Big DINK Energy Pickleball & Life Podcast
Big Dink Energy is the funny pickleball podcast for real rec players, paddle addicts, and people who love the game but don’t take it too seriously.
🎧 Weekly episodes packed with:
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- Off-the-court chaos: relationships, life, and hot takes
Whether you're a casual dinker, pickle-curious beginner, or just here for the laughs, you'll find relatable debates, ridiculous stories, and unexpected inspiration.
Half insight. Half nonsense. 100% entertainment.
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Big DINK Energy Pickleball & Life Podcast
Wheaties, Resolutions & Pickleball Regrets | Luis Rojas w/ The Real Dink Master
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We’re coming in hot with:
🔹 A deep question: why hasn’t pickleball made the Wheaties box yet?
🔹 The problem with “New Year, New Me” and why your gym bag is still in the trunk
🔹 A Pick Six question you are gonna chime in on
Plus, Luis Rojas from The Real Dink Master joins us to talk about bailing on tennis, going all-in on pickleball, and how positivity (mostly) works on and off the court.
🎧 Listen now before your resolution ghosts you and signs up for Dry February.
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Speaker 1 (00:00.386)
There's not been a pickleball person on the Wheaties box. I'll walk through and I'm like, who's on the Wheaties box? I don't know why. Maybe because as a kid, it was a big deal.
It was. Yeah, not paper.
Damn, how old are you?
This is Big Dink Energy, the pickleball podcast that's half insight, half nonsense, and all entertainment. If you love pickleball, don't take yourself too seriously and think a little trash talk makes the game better. Welcome home. This is the place where life and pickleball intersect. We celebrate the chaos, call out the nonsense, and put the fun back in dysfunction. You're either in or you're out. And if you're still listening, you're in. So let's go.
Big Dink Energy starts now. If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're gonna see some shh. Thank you, Doc Brown. This is the official podcast of Pickleball, Big Dink Energy. Now listen, hey, this episode is sponsored by one of our favorites. We already know about the Pretty Pickleball Company, but this, this is next level. We're so pumped to share that listen up, listen right now, turn your radios up.
Speaker 2 (01:11.502)
The Pretty Pickleball Company was named Pickleball Gear Brand of the Year in 2025 by Lux Life Magazine. Yes, applause all around. Clap in your car. That's not hype. That's industry recognition, stylish gear that performs. Design that actually respects women players. That's how I dress. And a brand that shows up for the pickleball community in a real way. If you're still playing with gear that looks like you're a back alley hobo playing with gear that came from a lost and found bin,
it might be time to upgrade. Check out the pretty pickleball company and use code BIGDANKENERGY15 and see why they're setting the standard. You will look good even if you aren't.
That is true because I get a lot of compliments and it's not by skill
Sure.
It's all paddle related.
Speaker 1 (02:01.003)
So I thought since we're halfway through January, which I feel like it's the perfect time to talk about New Year's resolutions because by now most of them are wobbling.
Yeah, faltering. We're falling down.
Fultering yes. So my personal opinion is that I feel like January 1st is the most dishonest day of the year because people promise things that they haven't changed their life to support. So they make all these commitments. But really, like if you, if you haven't changed anything about like your schedule, your finances, your boundaries in December, like
January's not gonna have a chance. Like you can't just arbitrarily, you know, it's just performative, really. I don't think it's practical.
Yeah, I think, you know, one of the biggest ways this shows up is the gym memberships that people got for Christmas, right? Yeah. I'm going to start. And so if you're a gym goer, you've seen a lot of new faces in the last couple of weeks at your facility, and you will stop seeing them right around February because the plan was not put in place for success. Right. So yeah, I think you're right. Without the right prior planning,
Speaker 1 (03:12.759)
I agree. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:18.024)
And what we say in the military is the P's, the prior planning prevents piss poor performance. I don't even have a pee-popper on my mic, Jeff. My little engineer needs to know that. But yes, so I think you do have to have the pre-planning that goes into it. What are some of the other New Year's resolutions that are kind of traditional?
to stop drinking. drinking. Dry January, I know that's a thing.
dry January.
what about the church we fast? Fast. do a Daniel Fast 30-day cleansing fast, get you...
huh.
