Ep. 45: Men's Tennis Student-Athlete Aayush Bhat

David & Amelia took some time to discuss the spring season with men's tennis student-athlete Aayush Bhat. The group discusses a variety of topics, including the international flavor of the tennis roster.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Oh, we got it.

SPEAKER_02 0:08

Bot bot. Yeah, we got 'em.

SPEAKER_01 0:10

We'll throw back to the Polar Express with that one, but fun remix to start our podcast today.

SPEAKER_02 0:16

Yeah, you know, it's March, but we're gonna we'll throw back to Polar Express. We need to. My favorite Christmas movie, by the way. I'll just throw it out there. Um, but yeah, I'm gonna title this episode, if you read it correctly, we have a very special guest, Ayush Bot, will be joining us later on in the episode. Talk about all things men's tennis and of course his journey to Temple. Before we do that, let's do what we always do and recap last week in Temple Athletics on this beautiful Thursday afternoon. Episodes come a little bit later in the week. You know, we'll take responsibility for that, but you know I won't. Amelia's middle of the schedule. I got class in the evening, Ayush is in the middle of his busy season, so just work with us here. You know, we're trying to fire out episodes every week. Yeah. Maybe not the consistency of the previous couple months. We're here. Uh no big deal. Um, let's start with women's gymnastics who wrapped up their season last weekend at the Eagle Conference Championships. And, you know, looking at this overall, it definitely was not the result the Owls were going for. They placed fourth out of five last year. They were second in this meet. Um, however, they started hot on Vault. They actually had three women podium in the vault, including a freshman, Jade Harden. She scored a 9, 7, 7, 5 on vault, which was good for third place. Amelia Budd, who we talked about last weekend, who was named first team all conference. She was second with a 9.8. And then sophomore Nikki Rengifo, who we had on the podcast last week. She won vault with a 9.825. So it's that owl pod magic, just got the work there. Um, but unfortunately, after that strong start, the owls could not hang with some of the other teams and ultimately fell with a 194.35. Towson won this meet with a 196.375. They were on it, I have to say. They were on it. Uh they actually started on a buy event and they got on the bars, and it was it was pretty impressive.

SPEAKER_03 2:22

Unstoppable.

SPEAKER_02 2:22

Um, but you know, Temple, like we talked about a lot this year, they had a young team. Um, they're only graduating one senior, so a lot of this roster will be back next year. Um, definitely have their work cut out for them. Um, but I think this group will come together in the offseason, hopefully um turn the page and look forward to having another another uh a better season next year, I should just say. Um let's move to women's tennis, who is kind of on a bit of a heater, I could say, right now. Um last week they 4-0'd Norfolk State at home.

SPEAKER_01 2:55

First home match of the season, right?

SPEAKER_02 2:56

On Thursday, yeah, it was the first home match. Um they did drop to Penn on the weekend 4-1, but then bounced back in a big way yesterday, which was Wednesday, March 25th. They beat up on the St. Joseph's Hawks, which we love to see. They won that match 5-2. So, you know, they've won two out of three. I like where this team's trending.

SPEAKER_01 3:18

I imagine Penn is a pretty good team as well.

SPEAKER_02 3:20

I imagine Penn plays pretty good tennis, uh, although we could probably ask I used that in here in a couple minutes. Um, but you know, I just think this team looks like they're rolling right now. Remember, they didn't play as many matches as they'd like to over spring break, but um, hopefully they can get rolling before conference comes around, which is in a couple weeks. So uh be on the lookout for that team. You wanna you wanna we don't have many sports to recap this week. You wanna you want to talk women's relax?

SPEAKER_01 3:44

Of course, yeah. As we talked about last week, we went down to ECU, a nice eight-hour bus ride. Um we lost by one. It was a seven to eight loss, tough loss, you know. You never want to lose by one point because you feel like it's in your grasp. But yeah, this week we were on a road again back at JMU, and they were preseason ranked number one in the conference, but I believe they're second now. So this will be our third conference game and looking to rebound and give them all we got, you know?

SPEAKER_02 4:17

Yeah, I mean, you guys have have lost a couple in a row now, but we just saw before the podcast, you know, three losses, difference of three goals. Um, I'm sure that is is almost like bittersweet, right? I mean, you're you're not far off.

