A High-Flying Episode: From Air Force to Tennis & Jeopardy

Friends, it's not often that we get to chat with someone as diverse in interests and experiences as our guest on today's episode. We're in for a real treat as we sit down with Pete, a seasoned Air Force pilot, tennis enthusiast, and trivia whizz! Pete walks us through the intricate dynamics of his family's tennis tournaments where he plays alongside his father and daughter, proving that love for the game transcends generations. 

Pete’s story pivots from Air Force pilot (Tom Cruise is jealous) to his job as a Pilot flying 787's, to family tennis matches. He opens up about the profound impact of 9/11 on his career and the airline industry and delves into the rewarding experiences of teaching brand-new pilots in the Air Force. As though that’s not enough, Pete shares his experience playing pickleball, his foray into mountain biking during COVID, and his ongoing quest to up his tennis game. 

But wait, there's more! Closing the chat with Pete, we shift gears and explore his experience with the Jeopardy online test and audition process. Who knew that the man who can handle a fighter jet at Mach speed would also find himself in the fast-paced world of television game shows? Join us for this heartwarming conversation that’s as much about family and tennis as it is about embracing new challenges.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:04

You are listening to your league tennis podcast with your host, anthony Radonia. Anthony is an avid weekend warrior tennis player, just like you. Every week, he'll be interviewing new and exciting guests that will not only differ in experience and skill level, but also in age and physical ability. Your league tennis podcast is about making you a better tennis player, whether you're a beginner or have been playing for years, in your 20s or in your 60s. Now here is your host, anthony Radonia.

Speaker 2 0:40

Well, pete, thank you for coming. my friend You're welcome.

Speaker 3 0:44

Thanks for having me.

Speaker 2 0:45

I know We don't even want to say what time it is. It's very late.

Speaker 3 0:47

It is It's late on a Friday night.

Speaker 2 0:49

Yeah, and here we are. Yeah, here we are. So, and you are the first guest I'm going to have no notes on. So you know, what's funny is I've been going through this thing where I tried to like prepare, you know, really, like, well, let me learn all about them. I would even like Google people I know like Adam or some outside Googling them And then, as it kept progressing, i had less and less notes to where, like, i'd have no notes And it's like, well, i'm even having a notepad, like maybe your guests are getting worse and worse.

Speaker 2 1:18

No, it's just like we're just talking. It's like you know who cares. I mean, you like to talk anyway. So, this one's going to be pretty easy. Yeah, we've had a lot of some good debates, yes, good talks.

Speaker 3 1:29

Definitely.

Speaker 2 1:30

We like talking about everything, actually True.

Speaker 3 1:32

Yeah, i'm gun controlled.

Speaker 2 1:34

Yeah, politics. And then we went to aliens Aliens Last time, religion, sorta Yeah, and we might have to ask you an aliens question today because you are a pilot. We're going to have to get into that. But let's start about you, pete. So I know your wife, i know your daughter. I don't know your son too well, well, he's following your footsteps. Yeah, so he's going to law school right now. He's just graduated.

Speaker 3 1:59

Oh, I'm sorry, That's right Oh he just graduated. Yeah, he's studying for the bar as we speak.

Speaker 2 2:03

Oh my gosh, and when is he taking the bar? July, is it?

Speaker 3 2:06

July Yep, july 26th or 27th, i think.

Speaker 2 2:10

Is he taking a?

Speaker 3 2:10

bar prep class or anything. Yep, that's what he's doing. He's living at grandma's.

Speaker 2 2:14

Oh cool.

Speaker 3 2:16

And he's got the eight hour a day. You know bar prep class?

Speaker 2 2:17

Yeah, and do you know which one Is it? Barbara, or?

Speaker 3 2:22

I think it's not that one, it's the next one, every other, a lot of his friends took Barbary Yeah. And I think he opted for the other one.

Speaker 2 2:31

Yeah, i forget. There's another one that's pretty big and I can't think of it for some reason, right now.

Speaker 1 2:36

Oh, that's cool.

Speaker 2 2:37

And he went to law school out in New York. He did in Brooklyn Law School.

Speaker 3 2:40

Yeah, it's called Brooklyn Law School.

Speaker 2 2:42

Okay cool, And he was doing some cool intern stuff.

Speaker 3 2:46

Yeah, his last internship and it will be his job now He's got the offer.

Speaker 3 2:50

So, it's working with shareholder litigation, where they represent shareholders in merger situations, to make sure that the company that was taken over was valued correctly. And so I think sometimes they'll go find their own, like, well, that doesn't look right. And sometimes people will come to them and usually it's class action and they'll just say you should have got 25 bucks of share instead of 22 or whatever, oh, and then the lawsuit will be, So you revalue the company and then make sure the shareholders get what they probably should have had? Wow, that's interesting.

Speaker 2 3:27

That's cool.

Speaker 3 3:28

I think it seems like it's a pretty good entry into mergers and acquisitions.

Speaker 2 3:33

Yeah, totally We'll see, that's awesome.

Speaker 3 3:36

Yeah, i'm happy for him. I think it's a good space Oh that's so cool And his office is in the.

Speaker 2 3:39

Empire State Building. Is it really? That's pretty cool. Oh my gosh, isn't there like a run there like up the stairs kind of thing, or no? That I don't know. He didn't tell you about that. I think he's a good shape. You could probably do it?

Speaker 3 3:50

Yeah, I'm sure you could Yeah.

Speaker 2 3:51

Sure, there's always been one at the gosh. What is it? The US Bank Building in LA? Is that the tall building That sounds right?

Speaker 3 3:58

Yeah.

Speaker 2 3:59

I'm almost positive there's a stair run there that I've always wanted to do. Yeah, it seems pretty cool. Okay, so let's start with a little tennis. I do want to go back to your family, obviously, but you're a 4.5 USTA rated player And you don't know your UTR probably.

Speaker 3 4:18

I looked a while back, it's like between 6.5 and 7, i don't know 6.7, something like that.

Speaker 2 4:25

And you've probably not played any tournaments. I don't think It's been a while. Yeah, Wait, we played a doubles tournament.

Speaker 3 4:30

Yeah, but that was pre-COVID, was it really? That was La Jolla.

Speaker 2 4:34

Honestly, i didn't know.

Speaker 3 4:34

it was that long, i think the last thing I did was some family stuff. I played with my daughter Yeah, that's right And my dad, both last summer, about a year ago.

Speaker 2 4:45

Oh, I didn't know that Which was fun.

Speaker 3 4:45

You know it's great playing with your family.

Speaker 2 4:48

Like literally a father-son.

Speaker 3 4:51

Yeah, we did the Nationals for five or six times Maybe. I think about four or five times actually, and I think we won one set out of five or six matches that we played. But you know, it's a little bit different level up on the Nationals. And then last year my daughter and I also played the father-daughter Nationals and had three matches because they were groups that you played, so you were guaranteed the three Same thing. I don't think we won a set, but we were fairly competitive.

Speaker 3 5:26

I didn't feel bad, i didn't feel fully outclassed, so that was a lot of fun. It's, like I said, just great, yeah, being able to do that. It's a different mentality, you know, because you have the deeper bonds and stuff from family stuff And like you probably know that I have a bit of a temper, but it's just with those family members.

Speaker 2 5:47

I don't know that.

Speaker 3 5:49

I just don't. It doesn't show, because you know it's just more fun than anything else.

Speaker 2 5:53

So no, husband, wife. You didn't talk about that Actually. that is not true.

Speaker 3 5:57

We did do husband wife.

Speaker 2 5:58

Oh, okay.

Speaker 3 5:59

And I did that same tournament in La Jolla. We did husband wife and one, one and last one We did fairly well, we actually match up pretty well together. She's, she's a four, oh, and I'm a four five. So we can't really do leagues.

Speaker 2 6:12

Well, we could, but no, you're right, though That's like a nine five. Oh no, i'm sorry.

Speaker 3 6:17

Look at my bad. So we'd have to go up to nine. Oh, to the nine. Oh, that's right, we might be a little bit outmatched at that point.

Speaker 2 6:25

You know why, though, cause sometimes the a lot of times I've seen it It's the five oh guy, the four oh girl, and the five oh guys. You know they can be pretty tough, yeah.

Speaker 3 6:35

So yeah, um, you know I'm expecting to be moved down to four or anytime else. So if that happens we'll be able to do the eightos again. Oh, that'd be cool, we'll see.

Speaker 2 6:44

I don't know, you probably want to go down then, just to do that, Aside from the hit on your ego?

Speaker 3 6:50

it wouldn't be too bad for us or for me? Yeah, for you.

Speaker 2 6:55

Well, for you, it would only be helpful because you can still play four or five league.

Speaker 3 6:57

Right.

Speaker 2 6:58

Yeah, and then you could start playing some eight.

Speaker 3 7:00

It's just really all ego.

Speaker 2 7:01

Yeah, yeah, totally, it doesn't really matter. I know it's funny, because my wife got moved down one, one, uh, one year.