Speaker 1 (03:48.876)
So, I mean, I guess I've done New Year's resolutions, but I feel like it's really the best way to start is to subtract stuff. If you take things out of your life, think if you take things out of your life, then you have more room for the things that you do want in your life. But so many people just stack and stack and stack and then they become overwhelmed.
audition by subtraction. Call out from the office.
Speaker 1 (04:18.888)
and then nothing gets done.
I think with me for New Year's resolutions, like it used to be, okay, yeah, January 1st, I'm gonna do this and I'm gonna do this all of the next year, where now it's changed to my goal for 2026 is to do this. Not that I'm gonna be doing, like not that I'm gonna work out three days a week, that I'm going to start working out. You know, something that is actually attainable. I think that I set so many unattainable goals.
Smart goals.
Yeah, they weren't. Like the past few years that like this coming new year has just kind of taught me what do I want the overall feel and what do I want my overall goal for the year to be so that I am feeling healthy and successful.
I like that.
Speaker 2 (05:09.902)
You know, we were talking with our son the other day and that's one of the things that you're kind of alluding to is what is the end result you're looking for, right? What does success look like? And then, you know, another thing from the military is backwards planning. Revertion. Yeah, so if I know what the goal is, then I can backwards plan from that.
engineering.
Speaker 1 (05:28.182)
just think like for me especially, the biggest shifts in my life never happened in January. Never.
No, because they're, I mean, it's the same thing as I'm starting my diet Monday. I'm starting to work out Monday.
Yeah, the biggest shifts for me started when something either broke, we lost time, we lost money, we lost energy, or I lost peace. That's when I started making changes. So like, even when I did 75 hard, it wasn't in January. know, so I don't know, I'm just not a January person. I think that's giving yourself a timeline you don't necessarily need, because you could have started the 29th of December.
Right, why January 1st?
I think it just gives people extra excuses to three day extra.
Speaker 2 (06:14.988)
It's a social thing. It's a social construct, kind of like Valentine's Day.
Yeah, I can see that. commend people for it and there are probably a lot of people out there.
We're definitely pissing some people off right now.
Well, I mean, I'm sure there's a lot of people that stick to it, but maybe they're just not creating the right goals for themselves and they're creating goals that they think they should do. I don't know. We are.
I that lot of the that are set are unattainable that they're, you know, instead of like, I want to work out three days a week, people are like, I'm going to work out seven days a week. And then when they don't hit that seven day one day because they're exhausted, then it just slowly goes downhill. Yeah, it's not. And if you, if you're not setting goals for yourself and giving yourself grace and there's like absolutely no grace for yourself, then you're not going to have that overall
Speaker 1 (06:54.057)
The attainable, the A in smirkels.
Speaker 4 (07:09.674)
end goal that you were talking about at the end of the year. You're going to feel like you didn't accomplish anything, that you let yourself fail, that you let others down because you told them about your goal, and then it's just gonna make you feel worse in the end.
Yeah, I think you're absolutely right. You hit the nail on the head, I think. It's great to set a goal, but you also have to have built in some grace for yourself. Because if it's a lofty goal, great, set it way out there, set the bar high for yourself. But if you have a bad day or a bad moment or a slip, okay, that's okay. I'm still better than I was yesterday. I'm still better than I was last year. I'm still better at this point than I was at the last point I measured this.
Yeah. And I think one of the other things like with the vision boards and I'm not complaining about vision boards or anything like that. I think those are great. You know, you definitely need to have a vision for your life and, you know, see it everywhere. But sometimes people do like the health, like the lifestyle wheel, like the health, the finances, the relationships, you know, all of it. And then they don't know where to start and they just get confused and they just, they're overwhelmed and they just don't do any of it. You know,
Yeah, and I think this time of year, I mean, we have so many creators out there nowadays. Some of it's perfunctory, too. Like, I've got to do this for views, for clicks, and look at me, look at me. I'm awesome. Look at my vision board. Yeah. You know, and it's just we're such a virtual fake culture anymore. I hate to say it, but I really think we are. And then then you then you're kind of your followers are looking at you like, I can't ever attain that.