SPEAKER_03 4:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:32

Um, but obviously you want to turn those into wins. What's kind of your mindset as you get ready to go down, which I'm sure is gonna be one of, if not your toughest conference games of the season.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

Yeah, I think I mean, all week we've been focusing like in these one goal losses, like it could be anything that determines that, you know, it could be any defensive stop, it could be a goal that we missed, so like just details all over and trying to really play like throughout a whole practice. Like our practices are pretty long, so like throughout three hour practices, like giving in our all the whole time because I think sometimes in games we go like kind of roller coaster and we go like have a lot of highs and lows. So if we can just play a more consistent four quarters, I think that'll help like well round us and really give us like the edge that we need to get on the other side of these like one possession games, right?

SPEAKER_02 5:19

And I know it feels like conference play just started, but and it's a short conference play. It's a short conference, so um, I'm sure there's some urgency now for sure as you need to probably pick up a couple wins here if you want to make the 14 tournament. What's kind of your outlook on that? Are you just taking it day by day, or are you in the back of your head like, hey, we gotta start rattling off a couple wins here down the stretch?

SPEAKER_01 5:41

Yeah, I think all of us probably have it in our minds, like, oh, we gotta beat Vanderbilt and ODU and Charlotte to make that to be that fourth seed right now. And I think I mean we are taking it week by week, and obviously the goal is to beat JMU too. So I would say it's in the back of some of our minds, but definitely don't take any opponent for granted, like, and just win the game that you have that week. So, yeah, that's gonna be our goal.

SPEAKER_02 6:05

Alright. Well, I'm looking forward to tuning in. I know it's a big game for you guys. Um, but hey, I mean, like you guys are right there. I feel like you guys have been overall been playing really good lacrosse.

SPEAKER_01 6:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:15

Um in a tough conference. So, and you're back home following week?

SPEAKER_01 6:19

Next week will be Versode You.

SPEAKER_02 6:21

Great. All right, well, yeah, best of luck this weekend. We'll be tuning in.

SPEAKER_01 6:24

Oh, that's Saturday at noon. I didn't I don't think I said that.

SPEAKER_02 6:26

So yeah, all your games are Saturday at noon for the most part, right?

SPEAKER_01 6:29

Yeah, we have one uh Wednesday game left, but that's a while away.

SPEAKER_02 6:33

So Gotcha. Alright, we said it was short. We're gonna end, we're gonna end with uh men's tennis here. It's weird, once some of the winter sports die off, there's not many spring sports. Yeah. Especially because crew and crew and rowing, their their real season picks up this upcoming weekend. So I guess next weekend we'll we'll bring them into the loop. But let's talk men's tennis, who we've we've talked a bit about here on the podcast. Um, similar to women's tennis, they they they had a pretty good trip down to Florida a couple weeks ago for spring break. And last week they picked up a win against Norfolk State. They did not compete against Penn uh like the women did. Um and we're actually recording with Ayush fresh off of a match in which the owls fell barely to St. Joe's four to three. Um Ayush, why don't before we get into kind of your section, why don't you come on? Let's talk a little bit about the match that just occurred and and kind of the bigger picture of how you guys have been playing the last couple weeks. So um maybe talk a little bit about your match today. I know you picked up a win. Uh would you play one, two, or two, or three today?

SPEAKER_00 7:41

Yeah, I mean, speaking about the match today was uh a very close match, and this team on paper is much better than us. They were ranked two weeks ago. So I think the fact that we came out the way we did, you know, we were right there shows that everybody on our team has a level to compete against a team like this, and even though it didn't go our way, but I'm really proud of every single person on our team, you know, everybody showed up today and we almost, you know, created the upset. So uh I think this is a good stepping stone for us as we uh heading into conference tournaments soon in less than a month, so every match we play from now is pretty important. So I think this was a step in the right direction, and I'm really excited to see uh what this team is gonna do at conference.

SPEAKER_02 8:34

Yeah, speaking speaking about the match, um sounds like I mean look, everyone has a different take on losses and what you should take away from them. Would you kind of look at this as somewhat of a of a moral win when you look at kind of the opponent and how you guys put up the fight? Obviously, losing 4-3, it's just one match really that determined that could have switched the outcome. Uh so is that is that kind of how you look at this? Like you didn't pick up the win, but maybe you get some momentum coming off of a strong performance overall from the team.

SPEAKER_00 9:03

Yeah, definitely. I mean, even after our match, our coaches said that this is probably one of the best singles performances they've seen from us the whole year. So uh speaking of that, you know, that's a huge positive for us, especially as you know, at the back end of our season. We have a pretty new team this year, so I'm really, really happy that everybody's showing up on a consistent basis and actually putting their best foot forward. So it's only positives from here, and then hoping we can we can actually build on this one.

SPEAKER_02 9:34

Yeah. Yeah. Alright, well, again, upcoming for you guys. Um I know conference is a is a couple weeks away, but it looks like you guys have a match coming up this weekend against Howard. Is that still just got cancelled? It just cancelled.