Speaker 3 7:10

and she appealed it to what are you doing? You just beat three, five, and then we could play. Yeah, It was the same scenario, but it was the same thing, you know who wants to get moved down.

Speaker 1 7:19

It's no good.

Speaker 3 7:20

And uh, so there's that And it's possible.

Speaker 2 7:23

You know I haven't been struggling a little bit in leagues so far, so um, see, I don't even know how they do that, because I mean you've won some. you play dubs only, right, Or did you play singles too?

Speaker 3 7:35

It's been a while for singles, probably pre-COVID again. So yeah, all dubs and You were winning some, though right. I was but God it's been probably two seasons, I think.

Speaker 2 7:46

Since you wanna match in leagues, shoot, i know, right, okay, well, maybe then I don't know how they do that. Maybe we should talk about confidence. I think that's a thing you know, If you wanna talk tennis things maybe confidence. All right, I'll make sure to write that down in my notebook. Oh my gosh, I didn't know that. Well, yeah, Denise was telling me we wanna play a husband wife. I just haven't found one yet. So probably La Jolla has multiple ones.

Speaker 3 8:11

Yeah, and it just happened this week actually. Oh, it did. Yeah, i know I wanted to spread the word up here, but I ended up not being able to play because I was out of town for some of it and then my daughter's hurt too, so we ended up not doing it. But our Joey Ballaweg, who we've had on the show, and his dad, they played the father son. Oh, that's right.

Speaker 1 8:34

I think they won. It went made the finals last year or the year before.

Speaker 3 8:39

Tougher draw this year, so I think they won one and lost in the second round.

Speaker 2 8:43

But that's cool.

Speaker 3 8:45

They're just a great team.

Speaker 2 8:48

Oh yeah, We love how they play. Yeah, I mean both really good players. Yeah, they were saying like there's a lot of D1 kids and then some older, the dads, who are really amazing too. So it's just tough. You said your wife's a 4-0. I haven't seen her playing a lot. Is she still playing? She plays so to back up a little bit.

Speaker 3 9:08

We moved down a couple of three years ago, almost now down to Encinitas, which is in San Diego County, and she's in a couple of three leagues, so she plays really four or five times, oh really, and she's improved a lot And oh my gosh, you know it's her thing And I love it, you know so, no, that's so cool. I think we should play more. Sometimes I'll go play with her and her friends and it's fun for me. Yeah, yeah So, but yeah, she's doing great, she's playing well, and we really should go out and play some more.

Speaker 2 9:40

So you haven't done any San Diego, you haven't joined any San Diego leagues. Well, our league is San.

Tennis, Pickleball, and Family Updates

Speaker 3 9:46

Diego, yeah, i know, because we play at a fall brick, which is Maybe you are playing San Diego league You don't tell us. Actually, that is true, Oh you are. I had my first try level match. Oh wow, this season is try level. It just started last week. What does that mean? Well, try level is there's three levels and one, it's all doubles. So there's a like for our league. it's one team of three, five, one four, oh, and one four, five.

Speaker 2 10:12

And so That's how the team makeup has to be, Yeah.

Speaker 3 10:16

So we've got you know three or four of each level and you know you make your lineup And so I played the first match and continued my losing streak. but but no, it's fun, so I'm playing. it's out of like ocean side, the team I'm on. The guy find me through UTR actually, oh really, and I hadn't met any of these guys. but it's a nice way to you know fight some more guys down where I live.

Speaker 2 10:40

Oh heck.

Speaker 3 10:41

Yeah, that's cool, cause I still like I come up here. You know it's about an hour drive and. I'll come up here on Monday nights when I can and play with my friends my guys, my teammates, or Yeah, And it's a little. sometimes it's a little bit of a thing, especially the traffic's getting horrible and starting to get to be more like an hour and a half. But you know I love the guys. You know most of the guys you've had on the show already are from our team and you know.

Speaker 3 11:10

I just so fortunate to be a part of this group, And so I make that trip for that. You know, I love catching up with everybody, you know like we're doing tonight, but yeah, but yeah, it's about time I find a little bit more down there for the, and I'm starting to So.

Speaker 2 11:29

And you playing? I know we played pickleball at one time and went out there a few years ago, but are you playing any pickleball?

Speaker 3 11:35

I think my name came up and some pickleball discussion earlier on the podcast. Did we say it Like Pete's doing this, i'm like I don't want to be the champion of pickleball, but I do play. But it's a different vibe for me anyway. Like, tennis to me is more of a sport and I take it a little bit more seriously. I'll, i don't drink beer when I play tennis but I do.

Speaker 1 11:56

when I play pickleball, i play big ball.

Speaker 3 11:58

For example. You know so but it's fun. It's a decent workout and but I keep it there for now. And yeah, tennis to me I take a little bit serious, more seriously, and you know There's no tournaments at your place. No.

Speaker 2 12:12

Like no one puts on any. I mean, you got what? Four courts.

Speaker 3 12:15

Well at our actual where I live, there are yeah, yeah. And then in Encinitas, where I live, there's a club called Bobby Riggs That used to be a tennis club And it's all pickleball now.

Speaker 2 12:27

Wait, they took out all the courts in the back too.

Speaker 3 12:29

Yeah, I think there might be two left, two in the back, yeah, and the rest is all pickleball And it was a very it's. it's a pretty well known place in the pickleball world.

Speaker 2 12:39

You know, what's funny is that's the first place I think I really saw like organized pickleball Cause when I was playing, maybe even still in the four, five league. we went out there and I remember those two front courts like they had a little coffee shop or wherever it was the pro shop Yeah. And I just heard a lot of smacking going on That was the pickleball I'm like what is this? And I think they converted that front court. So now you're saying they converted all of them.

Speaker 3 13:04

Yeah, I think the two tennis courts are in the back. I believe I haven't been.

Speaker 2 13:08

Oh man, they're probably trashed I rode my bike over there once just to see about pickleball. I just sat there for an hour and watched And watched pickleball.

Speaker 3 13:15

I asked everybody like how does it work And? they're like yeah you pay 10 bucks an hour for a court And I don't know if it's still the case. I was a couple of years ago.

Speaker 1 13:23

But I was like, wow, this is serious And it's you know.

Speaker 3 13:26

it's only 10 times more now.

Speaker 2 13:29

Oh yeah, it's nuts. I honestly I make a joke Like I always talk about like ice cream food and pickleball every podcast and I don't want to, But I just can't get it. I don't get pickleball And I try to watch it on YouTube And the other night I was like literally trying to watch some pickleball And it was like the best pickleball point ever And it was just dink, dink, dink.

Speaker 1 13:53

Yeah.

Speaker 2 13:54

And it was like this is no exaggeration. I think it was a 50 rally point And I'm like what is this?

Speaker 3 14:00

Yeah, that's like the strategy you know with the kitchen and all that. Yeah, yeah Is to just like dink it over until somebody pops one up just high enough so you can smack it at their right hip. I think that's the whole game.

Speaker 2 14:11

Oh really, the right hip. Yeah, i guess Why the right hip?

Speaker 3 14:15

Well, if you're right handed, if you're left handed, it'd be the left hip, cause it's hard to. Oh, yeah, yeah, you can't hit a forehand.

Speaker 1 14:20

It's hard to get your hand down there for the back. That's so weird.

Speaker 2 14:24

And that's just me without a lesson, So you know, are you kicking anyone's butt at all Like in pickleball? My wife, if I have to, yeah of course.

Speaker 1 14:34

I need now. I actually ride my bike up.

Speaker 3 14:36

There's a park in Carl's bad that has, it's fun. There's like two challenge courts and four more social courts, and so I'll go play at the social courts and you just put your paddle up in the lineup and whoever's next you play with.

Speaker 2 14:52

Put your court, you put your quarter up on your street fighter.

Speaker 3 14:55

Yeah, it's like putting the quarter on the pool table, right.

Speaker 2 14:58

Or the pool table.

Speaker 3 14:59

So, but it's fun. You know it's getting to be pretty crowded though, so you play a game, and if there's more than I think, eight people waiting, then all four play, and then you all get off the court, okay, and then you're in the queue as they say Yeah, sit around for 15 minutes and then go play again.

Speaker 2 15:18

So you went straight to pool. You'd never played arcade games, like me. No, street fighter NBA jam Do you know?

Speaker 3 15:24

no, I'm way older than you.

Speaker 2 15:26

So what would you have played? Dungeons and Dragons.

Speaker 3 15:30

Not even no waiting for that.

Speaker 2 15:32

That's after you too.

Speaker 3 15:33

I was like Pac-Man and Marvel's. Well, i did play Marvel's in a great school. Oh, okay, i know the chacks, but I could probably be okay, yeah, okay, yeah, see, you know the move.

Speaker 2 15:45

I know it too, though. Yeah, we forgot to talk about your daughter, so tell you know she obviously played a lot of tennis. She's not playing anymore, or No? she?