Yeah, I say subtract things from your life. Pick one major thing that's going to then allow all those other things. Does that make sense? So have that one North Star goal that will trickle down and to help all the other parts of your life instead of having 17 huge goals.
Speaker 4 (09:05.43)
Right.
Yeah, I like it. Tell us what you do out there if you've got a vision board, if you've got a New Year's resolution, if you've got smart goals. Share with us, drop in the comments everywhere that we are and tell us what you do. If you resonated with this or you hated it, either way, send us some mail. You may not get read on the air. Speaking of mail.
Speaker 2 (09:31.246)
Listen, Carrie said, I think I know Carrie, I absolutely loved your final episode of 2025. Of course, Carrie, who wouldn't love our episode? Who wouldn't love just every episode that we have? I agree. But go, if you haven't listened to the last episode, go listen to it after you listen to this full episode. Oh yeah, you were out.
I had the flu on that episode. I felt horrible.
Just the two
Just the tip, quick pickleball wisdom in and out before you know it. Watch your opponent's
Especially if it's from the Pretty Pickleball Company.
Speaker 1 (10:06.786)
Their paddle angle gives you clues about direction and speed. One of the best pickleball strategy tips for beginners.
Just the tip
Speaker 2 (10:22.963)
It's time for Pickle Pals!
Speaker 2 (10:28.918)
Another Pickle Pal is coming straight to your ear holes. Now listen, today I'm joined by the real dink master. Yeah, I said that right. Which is either the most confident nickname in pickleball or a challenge to every other dink master out there. We'll see. Born in Mexico City, now calling Rome, Georgia home, this guy teaches at one of the biggest pickleball facilities in the state, the Rome Downtown Racquet Center with 22 dedicated courts. But here's what makes him different. He doesn't believe in losing. Either you win or you learn.
He's a self-proclaimed positivist who believes things will always turn out well. love that. Which if you play pickleball and your partner keeps hitting it into the net, you know that's a superpower. Ladies and gentlemen, the real dink master himself, Luis Rojas. Luis, welcome to Big Dink Energy Podcast. Now I got, listen, when you call yourself the real dink master, I've got to start with that right away. Our fans are going to want to know that. Who gave you the nickname the real dink master?
You know what? I guess it was a self-proclaimed. First of all, thank you for having me, Guy. Like I said earlier, you know, I'm just super excited to be here and I really appreciate the opportunity. But going back to the real Dink Master piece, it was just something I put together, you know. When I first started playing pickleball, I saw this tournament called the Dink Master Tournament. And I ended up, you know, thinking that was a really cool name. And when I...
chose to embark in this pickable journey. I figured it would be good to, you know, start with something that was exciting and fun and just funny to me, you know? So that's how it came to be and here we are today. You know, it's been a journey since I first became the real Think Master.
living up to that name right? Yeah so there's you know we said at the top of it there you're from Mexico City originally now you're in Rome Georgia that's obviously a huge culture shift I would guess there's some soccer in your background too if I'm not being too bold with that so what brought you to Rome and then how to pickleball fit into that journey? Yeah
Speaker 3 (12:20.596)
Yeah, well first there's definitely a soccer story involved in my past and I'm actually super passionate about it. I follow my favorite teams every weekend and yeah, I just love it. And yeah, what brought me to Rome was just work. I was living in Oregon when I decided to move to Georgia. was going to school, taking on an MBA and yeah, this opportunity came to be.
was familiar with the company that I'm currently working for. It's called Cliff Drysdale Tennis Management. And so I applied for a pickable director position initially at the Rome Downtown Racquet Center. And when I was being interviewed for it, they said, you know, I see you have a really strong tennis background. You know, that's really good for us to know. But we don't really see the pickable background in you. You know, do you have any experience with that? And, you know, I played a couple of times up until then.
