PicklePod Playmaker Podcast Network

Altaf Merchant joins the pod after completing a perfect season in men’s senior pro doubles. The Mumbai Monster recaps the most exciting matches on his way to a 59-0 record.

Merchant explains how his fiery personality has gotten him into trouble on the court and shares why he thinks he was snubbed in the MLP 2023 draft.

To support Stop Alzheimers Now and submit your question for the pod visit: https://www.stopalzheimersnow.org/donate.html

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Show Notes
0:00 Merchant vs the internet
5:32 Altaf’s claim to fame
9:34 The pressure of entering the senior tour
12:29 Hip thrusts for everyone
16:34 Altaf was snubbed for MLP
24:21 The race to sign Altaf
28:09 Pickleball in India
31:37 Best/Worst Zane memory
33:28 Any beefs on tour?
40:15 Rapid fire Altaf
43:28 Commitment to be a pro
48:59 Top 5 in all the wrong categories
51:58 Stop Alzheimer’s Now Campaign
59:39 Altaf’s social media team
1:02:20 How many matches to get an invite back to the pod?
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Connor Garnett is in studio to cover everything from Nationals in Dallas. The former investment banker made the switch to full-time pickleball in 2023 and it is paying off.

Garnett weighs in on the drop serve discussion and Zane explains why the serve is so difficult to regulate. Connor shares his experience with the progression draw and questions if JW Johnson and Collin Johns swap secrets to benefit the Columbus Sliders. Don’t miss Connor on this all-new episode.

To support Stop Alzheimers Now and submit your question for the pod visit: https://www.stopalzheimersnow.org/donate.html

Win a pickleball facility and a lifetime of pickleball gear! https://picklryourcity.kickoffpages.com/

Shop performance-driven comfort from Vuori https://vuoriclothing.com/thedink
Not only will you receive 20% off your first purchase, but enjoy free shipping on any U.S. orders over $75 and free returns

Find and book private courts in your area with https://swimply.com/

Rep the latest in dink branded merch at https://repthedink.com/

------------------
Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify
-Subscribe to our 'all things pickleball' *free e-newsletter* at https://www.thedinkpickleball.com/signup/
-Follow us on IG *@thedinkpickleball*
-Continue the convo in our private FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedi...
-For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam

-Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/
-Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball
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Show Notes
0:00 Explaining the rules to Connor Garnett
3:55 Banker in previous life
7:55 The decision to go full-time
10:36 Let’s talk about Nationals
16:45 The amateur experience with UTPR and sandbagging
22:01 Progression draw loved it, hated it and indifferent
31:05 JW the first new champ in 7 years
37:31 Haworth’s big upset
40:01 Collin claps back at DUPR
47:03 Do JW and Collin share secrets at MLP?
51:37 Lea Jansen wants to change the serve game
58:51 AJ and Fed at Nationals
1:06:58 The status of San Clemente
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Paddles were dropping left and right at MLP Dallas. Zane estimates that 90% of paddles were ruled out via PPL testing before the event. Affected pros were left searching for legal paddles. The boys recap the MLP action including Federico Staksrud’s blow-up on Saturday, the now infamous two-become-one rule, and all of the vuvuzela noise.

To support Stop Alzheimers Now and submit your question for the pod visit: https://www.stopalzheimersnow.org/donate.html

Win a pickleball facility and a lifetime of pickleball gear! https://picklryourcity.kickoffpages.com/

Shop performance-driven comfort from Vuori https://vuoriclothing.com/thedink
Not only will you receive 20% off your first purchase, but enjoy free shipping on any U.S. orders over $75 and free returns

Find and book private courts in your area with swimply.com

Rep the latest in dink branded merch at https://repthedink.com/

------------------
Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify
-Subscribe to our 'all things pickleball' *free e-newsletter* at https://www.thedinkpickleball.com/signup/
-Follow us on IG *@thedinkpickleball*
-Continue the convo in our private FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedi...
-For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam

-Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/
-Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball
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Show Notes
0:15 Zane wants another shot at the DC squad
5:58 Not playing in Nationals
7:23 If Ben and ALW played men’s how far would they go?
8:40 A frantic call from Tropickleball about the Detroit Bounce tourney
10:48 Paddle drama is at an all-time high - assumed 90% fail
16:31 The law of diminishing grit
21:44 Two-become-one foot fault rule against Daescu
25:03 Vuvuzuela’s hard to listen to
27:49 Staks got out of hand, earned an Orange Card and a record fine
32:09 A shocker that the Black Diamonds didn’t make the cut
33:34 Shadows covered the court in Dallas
35:07 Alshon takes the MVP award
38:02 New 2024 schedule released
42:24 Thomas is struggling to find games in Austin
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USA Pickleball’s man behind the paddle tests shares his wealth of knowledge with the PicklePod. Carl Schmits explains what is going on with the new wave of paddles hitting the market and the discrepancy between testing organizations.