Speaker 3 15:55

well, right now she's kind of hurt. She's got some shoulder stuff going on that has been lingering since her soccer days, So she's a kind of all around athlete. She played both soccer and tennis in high school and a lot of club soccer and didn't leave a lot of time for trying to get ranked in the USTA or in the juniors. So with that she kind of chose her path to be a college athlete for soccer, which she did. She played there at UC Santa Barbara and did quite well.

Speaker 3 16:32

But so you know, tennis took a bit of a backseat. but she's graduated almost two years now and getting back into tennis and it's nice And she's starting to hit once or twice a week with a couple guys or whatever that are around.

Speaker 1 16:49

I think she's just on a break now because the shoulder's acting up again.

Speaker 3 16:53

Shoulder from tennis. No, I think she actually got kind of crushed in the soccer game once and separated it.

Speaker 2 16:59

And I think the rehab wasn't a priority because of it's not really a big thing in soccer, But oh, that's true, huh.

Speaker 3 17:10

So it's time now, and she's smartly taken care of it And I think once that's taken, care of.

Speaker 1 17:16

I think she's interested in you know competing again, and then she should cause she's got great strokes, she's great athlete.

Speaker 2 17:26

Wow, i remember her. Yeah, she's tall too. She's six feet. She's six feet, yeah, lefty, oh wow, yeah, so she's a presence. Oh my gosh. Wow that's so cool, and let's talk about what your work, a little My work. Maybe we'll get into aliens, or maybe you can't talk about it publicly. We'll see, we'll see. So, tell me a little about your work.

Speaker 3 17:52

Well, I am a airline pilot for United. Airlines and I work out of Los Angeles. I fly international on the 787 as a first officer. Is that the biggie? The? biggest, it's not the biggest, but it's a wide body. So you know, you get the dual aisle and we, you know, do all the international.

Speaker 2 18:14

It's not a double decker, No it's not that big. We don't even have those anymore at United. Oh.

Speaker 3 18:21

The biggest one is a triple seven And then this is a 787. And out of LA we fly mostly to Australia and Tokyo, London, little bit of trans cons, you know, like New York, maybe Chicago occasionally, And so The 87 is smaller than the triple seven. Yeah, yeah, a little bit.

Speaker 2 18:45

Well, that doesn't make sense to me, right.

Speaker 3 18:49

The 90 cents is huge. Yeah, no, I don't even know if there is one, but Oh, okay, I agree it doesn't quite make sense The number is bigger 787.

Speaker 2 18:56

Oh, that's weird. I think it's just newer, Oh okay.

Speaker 1 19:03

Nice, don't get it.

Speaker 2 19:04

So you got into that because you used to fly in the Air Force too, Yeah, so tell me a little about that I went out of high school.

Speaker 3 19:14

believe it or not, I went to the Air Force Academy for college. Straight out of high school, yeah, so they just lead you down the path generally to, at least in that time, to be a pilot. When was this Uh. I graduated in 88. I'm way older than you. Wait from high school, no from college.

Speaker 2 19:35

Oh, from college. I was gonna say that's a little, that's not old.

Speaker 3 19:37

Okay, from college, okay well, that's still not that old, okay, thanks. Thanks for that, and anyway.

Speaker 2 19:43

so yeah, I finished college in 2000.

Speaker 3 19:47

Oh, my god so I wait 12 years 2001.

Speaker 2 19:50

This bugs killing me, so 13.

Air Force Pilot Training and Career

Speaker 3 19:51

I catch him. Yeah, at any rate Off, i went there. Which? is a decision I made when I was 18 years old, and everything just got laid out after. You know, like I said, the Academy pushed you to be a pilot, and I didn't see anything any better.

Speaker 2 20:10

So is that because it was Air Force, they pushed you to be a pilot?

Speaker 3 20:14

Yeah, i think so partly, but I think they kind of Think of that as like the best thing you can do. Okay so if you were physically qualified, you know Your eyes were good and all that, and that's kind of if they just kind of gotten ingrained to you, you know, and so meaning that you wanted to do it, or I think by the time you graduated Somehow, you wanted to because because that's just what you were told over and over.

Speaker 3 20:40

I'm just saying yeah, it is interesting. You know I'd like to do a study of that sometime, but then again, You know I went there Because I looked at the brochure and it looked pretty awesome. Yeah, they were flying parachuting and oh yeah gliders and all this cool stuff. So so yeah, I was probably receptive to that, to that Suggestion anyway. So graduated and and off I went to pilot training in Phoenix and There it all started. That that takes about after college Mm-hmm.

Speaker 3 21:13

Okay, so it takes a year and Then you owe the Air Force, after that another. Back then it was another eight years. So I'm stuck being a pilot for eight years and Did a couple different things. My first assignment they they kept me where I was to be an instructor to the brand-new guys. I'm not sure about the wisdom of that.

Speaker 1 21:32

You know, I just learned how to fly teach the next guys.

Speaker 3 21:35

Yeah yeah, but that's what I did for, you know, four years or so.

Speaker 2 21:38

Oh my gosh, that's cool often New Jersey.

Speaker 3 21:41

I went to fly cargo planes C141s They were called and Did that till my commitment was up and in 1999 and Got out of the Air Force the active duty Air Force but stayed in the reserves.

Speaker 3 21:58

Which was a kind of an important thing, as we'll find out in a sec. And that's when I got hired by United back in 1999. So for a while I was doing both. You know, flying for the airlines and you know the weekend warrior They call it. You know I'd fly at times for the Air Force as well, the reserves. And then, you know, 9-11 happened and The airlines were a little heavy on pilots because they cut way back, so they Uh, furloughed a bunch.

Speaker 3 22:27

I had another word, but I know I don't want to put your knees.

Speaker 1 22:29

Maker, maker, yeah, blank us.

Speaker 3 22:32

But yeah, anyway, uh. So I got furloughed and so luckily they took me back into the reserves full-time. So I did that from 2003 Believe it or not to 2015, so 12 years I was out from United. Wow, doing just Air Force reserves.

Speaker 2 22:51

Are you technically still an employee then, or, but just not being paid? I was, yeah, oh, so I was on the list and everything.

Speaker 3 22:57

I didn't lose any. I mean I didn't get pay or benefits really okay but But I had my place and so okay, when they were ready to call me back. Then, you know, it happened, i think, briefly in 20 or 2007, but We were doing pretty well in the reserves and decided not to go back, and a good thing, because I would have got axed again in 2009 and lasted less than two years, oh wow. And then they recalled me for good in 2013.

Speaker 3 23:27

But I stayed out a couple long years or a couple more years to lock in some benefits. Yeah, and so came back in 2015, retired from the Air Force completely and the reserves completely, mm-hmm and has just been united since 2015.

Speaker 2 23:43

Can't believe it's already eight years. Wow seems like Days. So when you were teaching for the Air Force, i mean, is it? I mean I'm not gonna say it's top gun and bring In all that, but like, what were you doing?

Speaker 3 23:55

like where you just well, i was in the T-37, which is the Air Force's primary trainer, so I was literally taking guys who had have like 10 hours in a like a you know Cessna.

Speaker 2 24:08

Okay, what you get in the Air Force. You start out with a Cessna.

Speaker 3 24:11

Yeah, you get a little get all the way up to like a solo, so you get a little confidence and know what it's like, okay, and then, but that's really nothing you know. So you get these guys who've barely flown and women, guys and girls, yeah, yeah, and So, yeah, we teach them how to fly. And I've had some pretty cool Experiences with people saying you taught me how to fly, oh wow and they've, you know They had after we do the primary trainer.

Speaker 3 24:39

That's about half the year. Then they go to the supersonic stuff where you do the crazy fun stuff, okay, but it's nice to have somebody come back after doing all that You know, going supersonic, yeah, and doing some of the cool stuff you do in that plane too, coming back to say You though you fly and it was rewarding.

Speaker 2 25:01

Oh, that's cool. Yeah, it was pretty cool. It is that. That's probably equivalent to like I have some friends who will come back and go. Do you know? you taught me stick shift when we were 15 pretty similar, probably. You know, what's funny is when I was in college I had this guy take me up. I don't know what kind of plane it was called. There was only a two-seater. We were literally if I hope I'm not exaggerating this story and you'll tell me if I'm right or wrong We were going like 70 miles per hour in the air.

Speaker 3 25:31

That's sound right, yeah that's my memory 70, 80, 90. Yeah, i mean, there's something I go that especially. You know They have different devices like flaps that allow you to fly slower and stuff.

Speaker 2 25:42

It was very scary and the guy didn't know really how to land, which was another scary part.

Speaker 3 25:47

That would have probably, and we were sweating into that plane.

Speaker 2 25:49

There's no airco, right? How does that work? I just remember sweating horribly.

Speaker 3 25:54

Yeah, it can get warm. Yeah, it takes power off the engine.

Speaker 2 25:58

So so you, we just don't, we didn't put it on probably.