SPEAKER_01 9:49

That was supposed to be senior day, right?

SPEAKER_00 9:50

Yeah, it was senior day, but I think due to the weather they cancelled it. So senior day.

SPEAKER_01 9:54

It's gonna rain this weekend.

SPEAKER_00 9:55

I think so. I think it's gonna be really cold.

SPEAKER_02 9:57

So are they gonna reschedule that or is that just off the books?

SPEAKER_01 10:00

Uh you gotta have a senior day.

SPEAKER_00 10:02

Yeah, senior day will be rescheduled for sure, but the match, I don't know if it's gonna be rescheduled because apparently Howard has some confidence games they want to play, so not too sure about that.

SPEAKER_02 10:13

So senior day will be postponed, we should say. Alright, so well, I'm sure we'll we'll continue to talk about the team. Um, but let's get into kind of your like talking more about your journey here to Temple. And that's kind of where we usually start with our guests. So I know you're from I know you did you grow you grew up in West Virginia, is that correct? Partially?

SPEAKER_00 10:36

Yeah, so I was born in West Virginia. Uh moved to India when I was about three years old.

SPEAKER_02 10:42

Yeah. I knew you I knew you lived in India for the majority of your upbringing. I know you you did you were born in West Virginia in the States.

SPEAKER_00 10:50

That's right, yeah. So uh yeah, I moved to India when I was really young and um picked up tennis by you know just my friends. Uh used to, you know, we were looking for something to do after school, and there was a tennis court run in front of my house, so that's kind of how I started. I got better. Then the coach said, told my parents I should join an academy. And uh I guess it kind of went from there, you know. I just got better and better. Started winning in my state, played a lot of national tournaments, and then progressed on to international, and had fairly decent results internationally. You know, I was ranked top 100 in the world, uh ITF, which is international, you know, tennis. And I also played at the Australian Open Juniors 2023 prior to college. Oh wow. Yeah, so pretty much, you know, my whole life before college was kind of tennis, and a lot of the guys on the team are the same as well because tennis is such an individual sport that you kind of have to go all in, you know, if you really want to play at a high level.

SPEAKER_02 12:03

Right. Yeah um you wanna you wanna ask a little bit about the team? I know we we've taught we've talked about this before because I feel like your team is is a little bit unique.

SPEAKER_01 12:12

Yeah, for sure. Before we get to that, can you talk about a little bit of your recruiting journey? Like how did you get exactly to Tempo Temple?

SPEAKER_00 12:19

Tempa. Yeah, so uh so I was as I said as I said, I was playing on the international circuit. College was always at the back of my mind. Uh I knew I wanted to go to like a good D1 school, but uh I wasn't really sure, you know, I didn't have a specific school in mind. And uh I was getting close to you know my senior year when I started getting a few messages from coaches that you know they're interested in me. And these were actually like you know, very, very good schools to name a few: Clemson, Rice, and schools like these, very good tennis schools. And I really had not much idea about what college tennis is like. Uh didn't know what were the good teams, so uh I ended up getting on call with all of them, and you know, I just didn't make a decision early enough. I was and then I ended up committing, verbally committing to SMU in Texas, uh which is also a top 20 tennis school at the moment. So I was verbally committed to go there and then didn't quite work out at the end with um you know ran into some issues. This was actually uh June of the summer I was supposed to come. So literally two months ago. Before I was supposed to come to college, I ran into issues with you know the SMU coach and like just some recruiting issues. And the very next day uh I got a message from the Temple coach saying he has a spot on the roster open. Uh you know, I didn't really know much about Temple. I had a friend earlier from you know my academy back in back home who played on the women's team here, but I apart from that I didn't really know much about Temple. Uh but when I got the message, you know, I quickly looked up the school, saw that it had good academics, pretty good tennis program. Uh I was also in a big city, that's something I was looking for. So I thought it would be a good fit for me. So I ended up committing immediately. So that's kind of how I got a tempo. I know it was not a you know, not a straightforward journey, but I'm glad it all worked out at the end. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 14:38

I can't imagine just like a Google search and be like, yeah, I guess I'll go here. But I know for a lot of internationals that we've talked to definitely had like a similar route. Like I think what Francesco said he looked up a YouTube video and he's like, Yeah, I'll go here. So that's funny. Very different recruiting from like a lot of the other sports. Um, kind of going back to your team dynamic, like we said, a lot of internationals. Can you let us know like beginning of the season how how are things gelling? I know you got a new transfer in over winter break and just a little bit more into like the people on the team and culture, maybe.