Zane and Thomas recap the APP Houston Open and weigh in on the line call controversy that brought an army of extra eyes to Championship Court.

To support Stop Alzheimers Now and submit your question for the pod visit: https://www.stopalzheimersnow.org/don...

Win a pickleball facility and a lifetime of pickleball gear! https://picklryourcity.kickoffpages.com/

Shop performance-driven comfort from Vuori https://vuoriclothing.com/thedink
Not only will you receive 20% off your first purchase, but enjoy free shipping on any U.S. orders over $75 and free returns

Rep the latest in dink branded merch at https://repthedink.com/

------------------
Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify
-Subscribe to our 'all things pickleball' *free e-newsletter* at https://www.thedinkpickleball.com/sig...
-Follow us on IG *@thedinkpickleball*
-Continue the convo in our private FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedi...
-For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam

-Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/
-Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball
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Show Notes
0:53 The F1 Pickleball Experience
5:04 When Zane and Thomas first met
8:55 Travis isn’t afraid to sling it on Tennis Sucks
15:39 APP Houston line calls boil over
20:09 Punishment for overruling calls
24:43 No Premier Level trades
27:15 Zane needs suggestions for a creative loser punishment
32:14 Carl Schmits joins the pod
40:28 How do testing organizations work together?
44:28 USAP’s plan for testing at Nationals
51:44 The new Gearbox paddle
58:24 Exit velocity test coming soon and auditing the PicklePod
1:02:35 The USAP relationship with the pro tours
1:11:18 What does USA Pickleball do?
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Pickleball’s most analytic player joins the pod for some high-level paddle talk and low-key trash talk. Johns shares his opinion on the new round of paddlegate and why testing will always be chasing innovation.

He weighs in on the Tour Wars cease-fire and how pickleball has benefitted from competition over the last 3 years. And finally, Collin addresses his haters about covering 30% of the court and his feud with net cords.

To support Stop Alzheimers Now and submit your question for the pod visit: https://www.stopalzheimersnow.org/donate.html

Win a pickleball facility and lifetime of pickleball gear! https://picklryourcity.kickoffpages.com/

Shop performance-driven comfort from Vuori https://vuoriclothing.com/thedink
Not only will you receive 20% off your first purchase, but enjoy free shipping on any U.S. orders over $75 and free returns

Rep the latest in dink branded merch at https://repthedink.com/

------------------
Like the ep? Do us a favor: subscribe to our channel and leave a review on Apple or Spotify
-Subscribe to our 'all things pickleball' *free e-newsletter* at https://www.thedinkpickleball.com/signup/
-Follow us on IG *@thedinkpickleball*
-Continue the convo in our private FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedi...
-For everything else we do, visit https://linktr.ee/dinkfam

Swimply is like AirBnb for pickleball courts. Find your perfect court at https://www.swimply.com/pickleball?utm_source=Partner&utm_medium=Banner&utm_campaign=Launch&utm_id=Dink


-Read more about Zane and subscribe to his newsletter at https://zanenavratilpickleball.com/
-Follow Zane on IG @zanenavratilpickleball
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Show Notes:
0:00 Collin and Zane get into business
3:36 The new paddlegate
9:01 The current level of testing
12:54 The difference between innovation and cheating
20:39 Jilly B calls out 'biggest cheater in the game'
31:30 The players’ responsibility
38:48 The Johns’ status during the Tour Wars
45:30 Recapping the merger 
51:52 Matt Wright’s longevity - CJ’s potential partners
57:52 The benefit of the Newman/Wright breakup
1:01:00 The Johns winning strategy
1:08:23 FanDuel lost money setting odds on the Johns
1:09:45 Bryan Bros interest in pickle
1:15:48 Steve Kuhn’s official resignation
1:18:39 Why the net cord hates Collin
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Description: One of the most viewed instructors on YouTube, John Cincola stops by the PicklePod. Cincola weighs in on the line call controversy at APP Atlanta, he tells us who he thinks will join MLP in the shuffle draft, and almost shares his secrets for playing 2 vs 1.

Show Notes:
0:00 Introducing John Cincola
6:50 Overwhelming overrules at APP Atlanta
11:11 Relying too much on ref certification
18:05 Worst calls from your career
23:20 Team Fudge Barr finally takes the top spot
29:05 Andrei the Philosopher pitches a shutout on Championship Sunday
35:00 Roscoe’s top 10 shot and Zane embraces the tomahawk
41:29 The Bryan Bros journey into pro pickle
47:51 Zane is not convinced forehand’s in the right call
50:09 Shuffle draft week in MLP
56:21 Thomas taking on Zane 2 vs 1
1:00:56 John’s Youtube channel + return of Zane Affleck
1:06:01 Political pickleball hypotheticals
1:09:25 College pickleball on the rise and SAN questions

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