Speaker 3 26:01

He was probably torturing you. I don't know, I don't rightly so. Yeah.

Speaker 2 26:05

I don't remember. It Just was not a fun experience. It's probably why I hate flying now. I don't like flying at all.

Speaker 3 26:11

So weird. So many people tell me that I don't like it at all.

Speaker 2 26:16

Well, it's to be honest, i don't particularly like riding in the back.

Speaker 3 26:19

I don't like being a passenger, not because of any Fears yeah, just cuz it's not comfortable.

Speaker 2 26:25

Well, that's true. Yeah, yeah, this is not comfortable. You know, maybe you know I've never flown first class, so maybe it's a totally different experience. Yeah, oh, let me tell you.

Speaker 3 26:35

Are you black ball? They won't let you up there.

Speaker 2 26:37

Are you just too cheap? Probably that, actually, totally that. Yeah, we, i've never even priced it out. That's how cheap I am. It's probably just triple nowadays.

Speaker 3 26:48

Wow, fairs are way up really Yeah.

Speaker 2 26:51

So, because of gas Price is? no, it's not really even that.

Speaker 3 26:55

It's just supply and demand. Right now, the gas isn't. It's not crazy high right now.

Struggling With Confidence in Tennis

Speaker 2 27:00

That's true, it's not too much. I can use three, so That's crazy. Okay, so let's go into tennis. We might as well. This is a tennis podcast.

Speaker 3 27:10

Yes.

Speaker 2 27:11

What would you like to tell us? you did mention confidence. Why?

Speaker 3 27:15

confidence. Well, just cuz You know, i know that we've talked, or it's been mentioned on this podcast about our Fabulous run to the nationals and everything.

Speaker 3 27:26

Oh yeah, that amazing team and Even at that time You know I felt like confident played well. Maybe it was the guys we all played together and stuff, yeah. But honestly, it's weird coming now Like you threw a couple losses in a row and you start wondering what you're doing wrong. I don't know, Maybe you could, maybe you don't lose a bunch in a row, but I've never had a Situation like this where I'm starting to really wonder, because I'm playing a decent amount and You know I'm drilling more than I ever have, which I don't ever particularly want to do. But yeah, i feel like, wow, i'm putting in the right, you know time, but it's. I'm not seeing that Result on the court yet and I think partly it's just I'm not all in. You know, with some of the things we've been drilling with. I've been hitting with Brad I don't know if you remember him.

Speaker 3 28:23

Dancer you met him a bit fall broke, but okay very good player, great junior, and he's almost like an instructor to me. You mean that we hit together but Maybe I'm just not taking some of the lessons there and applying them to the court, and that's confidence. You have to take what you learn and live and die by it. And I go back to the pity pad sometimes when things tighten up and where you should be hitting the stuff you've been working on.

Speaker 3 28:50

You're going to back off a little bit And I'm telling everybody out there is listening, probably not the right way.

Speaker 2 28:57

You know, what's so funny about that is? I do recognize that lately, which is and because I hit a lot more with my wife And so obviously you learn a lot. When you start helping others, Right. Anytime you teach, you start to really know the subject, right, Just like teaching a class or something. Maybe it's just seeing the other side of it I don't know what it is or maybe it's like trying to dissect it so much in order to teach it to someone.

Speaker 3 29:26

It could be.

Speaker 2 29:26

I think that's probably it more.

Speaker 3 29:27

But still, even if you see these little things, you still have to apply them. It's true. And if you're afraid, maybe I don't know, maybe I'm afraid to let it rip.

Speaker 2 29:38

Isn't that such a weird thing, though, to be afraid to let it rip when it doesn't?

Speaker 3 29:42

actually matter And it doesn't matter, it's just dumb tennis we're having fun with Exactly, and it's funny, i tell my wife all the time that I just have to care less. Yes, it's true, and when I do, i do so much better, and it does depend a little bit on who I play with.

Speaker 2 30:00

Yeah.

Speaker 3 30:01

But if I just go and you know, we're just gonna. That's why honestly, i think I played better with our group because we've all beaten and lost to each other to a certain degree And it just it doesn't bother me you know to win or lose.

Speaker 2 30:19

So it's not a nervous thing, it's a I don't think so.

Speaker 3 30:23

I'm less nervous than I used to be, you know. It was it might have been a thing a ways back, but I don't feel nervous now, no, But when you say confidence, you mean in your own strokes.

Speaker 2 30:35

It's not a. It's not a. You're not looking across the net and trying to see who's better me or you. You're saying I'm not confident in my. Am I gonna hit out?

Speaker 3 30:46

Yeah, that kind of thing. So I find myself, you know, like I say like just get it in and I won't do the right stroke And you know I've been loosening my strings. So if you don't commit to the stroke, it's just gonna like boing. And I, how many times have I just kind of pulled off a stroke and off the ball goes and I'm like, ah, what just hit it? Hit it like you're supposed to.

Speaker 2 31:11

Which is what I think I was gonna mention a few moments ago and I totally forgot to add this in which is I found that the second I led up on a ball, it floats out Exactly, and I used to think, if I I just wanna get it in right, and then I didn't understand why is it flying? But you know, and when I trust it, fully, trust it like, swing out right And just try to cover the ball and put topspin on it, then that's when I'm hitting better. Yeah, and it's almost a really easy thing. That's hard to do.

Speaker 3 31:46

I think I might be on the brink of just. I mean it can't get worse. In a way. I mean I'm not really that horrible, but just the results aren't there And maybe I'm too into the results and now I should. I think I'm close to just and it's because, largely, i've been drilling a lot and I've been hitting a lot of balls.

Speaker 1 32:05

You know more than I used to.

Speaker 2 32:07

Yeah.

Speaker 3 32:07

At least. I just wanna play all the time. I only wanna play And that did okay for me. But you know, now with this drilling, maybe it's just it's gonna be like an epiphany, you know Like, oh yeah, just do that.

Speaker 2 32:21

But that's a really good point, because I go through little spurts of I'm just trying to go through lessons, i'm actually trying to like learn more, but I'm not playing enough. And then I go through spurts where I'm playing all the time Right And I realize I need a combination of both, because just last month I took sort of three hitting friendly lessons from three different people just on serves.

Speaker 3 32:46

Oh, wow.

Speaker 2 32:47

And honestly, i haven't done that in years, right? So if you get up there you hit, it's almost like I don't even know how the analogy I don't know Like maybe it's just like a drive, like you just hit and golf or something like that, right. And so I didn't really think much of it And I'm like no, i'm not getting the free points on my serve like I need to.

Speaker 3 33:05

Right.

Speaker 2 33:06

So I took a lesson from Joe Jr.

Speaker 3 33:08

Oh, wow.

Speaker 2 33:08

Lesson from Gerald and a lesson from Maybe.

Speaker 3 33:12

Doug or something.

Speaker 2 33:12

Maybe it was Doug Thought it was someone else, but yeah, probably Doug And three different perspectives on the serve, and they all gave me their little hints of something I'm doing wrong or something I could tweak. And now my serve is like 10 miles per hour faster, which? is a huge difference.

Speaker 3 33:28

Yeah, that's nice.

Speaker 2 33:29

Yeah, And it feels a lot smoother. And I would just realize and I've been neglecting it for like two or three years I haven't done a a serving lesson. Even I do a lot of lessons, Right, And I haven't. We'll get up and do five minutes of serves or something a a step in or do, but I haven't done a true serving lesson because they're boring, Right, You're not sweating. All lessons are boring, I think.

Speaker 3 33:50

But you know what I?

Speaker 2 33:51

mean Sometimes the lessons, like let's just go out and work out Yeah, you know what I mean. Like get a sweat, get your heart beat up. But this one, you're just standing there for a serving lesson. It's totally and you feel like you're just wasting your money.

Speaker 3 34:02

Not to mention it probably hurts too, that's true, and you'll have a hurt shoulder after.

Speaker 2 34:06

Exactly, but it was. It was huge for my game Cause now, even just last Saturday when I played, my friend Mike was like man, there's a lot of extra miles per hour on your serve And I was like, oh, i'm glad he said that, cause I was.

Speaker 3 34:21

I didn't really realize it And you know, I'm like I'm gonna get my feet back there, That's nice to hear after actually putting the time.

Speaker 2 34:30

Yeah, and you know how it goes. What a difference 10 miles per hour is Like you, don't think it is? Yeah, but that's the difference of being on time versus being just the millisecond late kind of thing Yeah absolutely Yeah, and then you're screwed.

Speaker 3 34:42

Yeah.

Speaker 2 34:46

You know and you're always feeling defensive, like you know, if you've ever played a person who hits just that little extra harder that you're used to the aggressive one. You're not dictating the point. You know and you're just always sort of on your heels? Absolutely, yeah. But yeah, that's a good point, because I mean, when we get this age I think we have there's a tendency to just play all the time, right, do you think so?

Speaker 3 35:13

Absolutely. Like I said, I don't want to drill And I'm so happy to have Brad live down by me And he's on the island with me And so we have no one else and he's a great player And so I love that.