SPEAKER_00 15:11

Yeah, of course. Um we have uh probably the most internationals uh you know, percentage-wise at Temple of any athletic team. So um I personally think that's a good thing. You know, we get a lot of different cultures, a lot of guys from different backgrounds who can like they just have you know different ways of how they've been, you know, how they've grown up, and it's really nice to see that everybody respects each other's culture. Uh and you know, everybody knows that you know, a lot of the teammates are away from home, so there's that kind of brotherhood in the team. Like, you know, the teammates are like kind of like family. You know, this year we're much closer as a team than let's say my past three years. So I think we're kind of using that as an advantage for us, you know, it really translates into encore success as well because tennis, as much as of an individual sport that it is outside of college, in college, it's very much a you know a team sport and how uh you know your teammates can actually cheer you on. So I think we've been doing a very good job in that aspect. Our energy has been great this whole semester, and that's something we're thriving on as a team. So so yeah, really um really excited to uh to just get the season, you know, we're almost at the back end, so really excited uh for conference tournament. I know this team can do big things.

SPEAKER_02 16:44

Yeah, I think that's that's an interesting point you make about you know, outside of college, your sport is very individualized, but when you get here, you're part of a bigger team, and that's kind of how you evaluate your season, right? Is like how you do as a team, not necessarily individually, although that's obviously part of it. Similar for my for my for my team as well, obviously, like how you run the person next to you doesn't really impact it, but you impact the team. So I guess like going off of Amelia's point, um, and your point about like a lot of international students, how how do you feel like your team does that, like does a good job of building the culture and gelling? Because I think I can say for some you know more domestic-based sports, for example, lacrosse, like a lot of Amelia's teammates knew each other before they even got here, so they already had that relationship. Whereas when you got here, I'm gonna guess you didn't know anyone on the team. I'm guessing that goes the same for everyone who's coming here. So, how do you kind of create that dynamic? I know you're a spring sport, so maybe you use the fall as a way to kind of have the team gel because I'm sure that's um pretty difficult to do every year.

SPEAKER_00 17:47

Yeah, absolutely. Like, I'm sure, like me personally, I didn't know anybody while I was coming here, and I'm sure it's the same for most, if not all, the guys. So, really, uh as I said before, like you know, the 10 of us or the 11 of us that are on the team really play a big part in ensuring that every person on the team feels safe and you know, kind of feels at home uh in Philly because you know, uh, like as I said, home is really far for most of us, so we really gotta be one big family, you know, as teammates. And uh yeah, we do use the fall and kind of like you know, since we don't play much, you know, we'll do a lot of like team bonding activities, you know, maybe team dinners, go out as a team. So I think that also helps, you know. Off-court bonding definitely helps on court because uh yeah. I mean, as I said, it all comes down to how good and how close you are as a team in the spring. So I think that's something that the that does really help the team.

SPEAKER_02 18:52

Yeah, yeah, interesting. Well, um let's move towards we talked about conferences coming up. We know that's that's taking place down in Tulsa. Your your sport's a little unique, and and mine honestly, the same way. Like you don't really you don't usually race, or for me, you don't race the teams in your conference before the actual conference meet. It's similar in your sport, you're not playing uh the schools in your conference prior to the conference tournament. Whereas Amelia from every weekend in April, she's gonna be playing teams in the conference. So, what's that like? What's that been like in the past, and and what are you hoping to achieve this year going to conference uh for your third time?

SPEAKER_00 19:32

Yeah, I mean, uh I would say it's not ideal, you know, uh, even though I mean our conference is kind of spread out all over, you know, the South, and like we got f schools in Florida, Texas. So ideally it would be good to have at least a couple conference matches under the belt before going into the tournament. But uh we don't, so you know, we gotta make the best of the situation we have and really try to approach every match, especially from now on, like it's a conference match. We gotta play with that, you know, the same intensity, the same focus that we would do in a conference match, and that's just gonna um help prepare us better for the actual tournament. Because every team in our tournament is you know, most of them are ranked, and every match we play at the tournament is is going to be a tough match. So kind of like really using the matches we play to to prepare and make sure we're we're actually fighting, you know, very hard as a team so that everybody's prepared when they you know when we actually go into the conference tournament.

SPEAKER_01 20:39

And kind of moving on, past conference, I know you said very individualistic sport over summer. I know all all teams have very different summer training packets and stuff like that. Um, do you like plan tournaments over the summer? Are you looking forward to anything in the summer that's gonna help grow your game?