And I said, well, you know, I actually don't have any teaching experience, but I play a little bit and I feel like you and I, could figure out my way into it. I figured it was a opportunity and why not shoot my shot? And I think they appreciated that. And so at the time, who's now my boss and mentor brought up, you know, an opportunity that they had the Rome Tennis Center, which is the biggest hardcore tennis facility in the nation. And they said that if I was interested, they could interview me for that.
position and I ended up saying yes and moved to Georgia a week after I accepted the position and yeah, it's been a journey since, you know, I started playing and teaching tennis when I first moved out here and then a year and a half after I started, I feel like I reached my tennis peak because I was really working towards
the dream of becoming a professional tennis player and earning professional points at the pro level. And, you know, I worked really hard for it. I feel like I became as good as I could possibly be, you know? And then when I finally got to a point where I started winning tournaments and feeling confident and playing really at my best, it just hit a wall. You know, I didn't feel right anymore.
Speaker 3 (14:34.412)
I felt like I was becoming someone that I didn't know if I wanted to be. I didn't find tennis fun anymore. It was very, just wasn't fun anymore. There was pressure behind it. There was doubt, there was fear, and I just didn't know what to do. And I came up to my mentor and he said, well, up until that point, we played pickleball a couple of times and...
And he said, well, you know, I think pickleball might be something that it might be worth looking into, you know? And I said, you know, like, I don't know if I'm ready to leave tennis because he said, if that's something that you do want to do though, it's, you know, something that you got to fully jump into, you know, like you kind of have to leave tennis behind and give it a real shot, you know? And I said, I don't know if I'm ready to do that yet, but long story short, two weeks after that, I said, you know what, tennis no more and let's really see.
what this Pickleball thing looks like, know? And funny enough, at the time, DLN Open was happening. And so I decided to sign up for my first singles event at 4.0. And I ended up winning it and just having a lot of fun, seeing the value in Pickleball. that's where the journey officially started.
That's awesome. That's awesome. That's a great origin story. So, you know, the facility there at the Rome Tennis Center, that's part of, that's a satellite kind of Berry College, And so do the tennis players and the pickleball players get along? Is there a little bit of infighting there or like a you stole our courts kind of thing?
Well, so actually the way it works is we have the Rome Tennis Center, which has somewhere between 43 and 45 outdoor courts and six indoor courts. we have tennis courts for days. we actually, throughout the year, we dedicate two of our indoor courts to Pickleball. We tape them between tennis courts.
Speaker 3 (16:32.27)
so that they're not under tennis courts. And we have some of those rolling nets. So throughout the year we have two indoor courts in Cays. It's too hot, it rains. And then in the winter we have a big indoor tournament and we tape six indoor courts for the winter. And then we have the Rome Downtown Rocket Center, which is a club that's fully dedicated to pickleball. We also have tennis courts there. We have like six tennis courts, but we have now 28 pickleball courts. so throughout the year,
Most players in Rome that play pickleball play at the Rome downtown Rocket Center. And then in the winter we shift to the indoor courts at the Rome tennis center. But there's no really fight for courts in our area. Just because you have so many courts that you never have to wait for courts. You never have to fight for them. So you have to answer your question. It really doesn't exist that fight between pickleball and tennis players.
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 3 (17:29.354)
I will say there is a big fight, or not a big fight, but some thing when it comes to tennis players versus pickable players. You know, the typical, the typical, I'm not ready for that type of thing exists and that sort of thing.
Yeah. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (17:45.464)
So, you know, being a self-proclaimed positivist, absolutely love this. Glass is always full or maybe glass is half full and can I have some more please? How do you teach that win or learn mindset to your students who are convinced maybe they suck and they'll never improve?
Yeah, well, you know, the first thing I make sure that I do is I try to be vulnerable with them. You know, I try to just take the moment to say things out loud and how they are and just tell them, greet them with a smile and tell them like, hey, you know, like I see this, you know, but I'm here to help. And if you allow me to do it, I promise you that I will do my best to help you. Yeah. In whatever it is.
that you need help with because you know, as a coach, I realized that sometimes you think that you are struggling with something because you don't know the pickable side of it. But there's times where there's something else that's keeping you from doing it properly. Yeah, yeah.
being blocked by something. And I think in that mindset, you know, where we talk about the glass half full, the first thing we need to realize is the glass was open and ready to be filled, right? And so when people can show up to the court like that, just open and ready to be filled, they're absolutely gonna have a better time with that, with you especially.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I completely agree with that. So now, yeah, I mean
Speaker 2 (19:08.46)
Has that mindset ever backfired for you? Like have you ever been too optimistic or, or, know, just someone just was not ready for it they kind of walked off because you're too positive.