Speaker 2 35:28

How old is he?

Speaker 3 35:30

He's your age probably. No, no, he's 48, I think. Okay, So a little bit older. But yeah, he's like this is what we're doing. I'm like, all right, if I'm gonna play with him, I have to drill, And so that's what we do, and it's great, i need it.

Speaker 2 35:48

So does he bring out a bucket, or you just go Oh cool, oh wow.

Speaker 3 35:51

I mean, like I said, he's got pedigree. He's a great junior and great strokes. He knows it all, I really.

Speaker 1 36:00

I'm lucky to have him down there with me, and wanting.

Speaker 3 36:05

the default is to hit with me, So it's nice that we get to do it And I think I'll be better for it. Maybe not I'm not there yet because I gotta apply it But when we're drilling and I'm hitting and it's better hitting than I've done in a long time I haven't seen you playing well, No. I know, but maybe on the Mondays you might go.

Speaker 1 36:28

Yeah.

Speaker 3 36:29

Right, yeah those strokes look a little bit better.

Speaker 2 36:32

I've always thought your strokes are really good. Actually, i thought you relied a little too much on the slice. You know that's a great example Like now I'm backhand wise.

Speaker 3 36:42

I You know, make it more of a point, especially in drilling.

Speaker 1 36:46

I'll try to come over everything, and Because I think I have the slice if I need it.

Speaker 3 36:51

Yeah, but, yeah, but I'm, i'm. That that's the one thing I think probably I've translated to playing a little bit more. I mean that that Coming over the back end is now In the repertoire as you know so yeah it's.

Speaker 1 37:09

You know, we're getting there.

Speaker 3 37:10

I guess it's slow. Maybe I just expected to be All one something overnight kind of in the this gray area right now.

Speaker 2 37:18

And maybe good things are coming. I like to think, but yeah but we'll see. Well, we got a hit soon, Like I said.

Speaker 3 37:24

I haven't.

Speaker 2 37:25

I haven't seen you, man. We haven't been to a Monday night together in a while. Probably.

Speaker 3 37:30

I keep missing each other, but yeah, well, we're gonna hit tonight, but you got the high profile case.

Speaker 2 37:36

I don't want to talk about that, All right. but yeah, I got home too late. Well, we'll hit.

Speaker 3 37:40

Yeah.

Speaker 2 37:40

I'll definitely hit some time. Have you been hit with Mike? Mike Deegan, no, uh, vic. No, he's not a ton, he's hasn't been hitting.

Mountain Biking and Team Management

Speaker 3 37:49

Huh, yeah, he's like in and out with With some of his issues. You know we still got kind of a bum shoulder and yeah, to risk thing too. I think yeah, So you know, I mean he's he's so active and you know he's like big into biking. His yeah, just like he jars your body around.

Speaker 2 38:07

So I told you I went out biking with him, right, did I ever tell?

Speaker 3 38:10

you that story.

Speaker 2 38:12

What do you even call that? is it a?

Speaker 3 38:14

mountain biking.

Speaker 2 38:15

I don't know, i couldn't think of it. Yeah, that was a just a crazy experience. And then my brother-in-law went with us. So it's my brother, me and my brother-in-law and Mike and I literally went out with my I don't want to exaggerate I think. I think I bought my bike from Walmart I Don't know, i'm not joking around probably 400 bucks for something like that. It was target. I don't even know. They had five, six thousand dollar bikes with shocks and he's, he's up there.

Speaker 2 38:44

Yeah, he's like It high level, yeah, and so we went down this thing that they claim was not a big deal, and so was it back in grue ranch. Honestly, i don't even remember now. I probably blocked it because it was. It was a very bad memory. This is not an exaggeration, pete. We were going, i was so scared I hit front brake and back brake and it would not stop. I would just going with both brakes on and I didn't want to let go because then we would just keep speeding up. So I was both brakes Fully and I guess that's really bad, because I probably would have flipped or something who knows. And I'm trying to stop and I couldn't, and they're just fine.

Speaker 3 39:24

Yeah, yeah, taking little jumps and landing, i may one up you there because I went on a run with Mike and, yeah, i went over the handlebars. Oh, you did Oh yeah, but you know it's right.

Speaker 1 39:34

I think it was right.

Speaker 3 39:35

During COVID, i think probably we did a lot of weird stuff and I was riding bikes a lot and I had to, even a bike than you did, and Although that I was riding one of Mike's when I did that there, but I think I went over the handlebars on my own bike like four times during. COVID, oh my gosh like into like soft, soft dirt, soft rocks. No, i don't think I ever got hurt doing okay like you know, I had a judo class once in college and you knew how to roll.

Speaker 2 40:04

Yeah, you gotta got the roll down So you know it's funny about that.

Speaker 2 40:08

You said one of Mike's bike because at the end I Think they just can tell I was not very happy with with what was going on. They let me try one of their bikes. Or my brother-in-law did and My bike. If I went over like a little hole this big, i would His bike, i would go over a hole this big. I don't, i didn't feel it. That big fork shock. Yeah, i was just right, it was. Oh my gosh, the bike makes the man Say that I.

Speaker 3 40:39

Don't know, it was COVID. Covid was crazy. You know we I'd never really biked and I never Walked all this stupid stuff that we did for workouts, which a lot of which I still kind of do. Yeah, i walk, i do bike, but I have an e-bike bike now, oh, you have any bike, it's a little easier.

Speaker 2 40:59

No, pedaling, that's not exercise Well, I.

Speaker 3 41:02

You can pedal, but you don't. I don't pedal up the hill, but I tell you don't know and Level you know yeah, but okay, it gets me bar-to-bar.

Speaker 2 41:14

How much was that sucker?

Speaker 3 41:16

It was a cheap China one, so it was only 1200 bucks, yeah, so I'm like, okay, that's not bad three years, it's still working.

Speaker 1 41:24

It is even though.

Speaker 3 41:25

I've crashed a couple times. How'd you?

Speaker 2 41:27

crash it. You don't want to know, really.

Speaker 3 41:30

Oh.

Speaker 2 41:30

I don't want to hear about yeah alcohol related.

Speaker 1 41:33

No, never mind.

Speaker 2 41:33

Let's not talk about it. A couple of broken ribs, oh my gosh. Yeah, every story, any person that tells me they ride a bike, they will ultimately tell me they broke something. Wrist ribs I've never, never maybe a mountain bikers?

Speaker 3 41:51

People don't generally do it just riding down the street.

Speaker 2 41:54

I don't know. I think we're at that age where we're just gonna fall.

Speaker 3 41:58

It's funny. quickly I went on a bike tour in Europe with my family, you know, before COVID, and we rode for like a week you know 25, 30 miles a day and I got home and, like the next week, i took my bike out, not my e-bike just a bike, yeah, phil, yeah, right into a succulent.

Speaker 2 42:17

Happily, i didn't get her, that's all. Luckily not a cactus. Wait, where did you ride it? You said in Europe, yeah we went from Prague to Dresden.

Speaker 3 42:26

Oh wow, elbin, or the Voltava and the Elb rivers pretty cool, Oh my gosh and then we're doing a Croatia in a few months.

Speaker 2 42:35

Oh my gosh, my wife and I, but some friends with bikes, or just.

Speaker 3 42:38

You know this one is a boat and Bike. So the boat takes you, it's through the islands of Croatia And then. So the boats are stowed on the air, the bikes are stowed on the boat and it'll take you to the port. You get on your bike right around the island of the boat, comes around and meets the next place And that's where you stay, so should be fun.

Speaker 2 42:57

Why bikes? I don't.

Speaker 3 42:59

I'm not quite understanding this, i just think that the experience that we had in Prague was great, you know, you, just it's a little bit more There's the people, here's the stuff.

Speaker 2 43:09

It's a little bit more hands-on, kind of so this is through towns, or like Yeah, literally back trails, no towns. Oh, okay, so you stop have lunch and oh, that's cool and stuff and we have.

Speaker 3 43:19

Yet we had guides on this one that you know.

Speaker 2 43:22

That That's where you know this happened. Yeah, you know, they're up on their history and it was really interesting, really interesting.

Speaker 3 43:28

Okay, that makes sense, i do recommend for anyone wondering about vacation ideas, that's pretty neat.

Speaker 2 43:35

Yeah, there's a lot of that. Sounds totally cool. Yeah, and you said just you and your wife, are you going with the kids?

Speaker 3 43:40

on this one It's my wife and I, and then another couple, another Air Force. Buddy okay so yeah, should be fun, i'm looking forward to it.

Speaker 2 43:49

Oh my gosh, that's so cool. Wow, well, let's bring it home with. I need something else good with tennis, let's think.

Speaker 3 44:02

I'd like to. I got one. Okay, how about team management?

Speaker 2 44:07

team management. Yeah, okay, so captain's out there and okay so You know I hearken back to our national nationals team, yeah, and which is obviously the highlight of our life because we keep talking about, like Al Bundy talks about his high school football, right.