SPEAKER_00 20:57

Yeah, I so the past two summers I've been you know kind of traveling around, playing tournaments just to uh you know, just to keep in touch and like I I also play the circuit, you know, the professional circuit apart from college. So uh so yeah, I've been past two summers I've traveled around, played tournaments, and I think it's a good way because the level is very high. So it's it kind of like prepares me for college as well. And uh overall, I just you know I just like playing tennis rather than sitting sitting around at home for you know three or four months and doing nothing. I'd rather use my time constructively and do something that that's actually gonna benefit me uh while having fun, you know, as well. So I I have a lot of friends on the tennis circuit, and it's pretty much the same guys we see, you know, because uh a lot of the the Indian players, of course, I know them and you know will travel together for tournaments, stay together, so creates a different kind of camaraderie there. Uh, you know, especially tennis being such an individual sport, so so yeah, I really do enjoy it.

SPEAKER_02 22:06

What's like one of your favorite places you've been to play in the last couple years?

SPEAKER_00 22:10

Uh definitely one I can think of at the top of my mind is Austria. Okay. Went there in twenty twenty-two and it was just beautiful, man. Like I was playing like the courts were overlooking like a snow capped mountain. Oh wow. And it was just stunning, like, you know, the weather was perfect, people were very nice, so I think that's gotta be at the top.

SPEAKER_02 22:35

Yeah, I'm sure you got a lot of stamps on your passport. Any any uh any any new places this upcoming summer that you're gonna be uh playing in that you haven't played before, or is it most mostly the same places?

SPEAKER_00 22:45

Uh good question. I actually haven't like planned completely where I'm gonna play this summer, but you know, there's definitely gonna be some new places. Like last summer I went to Uzbekistan, which was pretty different. You know, very good experience. I'm glad I went there. Tashkent is a beautiful city. Uh didn't play my best tennis there, but I guess it's part of the journey. Yeah, getting to see another beautiful place.

SPEAKER_02 23:12

Uzbekistan, that was not on my back. Yeah, crazy poll, I feel like I was expecting uh something that I don't know, not as Beggas. Uh alright. Well, I'm excited to you know continue to follow your team this this upcoming season. I guess the season's already in the middle, but you know what I mean, the next couple weeks. Yeah and obviously in conference and then the summer. I feel like you know, I follow you on Instagram every couple weeks. You just get a new city on that Instagram. I'm like, this guy is a world traveler over here. So um, you know, hopefully play well this summer and and come back for for your last season, which is crazy because Ayusha and I were just talking. We we sat in this very room that we're recording this podcast in two years ago. He was a freshman, I was a sophomore. So I've got microeconomics together. Now I'm about to graduate, he's about to be a senior, so just shows you time, time really does fly.

SPEAKER_00 24:01

Yeah, man, it's crazy. I mean, I really don't know how it went by. I still remember the first day I was a freshman. Yeah. Still moving into Morgan South. It's crazy, like more than halfway done, and I really, you know, that being said, trying to enjoy every match, you know, every practice, you know, because I know I'm I'm gonna miss this when it's done. So really try to soak it in and just make the most out of it.

SPEAKER_01 24:28

Yeah, that's a great mindset.

SPEAKER_02 24:29

Alright, let's move. Uh Amelia wanna take it away for what we got for this edition?

SPEAKER_01 24:33

Let's get into the fun stuff. Um, that was fun to learn more about you, but like the real we're gonna learn the real IU, Sharon.

SPEAKER_02 24:39

This is where we this is where we really judge I use random stuff.

SPEAKER_01 24:42

Um today, opening day for the Phillies, the day that we're recording this, um, David's a huge Phillies fan.

SPEAKER_02 24:50

Huge, huge Phillies fan.

SPEAKER_01 24:51

Yeah. So with that, we're doing Temple Takes, which is my favorite segment on the podcast, and we usually try to do like a fun theme or something. Wait, was last week Temple? Oh, last week was our Leprechaun theme.

SPEAKER_02 25:04

For St. Paddy's Day.

SPEAKER_01 25:06

Yeah. And then so today's theme is gonna be take me out to the ballpark temple takes.

SPEAKER_02 25:12

It's great. Great, bring the alliteration back.

SPEAKER_01 25:14

Yeah, we bring we love the the tease for those of you.

SPEAKER_02 25:17

Since you missed this, for those of you that are new, Temple Takes, we're gonna throw out something related to the theme. We're all gonna give our take overrated or underrated, and then we'll we'll briefly explain why. Yeah. Some are brief, some are some areas. Some are not brief. Um, but yeah, today we're gonna be talking, you know, ballpark, going to a baseball game, some of the you know uh things you might encounter there.