Yeah, yeah. mean, it's actually happened more than once. You know, it happens almost every day. You know, there's always that someone that just, they're just very realistic people, right? They just, they are okay with things not being perfect all the time. And you know, a lot of times they make that clear to me, you know, and I have to make sure that I recognize that and that I'm able to work with it. You know, the thing that I have found is that when you encounter someone that's very different than you in that way,
that you try to meet them in the middle, that you definitely say your piece and you show them where you stand, but that you also take a second to understand where they're standing and not try to push the boundary of, hey, know, let's have fun and joke around and all smiles and say your piece and give them a little bit of space and see how they respond to that. I've had people, you know, they just don't vibe with it at all. And there's times where
you know, I get to a point where I'm like, while I understand and I respect why you don't vibe with me, I hope you understand and respect that I don't vibe with you either. Yeah. You know, and so I've had one person walk out of the court and just say, thank you. And you know, there's days like that, you know, where I always try to be respectful, you know, and I try not to engage in, you know, toxic and negative behavior. There's times where people are having a bad day and you just.
don't rub them the right way. And it's completely understanding for someone to be like, know what, I'm not having you today. Maybe I'll come back, maybe I won't. But you know, I mean, as a coach, you also have to learn to see those experiences for what they are and learn from them. You know, make sure that you don't, because maybe that day I did push too far, you know, and that maybe it pushed that person to just say, you know, hopefully this teaches you a lesson, you know.
Speaker 2 (21:12.504)
think they, like we said earlier though, they have to show up with the right mindset. You can't expect to be filled up if you're not ready to be filled up. I teach deescalation training in my other life and people can't be deescalated till they're ready to be deescalated. I think in this situation it's the same. You can't learn until you're ready to learn, till you show up with the right attitude for learning. Now, if someone was asking, why am I gonna go to Rome, downtown racket center?
versus any other pickleball place in the area what's kind of the elevator pitch you know that one or two sentences that you would tell someone like it this is the place to be you don't want to be anywhere else yeah
It is the place to be because of two main things. The first one is the people, man. I would not be playing pickleball if I didn't start around the people that make up the Rome Downtown Rocket Center. They are just so kind, respectful, helpful. When I first started playing pickleball, I wanted to be good, you know, because I had a very high bar coming from tennis. And so, you know, when I first broke into...
group picks in town, I would reach out to them every single day, twice a day, maybe three times a day, and I would say, does anyone want to drill? Does anyone want to play single? Does anyone want to play doubles? Right? And there was always someone that would make time for me. Always someone, you know? And yeah, I think that's the main reason. You know, you are going to go to the Rome Downtown Rocket Center, and I can assure you that you're going to get multiple games in with a lot of different people. And that
All those people are going to be respectful and fun. Okay. That's the first thing. The second thing is it's a beautiful venue where you never have to wait for reports.
Speaker 2 (22:54.38)
That's awesome. Yeah, that's, that's definitely important. You know, when we're showing up to, can I even get a court or am I paddle stacking and hoping I can jump in somewhere? Yeah. I think a lot of people love that, you know, that they can show up and they know they're going to have a court when you guys are that big. Obviously it gets a little bit easier that way. So let me ask you this, you know, five years from now, what does success look like for the real dink master for Lewis? it, are you still teaching in Rome? Are you running clinics across the country? Are you guys expanding or you're just building your own facility?
Yeah.
Great question, guy, you know? I think success for me looks like this. I am in the top 10 singles rankings at the PPA Tour and have my own pickable facet.