Speaker 3 44:25

So the team was stacked and the lineup was generally kind of set, with the only Kind of ins and outs were usually the number three doubles. Occasionally you get a couple guys up at number number two, yeah, and so I bring it up because my wife, her team, just went to sectionals too and I guess the overall Conflict maybe not really conflict, but some people want to go out and have fun and other people want to go out and win.

Speaker 2 45:00

That's right.

Speaker 3 45:01

Now for our team. There's no question that team was built to win you know, and for me, you know, being probably one of the bottom guys on that team, you know it was easy to see, it was in our team, it was easy to see.

Speaker 2 45:15

But you know, you mean like the hierarchy of players. Yeah, okay, so, but But it's tough.

Speaker 3 45:23

It's tough like I got to do captain for a season. Okay, Joe took his break. Yeah, and You know it's politics.

Speaker 2 45:34

Well, the politics is tough. And then, who to put together.

Speaker 3 45:36

And There you know, especially talking to my wife, like who should play together, who wants to play together?

Speaker 2 45:43

That's true. Who's?

Speaker 3 45:43

there to have fun. Who's there to want to win? Yeah, and It's.

Speaker 1 45:49

I don't know.

Speaker 3 45:49

I guess I just I don't know what the point is, but there is that I think you know USTA is for for all these people to go out and and compete or have fun or do what they want to do, but It's a it's a thing that People should take into account and maybe, when you join a team, realize what you're getting in for or in with.

Speaker 2 46:14

I don't know if a lot of people do, because I've been lately kept Captaining mm-hmm.

Speaker 3 46:19

I've got a word. Yeah, okay, I'm gonna be sure The 5-0 team.

Speaker 2 46:23

Yeah, and it's been a nightmare.

Speaker 3 46:25

Plus, you know just getting people to play you too.

Speaker 2 46:27

That's what I mean. Obviously, i love all the guys that are with us. Other issues, Yeah, yeah but everyone you know, because it's at the age where we do it for fun, for exercise. We got other real stuff going on. We got families, we got kids, we got parents, we got to take care of you know all this stuff. And then it's like oh, no one can play this weekend. And then the other captains get mad at me. It's like what do?

Speaker 3 46:50

you want me to do, i can't. Well then they want you to not sign up. I guess that's what.

Speaker 2 46:55

That's what ends up happening.

Speaker 3 46:56

Well, yeah, sometimes they get a little mad.

Speaker 2 46:58

And it makes sense, though, because there's all these problems with defaults. I've learned all this stuff too behind the scenes. It's like you can't. You know You obviously can't be making up scores and making up matches, but you got a default and then you got to attempt to make up matches.

Speaker 3 47:14

Yeah, because you can't just say default, you have to do your due diligence, like there's this whole rule much, then the Section will get down on your team or just qualify, or you won't be able to have another team.

Speaker 1 47:25

Yeah, next go around.

Speaker 2 47:27

Yeah, that's all.

Speaker 3 47:28

I mean it all. It all matters some, but you know as far as The makeup of the team, you know, everyone wants to have fun, everyone wants to compete, i think. But I think most people still want to win too. So yeah, it's hard to manage all that you know like, yeah, it's impossible.

Speaker 2 47:48

Like I think the only answer is what's that movie? Dodgeball war game, dodgeball war games, war games. Remember the end. The computer said the only correct Is to not play is to not play.

Speaker 3 48:03

All right, you've heard it here, Yeah ladies. Oh, you tennis people don't.

Speaker 2 48:07

Well, i think the answer I was trying to get is don't captain, just play?

Speaker 3 48:11

there's two, and so what? I guess we could also say that we've learned to appreciate the captains that we've had.

Speaker 2 48:17

Keith, joe, for us, you don't realize how much the captain has to do. It's a lot of work, yeah, yeah. So I don't know.

Speaker 3 48:25

I guess my point is that there's a lot of appreciation to get into that And there's a lot besides just putting names to yes, hey, are you available calling people? It's, it's, it's managing People's Expectations and what, what they're supposed to be getting out of the whole thing. Yeah Well, that's true too, because part of it is people want to play certain positions and then you know, you guys, people who, like I'm playing, i'm gonna play number one or I'm not gonna be on your team.

Speaker 2 48:54

That's right.

Speaker 3 48:55

Yeah, there's a lot of conflicts, you know, yeah, out there, and and uh, i can probably write some sort of script for a drama. Actually I brought it up but I thought maybe there was there was a right answer.

Speaker 1 49:06

But I don't know one anymore.

Speaker 3 49:08

But I guess everyone out there be aware that yeah everyone might have different Expectations than you know for what. what this team's about?

Speaker 2 49:18

Yeah, I think no, you're right, though I think the whole point of this conversation is Some the people who only play, who've never captained, don't really realize how tough it is to captain.

Speaker 3 49:32

We'll take.

Speaker 2 49:32

I think that's a good point Okay, yeah, say that because you did it and you know how different it was when start everyone wants something from you. No, the assistant captain and another.

Speaker 3 49:43

I had to work a work of remit, like a rain delay once.

Speaker 2 49:47

Oh, that's tough, but yeah, yeah, but every week someone wants something. Yeah, other people can't play somebody might go.

Speaker 3 49:53

I don't want to play with him, or yeah, I'm like well. God, you're the only two and I don't want to break You know and I'll yeah, i'll only play with this, yeah, i won't play that person. Yeah, but I'm finding is it might be. Do I dare?

Speaker 2 50:06

say a little worse in the women's game than ours men's. Oh, women's is worse than men's.

Speaker 3 50:11

I think it's. I think it is why I can tell from you know Did you know Amanda from the tennis club?

Speaker 2 50:17

Yeah, because she was on the podcast, she, she talked about it a little too, and and then, obviously, my wife's been Joining the three Oh she's a three-oh and she's been joining the three-oh leagues and then some three fives and And yeah, i mean, it just seems I don't know, i don't know which one's worse. To tell you the truth, i Don't know. Well, it doesn't sometimes like happen like that. It's a tough thing, yeah, i mean people want to.

Speaker 3 50:44

If people want to win, that's true. And if people want to have fun and don't care about winning, then there's gonna be a conflict and so, yeah, maybe a good captain, can you know work that?

Speaker 1 50:54

out. I guess I take care of that Yeah.

Speaker 3 50:57

Yeah, that wasn't necessarily the case for us and our team.

Speaker 2 51:01

Well, no, i remember there were some issues, right, I mean, let's be real, like there was some. We all went on that trip together, which was fun Arizona and then you. Actually probably you you and Mike played one match, or did you know?

Speaker 3 51:16

I did, but I was also injured. So yeah, like I didn't complain, no, but it's no.

The Value of Shared Experiences

Speaker 2 51:21

I have anyway, i don't know. It's tough to go and then be like, oh, i'm not playing or something, not necessarily plan, or I'm an alternate.

Speaker 3 51:28

Yeah, yeah, exactly, you know but you know you, you had your time in the Sun with the team. Yeah through the lead, through league and then through sectionals. Maybe you Contributed, yeah you want to but you know, i think, the higher you like. If you get to nationals, i think you go to win, and so yeah, i don't know anymore, because now it's like We lost anyways.

Speaker 2 51:51

Maybe it would have been better if everyone played and had an experience. You know what I mean. Good point.

Speaker 3 51:56

Yeah, or, like you know, if we're out of it, hey, you and I should play, that's right. And why play again with with?

Speaker 2 52:02

your guy.

Speaker 3 52:03

Maybe we win, but it doesn't matter.

Speaker 2 52:05

Yeah, so you know, some of those things might come up or whatever.

Speaker 3 52:08

Yeah, you know, it's just. It's just Just things that are out there that, yeah, nobody seems to ever talk about. I thought I bring up and Mess up your podcast.

Speaker 2 52:18

No, no, that's totally true stuff. Trust me, i think about this stuff all the time And I always try to put in the perspective of on my deathbed, like that's how I think of things.

Speaker 1 52:27

Oh, on my deathbed. And then I Think of something.

Speaker 2 52:30

I don't know. If you ever think this way, it's like no one's gonna care who won. Oh right, right, kind of thing. Yeah right, i just want to. I'm I'm trying to take it to the extreme of like, like at the end of my life right. What am I gonna be proud of or happy with? or you know, happy I experienced and no one's gonna care if you won The nationals or well, you know what do you think?

Speaker 3 52:56

It's hard to say. Here's what I will say, though. If nationals are on the line and We're in. The finals then, maybe on your deathbed. You could go out and won nationals in 2018 or 19, whatever. But maybe if it's done And you're not gonna win nationals, then maybe you're like remember that day I got to play with Pete in the Nationals, but that's what I'm saying, because yeah it's like it's. It's hard your funeral.