SPEAKER_03 25:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:40

And also maybe, you know, touch touch on some uh some other things outside of baseball that might be more relatable for Ayush, because from what I've gathered, he's not the biggest baseball fan. But that's okay. Let's get let's get right into it.

SPEAKER_01 25:52

Yeah, let's I mean, I feel like you gotta we gotta go hot dog first. Like classic ballpark, lava. Did the Phillies bring back Dollar Dog Night or no?

SPEAKER_02 26:02

So no, they don't. I think it's BOGO. I think it's buy one, get one, Dollar Dog Night.

SPEAKER_01 26:07

It just doesn't have the same ring to it, but it's okay, I guess.

SPEAKER_02 26:09

Yeah, I'm gonna I while you give your take, I'm gonna fact check.

SPEAKER_01 26:12

I know everyone was mad last year that they got rid of it. I went to Dollar Dog Night, I think, last year, two years ago. It was a great time. I mean, you see some people carrying like 20 hot dogs or like that's insane. But I'm gonna go underrated. I love hot dogs. I feel like this sounds so weird, but I've been talking about hot dogs a lot recently. Um I got a new this is so random. I got a new mustard, yellow mustard from Trader Joe's, dill picker, dill pickle, yellow mustard, and I can't wait to try it on a hot dog. Underrated. Hot dogs are gas.

SPEAKER_02 26:43

Alright, Aish, you wanna give your take on the old hot dog?

SPEAKER_00 26:47

Uh I think it's definitely underrated. You know, I've heard about the dollar dog night. Uh and I'm just going like a classic hot dog with nothing, you know. Uh no. No ketchup, no mustard. No onions. Okay. Ketchup and mustard, yes. Onions is too much. Yeah, yeah. I know some people like theirs with onions.

SPEAKER_01 27:07

I do like a chili cheese dog.

SPEAKER_00 27:09

Yeah, but I don't think that'll be for me. So I'm just going like classic. And it's underrated.

SPEAKER_01 27:16

Yeah, he said underrated. Yeah, I'm just making it. He knows the drill.

SPEAKER_02 27:19

Yeah, hot dogs are underrated, especially at the ballpark. You get a ballpark dog, you're in the stands, it's a nice hot day. It's a great vibe. You get a nice cold water, and it's just it's just the best, honestly. Um yeah, it's a hot dog, especially at a baseball game, is extremely underrated. Um did you fact check? Yeah, there is there's three BOGO uh games in the month of April.

SPEAKER_01 27:40

Well, how much is a hot dog, does it say?

SPEAKER_02 27:42

Uh I didn't look into the menu pricing, um, but I could tell you the dates. I believe it's April 1st.

SPEAKER_01 27:48

I gotta mark my calendar.

SPEAKER_02 27:50

Which is uh next Wednesday. Um, although actually, now that I'm looking at it, um This is what the fans really care about. Yeah, April, April, April. The Phillies basically. April, April 13th, which is a Monday. Then you got uh April 28th, which is a Tuesday, and then yeah, March 31st, sorry, next Tuesday, you could uh go BOGO. Okay, good to know. Good to know. You know, quick shout-out. No free no free advertisements, but it's okay.

SPEAKER_01 28:16

Okay. Alright, let's move on. We'll stay on the food track. I mean, this is this might be the only place that you even hear of people eating like peanuts in the shell, but let's go peanuts. I'll start us off underrated. I feel like it's really good. Baseball games are so long, and it's so fun to like have something do for like that three hours. Like, obviously, you can watch the sport, but like a little snack is fun, and I love I love salt, so I love peanuts.

SPEAKER_02 28:42

Yeah, I'm sorry, I try to cut you off here. I I can't do peanuts at the game.

SPEAKER_03 28:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 28:46

Not only are they like way too salty, you're gonna force yourself to buy like a$8 water. Um, but like you break one of those things open and it's just all over your lap, all those crumbs. That is an annoying thing. And then you then you like look down and it's just all over your feet. I peanuts, it's like the idea is nice because you like buy at the beginning of the game and you can kind of like snack on it throughout the entire game. But the execution and you basically have to like you're working harder to undress the peanut than actually eat it. Undress is crazy. So uh I'm gonna say overrated.

SPEAKER_03 29:17

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 29:18

I think I gotta go with Dave on this one. I think they're overrated. Um I do like peanuts, but not doing a baseball game. Uh like you said, you know, just breaking them open and having them just guess what it's like.

SPEAKER_02 29:35

Also, like I don't have like my nails aren't long, but they somehow get stuck in your nails, the peanuts, too.

SPEAKER_01 29:40

You don't feel like how are you eating peanuts that's getting stuck in your nails?

