Bad Calls - Pickleball Podcast
Bad Calls is where pickleball talk meets questionable judgment. Hosted by Graham D’Amico and Travis Rettenmaier—co-owners of Major League Pickleball’s Florida Smash and self-proclaimed experts in bad decisions—this show is a mix of unfiltered takes, trash talk, and whatever else comes to mind between games.
Travis is a top PPA pro and a former pro tennis player, which gives him just enough confidence to think he knows what he’s talking about. Graham? Well, he’s got opinions.
Recorded at Crescent Lake Park in St. Pete, Florida, these are the courts where we first learned the game, talked way too much smack, and fell in love with the sport. If you love pickleball but don’t take yourself too seriously, welcome to the party.
Episodes
76 episodes
Andre Agassi: Pickleball Lit a Fire in Me
In this special episode of Bad Calls, we sit down with tennis legend Andre Agassi to talk about how pickleball unexpectedly reignited his competitive spirit, reshaped his daily life, and gave him a new sense of purpose.Agassi opens up a...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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1:25:34
Anna Leigh Waters & Catherine Parenteau Split
What's next for Catherine & Rachel? Can we see a revenge tour for the new pair? We break it down in a special episode.
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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16:56
Pickleball Execs Get Heated at RacquetX 🔥
This week on Bad Calls, we break down an awkward panel at RacquetX — where execs got a little heated.Also in this episode:• Luz paddle controversy• Utah tournament recap: wind, wild momentum shifts, and a mi...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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36:41
Hand Battles & Trash Talk Are Dying in Pickleball
Is trash talk dying in pickleball? Are hand battles officially over thanks to paddle technology? And who the hell is Lucien Goins, and how did he just take down Ben Johns?! In this episode of Bad Calls, Travis and Graham break down the wildest ...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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41:20
Drafting the Florida Smash & Reaction to MLP Rosters
Travis and Graham talk through the MLP draft process and how they picked the players for the Florida Smash. They also react to the new premier team rosters, with some winners & some losers.
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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39:44
Travis' Controversial Challenge in Mesa & New Player Stealing Rule in Major League Pickleball
Not a fantastic weekend for Travis in Mesa - he tests the newest paddle challenge rule in his mixed doubles game. Plus, Graham walks us through the incoming rule for player stealing in major league pickleball.
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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43:22
Major League Pickleball Says Goodbye to Rally Scoring
Say goodbye to rally scoring and hello to 6 player rosters for premier teams. Graham and Travis get into the details of the changes and what it'll mean for the league.
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Season 2
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Episode 20
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43:53
Recapping the drama from The PPA Masters
Travis and Graham recap the Masters Tournament, covering key matches, windy conditions, and standout performances. They discuss the Selkirk 08 paddle controversy, UPA paddle regulations, and Ben Johns’ headhunting moment against Quang Duong. Ot...
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Season 2
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Episode 20
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41:41
Predicting Ben John's New Partner
Vote for us in The Dink Awards for Best Podcast — dinkawards.com
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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49:12
PPA Finals Reaction & Predictions for 2025
Let's just say there was some confusion over last week's bet. Nevertheless, Graham and Travis both decided to give $100 to stop Alzheimers now. This week we talk through the highlights of the finals and some predictions for Daytona and 2025 par...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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37:50
Setting the record straight & predicting PPA finals
Ok so we don't get it right every time but hey at least we're honest about it! Go to our IG for a chance to win the FlickWizard jersey.
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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39:48
Reacting to the MLP final & predicting who is getting dropped
Well, Graham & Travis didn't get a single prediction right for the MLP final so why not make even more predictions on who will get dropped by their team next season?
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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38:46
Pickleballer kicked in the head after a match
The whole world has seen it, the viral video of a pickleball player being kicked in the head. Travis and Graham break down what happened and explain what happened leading up to the incident.
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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42:21
Bad Calls and Wake Up Calls featuring Ryan Sherry
The Sherbear himself (Ryan Sherry) stops Crescent Lake and chats with us about all the great things he almost made it to. Not all as a result of eating too much Bluebell Ice Cream. After, Travis talks us through what really went down during tha...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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41:08
Making Pickleball More Entertaining ft. Jaume Martinez Vich & Layne Sleeth
This week we welcomed Jaume and Layne to the Crescent Lake courts to talk about their rise in pickleball, how they think they performed in MLP, and how they would improve the sport if they were commissioner.
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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51:54
From Tennis to Pickleball ft. Donald Young
From the US Open semi-finals to the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball, Donald Young talks through his transition to the sport and what the reality is vs his expectations.
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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42:20
This Rivalry Will Make Pickleball Successful
Just when you thought you saw the best pickleball match of all time, we get one even better. Is there anything better than a rivalry like this? Let us know in the comments.This week, Graham and Travis talk about the one good thing to com...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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41:30
Favoritism in the PPA?
This week we talk about potential favoritism with certain players on tour. Plus, Travis and Graham recap Virginia Beach and how the Smash are shaping up for MLP Miami.
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41:45
Did the trades pay off? MLP New York City Recap
Travis and Graham break down the team chemistry for MLP New York City after their first appearance with Christa Gecheva and Donald Young.
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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42:19
The future of paddle testing with UPA-A President Jason Aspes
This week we ask Jason Aspes, president of the UPA-A, his take on pickleball paddles, the state of testing, and future of the sport.
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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47:11
New serving rule coming to the PPA? Plus, the new players traded to the Smash
Will we be seeing a new serving rule come to the PPA? Travis and Graham talk through whether the serve should be a weapon in pickleball. Plus, we go behind the scenes on the trades to the Florida Smash.
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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48:07
The Worst Line Call in Pickleball
We've got to talk about how this sport is going to move forward at the professional level if we don't invest in technology at the lines.
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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46:39
Hot Mic Season in Pickleball
You just can't be too careful what you say these days... although somebody should tell that to Travis. We're back from an unfortunately long break but recapping all the stuff we've missed - did you miss us?
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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44:35
Pickleball has a line call problem
A recap of MLP and PPA Atlanta highlights one of the latest issues in pickleball, bad line calls. Travis and Graham talk through the future of the Florida Smash and we even get a brief history lesson on the "Bert".Follow us on Instagram...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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39:45
The Rise of Daescu & That Special Paddle
Live from Major League Pickleball Atlanta, we sit down with pro-player Andrei Daescu & Charles Darling, CEO of Proton Paddles. We talk about the rise of Proton, what inspired them to jump into paddle technology, and Daescu got connected wit...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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44:17