Speaker 2 53:25

Yeah, we're talking about your death now, pete. I had your funeral. Someone might say Pete won the nationals, but I think less people will be there. More people will be there when gonna go from three down to two, I guess Yeah yeah, more people will be there with. They enjoyed the nationals with you. Yeah, do you know, i'm saying right, and then they'll talk about you that way.

Speaker 3 53:48

Well, i did get the RBO for the team, so oh, you did out there.

Speaker 2 53:53

Yeah, man, that was amazing place. Oh my gosh that pool.

Speaker 3 53:57

It was so fun. Yeah, it was yeah it was, that was. That's a great memory for me, yeah, and I think most of the guys that you've you know around the team that they talked to you know we got to do.

Speaker 2 54:09

There's a tournament coming up in LA Played at the galaxy. Maybe your daughter knows it or something. I still don't understand the the stadium there. Is it the galaxy?

Speaker 3 54:19

Where do they have one? they play at dignity, i think, field and That's in LA. Well, there's LA FC. They have another Team there that I don't know, what the name of that stadium?

Speaker 2 54:30

But did you hear about that exhibition tournament? Curios is playing Tiafo. Yeah, i think it's late July. We got to give everyone to go. I have no clue why I'm bringing that in right now, but it's somehow related. As you like to hang with us, that's I'm saying. I think that's what it was, yeah, so I think we should all do that. That'll be so fun.

Tennis, Pickleball, and Jeopardy

Speaker 3 54:47

So can we just say, then, that The overarching thing of this discussion is that it's great to be with people, like-minded people, fun people, that's right, and you that you met because you have tennis in common, yeah so it's so amazing. So like I hate tennis most of the time, Yeah and then when I come to Marietta on a Monday night and, yeah, play, and then have a beer or two after, yeah, that's awesome, it reminds me why I'm playing you know yeah, and go through all the pain and I Always, i always tell that story, even on the podcast.

Speaker 2 55:23

Like there's like 20 of us on a text thread or probably something like that 18-19, 20 of us. Like that's absurd.

Speaker 3 55:30

It is most of us, i think, in a good way probably.

Speaker 2 55:33

You know Muted. Oh, that's right, i've heard about that. Yeah, you'll mute it.

Speaker 3 55:39

Yeah, that's why no one's really responding to my jokes, or me and Tom, i check that thread at like nine, at nine, like what did everybody say all day?

Speaker 1 55:48

now I don't know, i see it, i see it.

Speaker 2 55:50

We stopped. We stopped really Going crazy with that. Me and Tom were texting way too much on that thing, i know, but to the point it was just. That's so cool. Like to have that many people together talking about fun stuff And then.

Speaker 3 56:03

I gotta think that There's similar things everywhere, you know yeah, that people who are listening, probably have their own. Yeah, my brother plays in LA and I think he has a fun group that goes beyond tennis, and so Tennis is great for meeting people. It's a social game, you know, and and that's it's it's great.

Speaker 1 56:23

That's, i think, why.

Speaker 3 56:24

I play it It's. it's kind of like all I have left to, though, but you know no, i'm with you can't do some of the other sports and yeah, and I'm done with this, it'll be like golf.

Speaker 2 56:34

Yeah, so here's the real question is pickleball a more social sport than tennis?

Speaker 3 56:42

I would say yes. It is huh, i think for me it is because I don't You know what pisses me off.

Speaker 2 56:48

when I'm playing tennis and there's a pickleball court behind me, those people don't shut up. That's true.

Speaker 3 56:54

Why is that? Because it's social. they're having fun, Oh okay. I guess, that's a good thing. Then I don't know, i've never gone to a pickleball tournament.

Speaker 2 57:00

Maybe they're a little bit more serious, maybe they're all serious, sir, But these, I guess, because you're so close, it's the proximity of. I mean, I don't even know the length of the court, but what are you? 20 feet away, maybe less.

Speaker 3 57:11

Yeah, it's basically half of a tennis court.

Speaker 2 57:14

Oh okay. So See, we don't even know the dimensions of a tennis court. I'm gonna put you on the spot What's the length of a tennis court, and then we'll check later. This is your time to guess. You have to Give me feet. As good as I am at trivia, i don't know this. Oh, that's right. Say You know what Before we get off.

Speaker 3 57:30

We're gonna talk about jeopardy 100 feet, i don't know God, i'm gonna sell it, i'm gonna go 80. Well, you probably know, i don't know, i promise I don't know. At least you didn't say 99. Yeah.

Speaker 2 57:40

Oh, that's true, Like prices. Right, it's just at 99. Okay, we got a couple of minutes before the hour's done. Tell us about jeopardy, jeopardy. Well this is a close story. I don't like my tennis.

Speaker 3 57:52

I got my butt kicked, yeah, but you got on. I was on jeopardy a few years ago. I was 2019, i think really Okay.

Speaker 3 58:05

Four years ago And I thought I was. So I went through the whole thing, took the online test, went in for a, and why did you even start that? It was just like a G-Wiz thing. One of my Air Force friends said hey, you know, they have this online test you can take. So I think I took it three or four years And this fourth year I remember I was actually Took it three or four years in a row.

Speaker 1 58:30

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3 58:31

And so nothing. The lore says that you have to. It's a 50 question test and you have to make 35 right to be considered.

Speaker 2 58:39

Okay.

Speaker 3 58:40

And so never the first three or four, no dice. And then I happened to be. I was in Honolulu, believe it or not, on an airline layover and I had this tiny little tablet with me. I'm like oh today's the test And I log in, and I think I missed the first question just because I wasn't logged in in time And so maybe it just relaxed me. but all these questions popped up and I'm like, oh my God, shakespeare.

Speaker 1 59:08

I know that one Like the one thing I know.

Speaker 3 59:10

And so it just all clicked And I got my 37 or whatever. It was that particular year And I think that was like in November, and then maybe a year goes by and I had totally forgotten about it. I was all excited for when it happened. But, yeah, a lot of time passed and all of a sudden I get a phone call like hey, do you wanna come in for an audition? Like yeah, Wow.

Speaker 3 59:37

Cool. So I went to Culver City. Some hotel You have to like take your clothes off and they look no, i'm kidding, it's like wait. What No? So you just go in there, you take another test and you play like they have a. it was like in a conference room and they had to mock up with a board or whatever and play a little bit and they interview you some more and pretend like you're on the show blah, blah blah.

Speaker 2 1:00:04

Ask you like oh so, just to see your personality too.

Speaker 3 1:00:07

Yeah, yeah, exactly, i think that's all it really is A the test and then B the personality, and so I told them.

Speaker 2 1:00:14

I mean, i'll be honest with you Anytime I ever watch a show. I can't believe they're looking for personality That doesn't make sense to me.

Speaker 3 1:00:22

I agreed. You know, one of my biggest regrets is I wasn't able to put any personality to it when. I was on.

Speaker 2 1:00:29

Yeah.

Speaker 3 1:00:30

So at any rate. So I do all that and I felt pretty good about the test and once again, months go by and I had completely forgotten. And also down to the blue bring phone call and it's them and like, hey, we want you to come in October. Like I said I can't go, That's when I had that bike trip with my whole family from the problem.

Speaker 2 1:00:56

That's right.

Speaker 3 1:00:56

I remember this yeah, so I said no, and they're like, well, you're at the end of your eligibility. So, I'm like well, sorry thanks.

Speaker 1 1:01:04

Well, keep me in mind, if it happens or if it can.

Speaker 3 1:01:08

And so again had forgotten. And then I think, four or three or four months later, they called again and said hey, good news If you can come. and I'm like, okay, i'll come. So that was in, i think, february of 19,. I believe Okay, and so off, i went and did it all and I showed up and did all the paperwork and while we're doing it, i'm like sizing everybody up going. I think I got this.

Speaker 2 1:01:38

So everyone's like in a room together.

Speaker 3 1:01:40

Yeah, all these, the people, and then, as it turned out, the current champ walked in and which is that guy?

Speaker 2 1:01:47

what was his name? I'll tell you in a second.

Speaker 3 1:01:49

So I got, the producers who were running the green room were like, hey, James, there's our champion. Tell them how much you've won. He's like about 1.4 million.

Speaker 2 1:01:59

I was like is that the same guy? who's?

Speaker 3 1:02:01

also hosting Holzhauer. No, that was Ken Jennings, But. I think this Holzhauer guy just won the master's tournament, like a couple of weeks ago.

Speaker 2 1:02:10

Oh my.

Speaker 1 1:02:11

God.

Speaker 3 1:02:11

Anyway, he's like the best or second best ever. Wow.

Speaker 2 1:02:15

And you went against him And actually he's in the green room.

Speaker 3 1:02:18

I'm like I can take this guy until he's like I have one of 1.4 million bucks. Then I'm like I think I'm outclassed, So yeah, off. We went to the show. They taped five a day and I was on the last day, So I got to watch the first four games being taped, Okay.