SPEAKER_02 29:43

No, like when you open it up, like it's just like that cracking on your teeth. Uh stuff just gets everywhere. And then yeah, you taste the shell, it's like nuts. Okay. So I'm I'm out.

SPEAKER_01 29:52

Alright, you can do the next one since this was your grand idea.

SPEAKER_02 29:55

Yeah, this is my idea. And and I feel like real real ball knowers know this, um, know this guy at the game. So you go to a baseball game that you can always buy, you know, like the official score, you know, book where you can like keep score like manually. Um, which is like, okay, I'm gonna say it's underrated, but I will preface like I don't do this myself.

unknown 30:16

Right?

SPEAKER_02 30:16

Like, I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_01 30:17

How many people have you actually seen do this?

SPEAKER_02 30:19

If you go to a baseball game, like you look around, like you will see like a handful of people doing this.

unknown 30:23

Handful.

SPEAKER_02 30:24

It's called keeping the book. Like you're gonna like, every batter, you're gonna mark down what happened every every at-bat, and then you kind of like that way you kind of have a log of what happened in the game. Uh it's a very old school thing. I just think it's like classic. Like, only baseball has a thing like this where every at-bat gets tracked. You have little like uh codes that show you like what happened. So if it's like a double, you like draw like two lines. I I just think like this brings me back to my youth baseball days, uh, when keeping the book like every coach did it. Um so I just I love the idea of this, even though I'm not someone who's buying the book and keeping it themselves. I I appreciate this aspect of the game. Underrated.

SPEAKER_01 31:03

Okay. Um, I really don't have much of like an opinion on this. I'll guess I'll go overrated. Just because like you could look up all of that on ESVN, especially if it's like an MLB game. But I guess I have seen some like old men that are doing it that are really cute. Like you see a grandpa doing it.

SPEAKER_02 31:20

I didn't want to go like ageist on them, but like that is usually the general population.

SPEAKER_01 31:24

Yeah, I mean like that's like like I'm not gonna do it, but like that is kind of cute. Like cute.

SPEAKER_02 31:30

I don't like that word for this. I don't know if it's cute. I think it's more like official, you know what I mean?

unknown 31:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 31:35

I'm going overrated either, right?

SPEAKER_00 31:38

Uh I think I gotta go underrated because uh, you know, if somebody's taking the effort to do that, really what it's about. Really shows their passion and love for the game. So you said it way more simple than I did, but that's how in the end that's what it's all about, so I'll go underrated.

SPEAKER_02 31:56

I like that take. It's just great takes from Ayush. Let's see. We're gonna get this one.

SPEAKER_01 32:00

Let's uh This one we're just picking like one or the other.

SPEAKER_02 32:04

So we're gonna go cricket or baseball, which to be honest with you.

SPEAKER_01 32:08

Is it fair to like come?

SPEAKER_02 32:09

Prior to meeting Ayush, I couldn't tell you if I ever I don't know how cricket worked before I met Ayush, and you know, through this class, we actually would watch a good bit of cricket. That's hilarious. I learned the rules, and I I could I kind of know what's going on now, like generally speaking. But you know, the cricket matches take forever.

SPEAKER_01 32:25

How long?

SPEAKER_00 32:26

They can take days. Depends actually.

SPEAKER_01 32:29

Days?

SPEAKER_00 32:30

Yeah, there's one that takes five days. Yeah, they just play it over a course of five days. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 32:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 32:36

Yeah, that's a lot. Uh I mean, I'm a baseball guy. But I feel like cricket, you know, it's it's definitely an acquired taste, right? I I think if you understood it, it could be pretty entertaining. I feel like every sport can be. People complain about baseball being long and they've done all this, done all this work to make the game shorter. Cricket, they've just kind of accepted it. It's just a long time.

SPEAKER_00 32:58

Yeah, I feel like the one that's played over five days, it's actually the most prestigious one. So if you get selected in that team, you're like kind of made it to the pinnacle of cricket. So uh but me personally, I don't enjoy watching those because it's just very boring. Uh there's actually a league starting on Saturday, which is very big at home. What's it called? Give it a shout out. It's called the IPL, Indian Indian Premier League. So Premier League.

SPEAKER_02 33:28

So are you are you saying cricket over baseball?

SPEAKER_00 33:30

I have to go cricket.

SPEAKER_02 33:32

I mean, since growing up.

SPEAKER_01 33:33

I mean, he's been in Philly for three years and he says he hasn't gone to a Philly's game.

SPEAKER_02 33:36

So, yeah, I will just add cricket is the most popular sport in the world, right?

SPEAKER_00 33:40

More than soccer? In India, I'm not sure in the world.