Love it. Yes. I was hoping you would say that man. I was hoping Yeah, yeah, that's fantastic I love both of those right there for you and I have no doubt with your positive attitude and the people you come across and the people you influence that that's gonna be easy to do in five years for sure. So yeah last question if you had to teach one thing to every pickleball player in the world beginner to pro, what would it be?
My own interpicable facility.
Speaker 3 (24:00.312)
Yeah, you know, this is the thing for me. I learned it from my mentor called Gaston and it's something that completely changed my my, my look on, on rocket sports. If you understand that the idea of quality, right? What does quality mean? Being able to play four shots before you allow yourself to miss every point that's going to put you in a path that is just going to in a never ending path. You're always going to get better. Right?
If you understand that you need to hit four shots every point before you miss, you are going to win, let's say, 53 % of the points you play. Because you have quality. If you're a player that misses constantly within the first three shots, you're going to struggle.
I love that. never, never thought of that before. Yeah. If you can nail those, you know, after the third shot drive, you can nail that next shot picking where you want to put the ball, you know, based on how the other team, you see the other team playing those four shots, man. I think you're absolutely right on every, on every volley, right? If you can get that down. Yeah, that's huge. I love that. I love that.
Yeah, and you know, I think that tip actually applies to all levels of players, right? Like, it doesn't matter if you're a beginner or a pro, right? If you're a beginner, it's gonna... hitting at least four shots per point is gonna allow you to play the point. And if you're a pro, it's gonna allow you to play a good quality point, right? You're gonna get the point started and you're gonna give yourself an opportunity to either lose or win the point. Yeah.
but at least you're gonna get to that point where you can do that.
Speaker 2 (25:42.712)
Yeah, and I think that's right about the time you start settling into your rhythm too for that particular set, right? So yeah, man, I just absolutely love that. That's great. So how can people get a hold of you? How can people get a hold of the courts? What's all the social media taglines everybody needs to know? Yeah.
Yeah, well, you know, they can always reach out to me through DM on any of my social platforms going from Instagram to YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat. I am there under the Real Think Master. Email works too, therealthinkmaster.gmail.com. If you guys, if people are looking for private lessons, whether they are in person or online, they just have to reach out to me directly. Or if you're in town in Rome.
You can just call either the Rome Tennis Center or the Rome Downtown Rocket Center. You can call the office, look it up on Google. the office, ask for me and you'll be able to get all my details, know, rates, lesson times, everything, you know.
it. Love it. Well, Lewis, the real Dinkmaster, I appreciate you being on the Big Dink Energy podcast. To all you fake Dinkmasters out there, don't come for Lewis. He knows what you're all about out there. Thank you, Lewis, for being on the podcast today.
Thank you guys, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (27:02.158)
Get in where you fit in. Pick six is where we take one question, each bring two answers and immediately regret agreeing to this segment. What you got?
Things that start a fight in .5 seconds.
Mine is going to be chewing too loud.
Speaker 2 (27:23.81)
This doesn't taste like your mom's.
That's a good one. I would have done it differently. Oh, that could definitely start.
Yeah, that's a good one.
did you seriously buy another Stanley? Yes, I did.
my god.
Speaker 1 (27:40.449)
that feels like a personal attack for her.
Good guy. Yes, I did buy another coat.
I believe it wholeheartedly. Your sister's a better kisser.
you
I guess I'll round it out with, hey, have y'all ever heard of the flat earth theory?
Speaker 2 (27:58.766)
I can be in another room in here that
Let's start a fun fight.
I got rotten up the other day!
What you got? Tell us what you liked about Pick 6 and tell us what your thoughts are on what can start a fight within 0.5 seconds.
Speaker 1 (28:20.462)
News you can use.
Speaker 2 (28:25.752)
Damn, bye, I had just been handed this. Did you know Anna Lee Waters, I think you've heard that name before, officially posted what many are calling the end of an era. Today, confirming her split from PaddleTech. Yep, you heard it here first, probably. That partnership defined a huge chapter for her career, and now she's paddle free and public. Hey, get in our DMs, PaddleTech, we got you.