Speaker 3 1:02:35

I'm like, oh God, he's pretty good, he's as good as ever, he's winning. He used to be like you win 20 grand or 30 grand and he's winning like 80 or 100 grand per game, wow. And so, anyway, we break for lunch and I chatted with him a little bit, you know, after the third game, and I'm asking the secrets.

Speaker 2 1:02:56

He's like you know just bring in if you know the What is the secret? Because if you remember from white men can't jump.

Speaker 1 1:03:04

Do you remember this one?

Speaker 2 1:03:05

Yeah, Rosie Perez was trying out for Jeopardy And she studied out of a book. I don't know if it was like a Jeopardy, like quiz book, or she just was studying like an encyclopedia or like a I don't know what she was studying. Well, Is there anything like that? This?

Speaker 3 1:03:21

guy, James Holthauer, said his thing was to read like kindergarten books, because it gives you that just on the very, very shallow knowledge about a lot of stuff which is basically, honestly, that's kind of what I am. I know a lot. I know a little about a lot of things, yeah, and so The jack of all trades.

Speaker 2 1:03:42

Yeah, kind of.

Speaker 3 1:03:43

I know the buzzwords of a lot of stuff And anyway. So he told me at lunch that his secret is if you know the answer to this buzz, in which was kind of who we?

Speaker 2 1:03:53

but Yeah, so anyway, so.

Speaker 3 1:03:55

You know, two hours later, here we are.

Speaker 2 1:03:57

And if you don't know the answer, don't buzz in.

Speaker 3 1:03:59

Yeah, right, and so off we go, we start playing and it's just a yeah.

Speaker 2 1:04:06

What did you get that day? Do you remember?

Speaker 3 1:04:08

I got zero Cause I know you did not.

Speaker 2 1:04:11

I mean, I got points and I just And you blew it.

Speaker 3 1:04:14

Well, I bet it all.

Speaker 2 1:04:15

I mean, it was already a Oh at the end I was already in the blowout, Yeah, And I was like I'm sorry.

Speaker 3 1:04:20

But at the first commercial break I leaned over to him. I go dude, come on man, what's the deal here?

Speaker 2 1:04:26

So how much was he up? Oh, are you out, is your mic out?

Speaker 3 1:04:29

Yeah, I think so, But oh, I think I can hear you good, okay.

Speaker 2 1:04:35

Well, it's probably your ears, anyway, yeah.

Speaker 3 1:04:37

Sorry, but yeah, he goes. Like I told you at lunch, just ring in if you know what.

Speaker 1 1:04:42

I'm like. I'm like, are we gonna go? I go afterwards, though you tell me.

Speaker 3 1:04:45

I go. What's the secret?

Speaker 1 1:04:46

And he didn't tell me I never got to talk to him afterwards, Anyway.

Speaker 3 1:04:50

so it was like 82,000 to zero. I took third, but it was a blowout.

Speaker 2 1:04:55

Wait, wait, just to make sure I understand you literally had zero at the end Well, because I bet everything Because you bet it all.

Speaker 1 1:05:00

But what was the everything?

Speaker 2 1:05:01

But that was what I was trying to figure out. What did you have prior to that? I don't know, like five grand or something. Okay, well, that's four, Maybe six.

Speaker 3 1:05:08

I don't know.

Speaker 2 1:05:09

You know why that's respectful.

Speaker 3 1:05:10

I shouldn't have even bet it all because Wait, but you don't get to keep it. I could have taken, second, third place gets a grand.

Speaker 1 1:05:17

Second place gets two grand. Oh, okay.

Speaker 3 1:05:20

And so I could have played for a second, but I was just So you got a grand?

Speaker 2 1:05:23

I did, and he got taxed, i'm sure.

Speaker 3 1:05:25

Oh yeah, I should have gone to work.

Speaker 2 1:05:28

I would have been a lot more, but You lost money playing.

Speaker 3 1:05:31

Yeah, but it was a fun experience. Oh no, that's so cool, I was back with Alex Trebek, Yeah that was cool, i think it was like honestly, like a week later after our taping that he announced about his cancer, oh yeah, which you could kind of tell something was a little weird with him.

Speaker 2 1:05:47

But What was his cancer? again, what kind.

Speaker 3 1:05:49

Pancreatic.

Speaker 2 1:05:50

Oh, wow, yeah, tough stuff, oh man, but yeah that was the thing I mean.

Speaker 3 1:05:55

it was kind of a butt whooping.

Speaker 2 1:05:57

but Yeah, no, that's so cool.

Speaker 3 1:06:00

And met some cool people that I'm friends with like on Facebook occasionally stuff.

Speaker 1 1:06:04

Yeah, it was really neat. Oh my gosh, that's so cool.

Speaker 3 1:06:07

I can't believe how poorly I sized everybody up, you know. Oh, i got that guy.

Speaker 2 1:06:13

But I can't even imagine being there And I gotta watch. I've honestly never watched the full episode of you. I think I watched a clip or something I found on YouTube. But I used to play with my dad. We used to do it like at home, you know, and like, but if we got, i think the winner would get like four for the night or something you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 1:06:32

Right Like that at home.

Speaker 2 1:06:33

Yeah, and so you would be horrible on the show if you got only four.

Speaker 3 1:06:37

Yeah, I just say that. you know it was. People say it's way different there. I didn't find it super different, I just wasn't fast enough, you know, And nobody seemed to be fast enough.

Speaker 2 1:06:50

Do you think you knew some stuff that you? Oh, I totally Really.

Speaker 3 1:06:53

So Are you lying? No, no. So across the soundstage where you tape, it are all the TVs like you see on TV. you know, like that? Oh, they really are there.

Speaker 2 1:07:02

That's really there.

Speaker 3 1:07:02

Okay, and then on the side of them are a bank of lights, and so when Alex or whoever, finishes reading the question, somebody offstage turns on the bank of lights, which signals you that your buzzer's now good Yeah. And there's questions that I knew three words into it, so all I did was stare at the lights. Oh, so you couldn't wait And they came on and I hit it and I was still too late.

Speaker 2 1:07:28

Oh my gosh, like several times, several times, I've seen that many times where people are like, yeah, i didn't want to do that.

Speaker 3 1:07:34

I held my back.

Speaker 2 1:07:34

Oh, you didn't want to be that person.

Speaker 3 1:07:36

Like, oh, look at me, Come on, i knew it Look at it.

Speaker 2 1:07:41

Oh my gosh.

Speaker 3 1:07:42

So yeah, speed had a lot to do with that. I'm not saying I would have beat him now He knew way more than I did but I would have been a lot closer.

Speaker 2 1:07:48

Maybe 81 grand to zero Instead of 82. 82. What did he end up with? Do you remember? Like overall No with you.

Speaker 3 1:07:57

Oh, yeah, 82 grand 82 grand.

Speaker 2 1:07:59

That was a big, big payday. I must have not been watching when he was doing it, because I've never seen anyone that high.

Speaker 3 1:08:04

I know He was in the hundreds a couple of times for one show.

Speaker 2 1:08:07

That's crazy. Yeah, you're right. It was like 14, 15, 16K was huge.

Speaker 3 1:08:12

Yeah.

Speaker 2 1:08:13

That's what I remember.

Speaker 3 1:08:14

Anyway, that was that experience, oh my gosh.

Speaker 2 1:08:18

Well, we've been going way overboard. Pete, guess how long we've been talking 110. Oh my gosh, you must have an internal clock on fire. One hour nine minutes and 37 seconds. How did you do that?

Speaker 3 1:08:32

I do have an internal clock. That's one of my many, many attributes, wow.

Speaker 2 1:08:38

Yeah, I wish Jeopardy would have praised you for your internal clock.

Speaker 3 1:08:41

Maybe I could have put that into the buzzer and maybe it would have worked better.

Speaker 2 1:08:46

All right, Pete, so we're going to end here And my wife's going to have a tough job splicing all this up. But thank you, my friend. Oh, I got to give this to you, Oh what. And I figured.

Speaker 3 1:08:56

Emma. Oh Well, you know right.

Speaker 1 1:08:59

I mean, why not Emma?

Speaker 3 1:09:01

Emma right Star, that's huge.

Speaker 1 1:09:04

It's a pretty good card Yeah.

Speaker 2 1:09:07

Yeah, that's Emiratikanu, obviously. And then you know, i mean I like this card. I bought a few Emma cards And I don't know if you watch the podcast, but I gave everyone a present.

Speaker 3 1:09:18

Yeah, I appreciate that Yeah.

Speaker 2 1:09:20

So it's a cool card. I like it. Actually, It's my only one, So I got to now go out and find another one like that.

Speaker 3 1:09:26

Well that's even more special. Thank you very much.

Speaker 2 1:09:27

Yeah, you're welcome, my friend. But thank you. All right, yeah, and let's obviously talk and hang out downstairs.

Speaker 3 1:09:33

All right, let's do it.

Speaker 2 1:09:34

Let's see if I can hit this ending song. And thank you, my friend Wow R. I love you R R, r, r, r, r, r, r, r, r, r R R.