satisfactory terms.
- 53:19, Billions Of Dollars, A Lot Of Smart Cooks In The Kitchen - Despite no shortage of business savvy backers with the financial means to nurture professional pickleball, too many vested interests create complications, according to the hosts.
- 55:17, Players Pause, Please - Braverman and Walla close by encouraging players under pressure to accept pay cuts or sign restrictive contracts to pause negotiations. They urge them to remove emotion, scrutinize details and reassess once cooler heads can prevail.
Through buoyant back and forth commentary on pickleball’s pressing current affairs, Braverman and Walla generate an atmosphere of passionate fans actively invested in growing the sport for all constituencies. From lighthearted clips to weighty wallet worries, the hosts tackle each topic with knowledge and zeal - while showcasing their trademark senses of humor. This Pickleball Life once again scores points delivering an entertaining overview of the latest professional pickleball developments.
- 0:00 Intro
- 4:45 The Theme Of The Day
- 5:29 ICYMI!
- 10:00 Paddles
- 13:57 New PPA Ball
- 16:16 New Serve
- 15:40 Drop Serve Secrets?!
- 21:00 Jaume in da (literal) House
- 22:12 Jill reveals her 2024 partnerships!
- 25:10 The Masters
- 26:08 Progression draws not very progressive
- 28:08 Qualifying For MxD
- 28:42 Singles
- 31:37 Prize Money
- 34:28 Jill and Jaume Journey
- 36:27 K Dub’s Right Side Theories
- 39:03 Prize Money Discussion Continued
- 40:23 Premier MLP player playing APP Punta Gorda
- 41:51 GIVEAWAY WINNERS
- 42:54 Merger update!
- 47:45 Paycut madness
- 51:33 Does Family Matter
- 52:13 Other weirdness
- 52:35 The Draft
- 53:19 Billions Of Dollars, A Lot Of Smart Cooks In The Kitchen
- 55:17 Players Pause, Please
- What is the name of the podcast discussed in the article?
a) The Pickleball Show b) Pursuit of Pickleball c) This Pickleball Life d) The Dink Podcast
- Who are the two hosts of This Pickleball Life?
a) Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters b) Jill Braverman and Kristin Walla c) Etta Wright and Callie Jo Smith d) Lea Jansen and Catherine Parenteau
- What playing background does Jill Braverman have?
a) Professional tennis player b) Professional golf player c) Professional pickleball player d) Tech CEO
- What topic is NOT covered in the latest episode?
a) Prize money b)PADD gate c) The player draft d) K Dub's new golf swing
- What is the theme of uncertainty referred to in the article?
a) TBD b) WTF c) IDK d) SMH
- For what "award" was Jill Braverman nominated?
a) Best Dressed b) Most Dramatic c) Most Influential Player d) Most Likely to Succeed
- What safety concern is discussed regarding paddle technology?
a) Substandard materials b) Dangerous speeds c) Faulty grip tape d) Insufficient testing
- What is the name of the new official ball of the PPA tour?
a) Rockstar b) Volcan c) Franklin d) Pickleball Central
- What motivated the new PPA service rule changes?
a) Reduce gender gaps b) Shorten match times c) Lessen player injuries d) Limit power serves
- How did Jaume Martinez Vic initially interpret the new service guidelines?
a) Change to an underhand serve b) Switch service sides c) Learn a drop serve d) Toss lower
- What astonishing food feat is Jaume reported to have accomplished after the Masters tournament?
a) Ate 5 gallons of ice cream b) Devoured 3 large pizzas c) Consumed 18 In-N-Out burgers d) Drank 2 liters of pickle juice
- Who does Jill cite as a female player to watch in 2024?
a) Megan Fudge b) Sarah Ansboury c) Ali Phillips d) Parris Todd
- What issue does Kristin have with the PPA Masters tournament name?
a) Too generic b) Wrong month c) Not gender equal d) Mismatched branding
- What problem did the "progression" seeding cause at the Masters event?
a) Scheduling conflicts b) Mismatched skill levels c) Gender inequality d) Prize money gaps
- Why did Jill have to drop out of the Masters women's singles bracket?
a) Lost in qualifying draw b) Exceeded allowable matches in one day c) Sponsor conflict d) Volunteered to coach instead
- What did the lack of prize money make Jill and Kristin question?
a) Tournament costs b) Player incentives c) Gambling oversight d) Event popularity
- Who did Jill and Jaume beat in the Masters mixed doubles competition?
a) Riley Newman and Allyce Jones b) Collin Johns and Brook Buckner c) Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters d) Matt Wright and Lucy Kovalova
- What right side pickleball strategies does Kristin share?
a) Poaching b) Attacking c) Dodging d) All of the above
- What concerning precedent does Kristin note from The Masters tournament?
a) Forfeited medal matches b) Round robin format c) Restricted entry d) Large consolation bracket
- What hypothetical contract issue is posed by Georgia Johnson competing at the upcoming APP tournament?
a) Playing while injured b) Not getting time off c) Violating exclusivity d) Reneging on a commitment
- What motivates team owners to pursue the proposed MLP and PPA merger according to Jill?
a) Greater profit splits b) Expanded reach c) Media consolidation d) League stability
- What concession did billionaire John Dundon offer dissenting team owners to advance MLP and PPA merger talks?
a) Lower expansion fees b) Larger equity stakes c) Player contract buyouts d) Naming rights selection
- What key point of criticism do Jill and Kristin levy regarding how pay cut requests have been handled?
a) Inadequate reductions b) Punitive targeting c) Poor transparency d) Insufficient incentives
- When do Jill and Kristin advise players to reevaluate accepting pay cut proposals or contract changes?
a) During negotiations b) Before signing c) After mergers close d) Once emotions settle
- What two issues does Jill suggest have complicated MLS player draft planning?
a) Venue conflicts and identifying sponsors b) Uncertainty around the merger and player availability c) Assigning salary slots and contracting sponsors d) Ranking qualifications and confirming attendees
- What factor does Jill attribute to delays finalizing the proposed league merger?
a) Too many egos and opinions at the table b) Players collectively bargaining c) Differing league priorities d) Owners rejecting proposed terms
- What constructive suggestion does Kristin offer league officials regarding motivating players to accept pay cuts?
a) Publicly praise those receptive to reductions b) Provide incentives tied to performance clauses c) Let players choose which events to enter d) Implement consistent cuts across the board
- What overriding spirit do the hosts maintain despite acknowledging pickleball's challenging growing pains?
a) Positivity b) Constructive criticism c) Cautious optimism d) Passionate concern
- What do Jill and Kristin frequently showcase throughout the podcast episode?
a) Pickleball expertise b) Business contacts c) Sponsor products d) Sense of humor
- How does the article characterize the hosts' closing remarks?
a) Ominous warnings b) Threats to league leadership c) Personal attacks d) Encouragement mixed with realism
Answer Key:
- c
- b
- c
- d
- a
- c
- b
- b
- d
- c
- c
- c
- d
- b
- b
- b
- b
- d
- a
- c
- b
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- b
- a
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- a
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- d
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