So listen, this isn't gossip. This is market movement. She's the most influential player, arguably, in the sport. Whatever paddle she picks and uses and has in her hand will sell immediately. That's right. Maybe she's going to go with Pretty Pickleball Company. That would be awesome. She's already testing gear from Franklin Sports with apparel chatter tied to Nike. Now that'll be big. These are the next steps, I think, to getting us in the Olympics as big sponsors.
branding.
Speaker 1 (29:20.162)
Well, did you know this got me thinking. There's not been a Pickle Wall person on the Wheaties box. So maybe she'll be the first one on the Wheaties box.
Well, mean, technically there is, but not, she wasn't playing pickleball all the time. Who? Was, one of the tennis sisters.
that
Speaker 1 (29:39.328)
No, but there hasn't been like a pickle Williams. You're talking about one of the Williams sisters. But there hasn't been a pickleball person. So that would be like another one of those milestones. I think for her, don't, mean, I don't know the reasons everybody's just speculating. Cause you know, as we record this, came out today, but I think this is an up level for her. It's, I think it's just.
Yeah, I think this is definitely level up.
Speaker 1 (30:05.42)
you know, she's gotten to a point and it's like, it's time to, know, some things that got you to where you were are not going to be the same things that get you to where you want to go. And so I think an up level is good for
Well, obviously we know as we sit in these chairs and crack these mics, this isn't a niche thing anymore. I we, and I keep saying it and I'll say it for a little while still is we are at the tip of an iceberg of that hasn't just come to the surface yet. Pickleball is going to be huger than it is. So I think this is something that signals that it's going to be interesting to see how this plays out. There's going to be some major brands that are courting her right now. And it,
Yeah, some major brand
Speaker 4 (30:45.898)
I wonder if Tesla's reached out.
It would definitely, a huge brand like that would definitely not only take her, but also the sport more public. So I'd like to see that and I'd like to see Wheaties box.
Two things, Elon getting her DMs, let's get that Tesla paddle in her hand, and also Elon getting our DMs. We want to have you on the podcast.
anybody eaten Wheaties, like in the last 40 years?
didn't know it still existed so no.
Speaker 2 (31:11.444)
shame, yeah.
I'm just wondering I don't really eat cereal so I don't I still look at the boxes though yeah anytime I walk through the if I don't order groceries I'll walk through and I'm like who's on the Wheaties box I don't know what maybe because as a kid it was a big dog it was
Good, I think.
Speaker 2 (31:27.63)
Yeah, yeah, not paper.
Speaker 2 (31:33.376)
You had Bruce Jenner, Bruce Jenner on the box. said Babe. They might be that old. don't know how old they are. Yeah, I watched him play. I didn't know. The Bambino.
Yeah
But damn you wouldn't have remembered that. No you didn't.
my gosh.
I just think that
Speaker 2 (31:49.655)
Salt and a Swat?
I think that it is one of those
Stop. Okay.
I think that it's one of those things that will always amplify a athlete.
Yeah, I think so. think so. Yeah, Wheaties is the big brother of Raisin Bran. both of them need a ton of sugar on top. So if you're Annali, what do you chase here? Do you chase the innovation, money, or legacy?
Speaker 1 (32:20.6)
When Mary Lou Retton was on Wheaties, gosh, she was.
still have the box? No. You sleep with it?
No, my mom bought generic cereal. I didn't even get real weedy.
You would get it once and then she put the generic
Generic inside. Can see that as well. All right. Well, hopefully we get some pickleball on the Wheaties box.
Speaker 2 (32:36.046)
Yes, yes, welcome
Speaker 2 (32:41.13)
Yeah, Anna Lee, pop in, just let us know what you're doing, girl. Hit us up. Drop in my DMs any time. I know you want to play mixed doubles with me. I've got a waiting list, though, so line up quickly,
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:01.378)
Find us at bdepodcast.com or at bdepodcast on the socials. Drop us a message. We might just feature you in the next episode. If you had a good time, well, same z's. If not, maybe try again. We grow on people. So you know the deal. Follow the show, tell a friend, and leave us a review. Or just pretend this never happened. Until next time, keep the dink soft and the energy big.