SPEAKER_02 33:44

I thought I thought cricket is like the most played watched sport in the world.

SPEAKER_01 33:49

I thought it was soccer by like a long shot.

SPEAKER_02 33:51

I think it's soccer as well.

SPEAKER_01 33:52

Soccer has like billions of viewers. Like the World Cup, like I think they have they take the cake.

SPEAKER_00 33:57

Cricket, uh like not a lot of countries play like it's not a lot of countries. Okay, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_02 34:04

Cricket is number two. Soccer is number one, but cricket is number two. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 34:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 34:07

I got two and a half billion fans. That's okay.

SPEAKER_01 34:10

That is a lot. It's not in the Olympics, though, is it? Is it soon to be in the Olympics?

SPEAKER_02 34:15

No. Hopefully. That's crazy. I mean, soccer has three and a half to four billion, and cricket is two and a half billion. That is a lot higher than I would have thought.

SPEAKER_01 34:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:26

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 34:27

Um, I I haven't answered yet. Um, I don't really love watching baseball, which I know David's probably rolling his eyes at me. It's kind of boring. But I guess I'll go baseball on this. I've never watched cricket, so maybe I'll I'll go out of my to my way to watch it now. But yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:45

I'll get you on.

SPEAKER_01 34:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:47

It is, it is. I I will I at first I was like, can't can't do it. Now I'm like, I I could I could watch cricket.

SPEAKER_01 34:54

Dave, would you say it's the better Premier League, or are you going English Premier League?

SPEAKER_02 34:58

English Premier League. I haven't I don't like it that much. Let's bump the brakes. I like it. I don't like it that much. Um that's alright. Maybe maybe I'll continue to find my my love for the IPL, which starts this weekend. Um let's move to the staple of every baseball game, I feel like. Yeah, for sure. Is ice cream in the hat.

SPEAKER_01 35:16

Yeah, in the little plastic hat.

SPEAKER_02 35:19

Just it's one of those things, and I as I speak, maybe I'll come up with an analogy, but the location of the ice cream makes the ice cream taste like that much better. Like the fact that it's in a hat, the ice cream just tastes better. Um so I feel like this is extremely underrated because you only get it at the baseball game.

SPEAKER_01 35:37

Exactly. Yeah, there's no other place to be a little bit more than a few. No, there's no other place, and also close to this.

SPEAKER_02 35:41

What's really cool, what I love, is when they have like the different colored helmets. Like you ever like the Phillies do a good job. Like when they're wearing their uniforms, you get the blue helmet.

SPEAKER_01 35:48

Oh, that's so nice.

SPEAKER_02 35:49

And I I just feel like as a kid, I'd always like like collecting the little helmets. Yeah, so I'm gonna say like extremely underrated. And honestly, something that like I like ice cream. I'm not one of those like ice cream fanatics, but like when I'm at the game, like you gotta get it. I've gotta auto-purchase.

SPEAKER_01 36:04

Yeah, I think underrated too. I feel like I remember like as a kid like actually begging my parents to get like the little ice cream, and they're like, it's freaking$15, but like it's worth it. It's totally worth it. Yeah, and you're right, it does taste better for some reason. Like, it might just be the hype in the in the helmet or like some placebo, but that's okay. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:24

I gotta go underrated as well, because I love ice cream, you know, it's probably one of I just love ice cream.

SPEAKER_02 36:30

Well, what's your what's your favorite ice cream flavor?

SPEAKER_00 36:32

Uh gotta go classic, like chocolate chip or something like that.

SPEAKER_01 36:37

Didn't even know that was a flavor. Chocolate chip? Well, like I've heard of like chocolate chip cookie dough, and it like is it just chocolate with chocolate chips in it?

SPEAKER_02 36:44

Yeah, pretty much. Wait, you've never heard of chocolate chip ice cream?

SPEAKER_01 36:47

I've heard of chocolate chips, but I've never like chocolate ice chocolate ice cream with chocolate chip.

SPEAKER_02 36:52

I feel like this is the most surprising thing that's coming out of this episode. You've never heard of chocolate chip ice cream.

SPEAKER_01 36:56

I've heard of chocolate chip like cookie dough, like I was waiting for him to finish, but I guess he didn't. Or he did.

SPEAKER_02 37:01

I think you have. I think you're just having a moment.

SPEAKER_01 37:03

I've never seen that in the store. And I frequent the ice cream aisle.

SPEAKER_02 37:07

Okay. Would you have like a brand that you go to? Uh or is it just like whatever?

SPEAKER_00 37:12

Probably like uh I like Ben and Jerry's a lot. Classic. Yeah. But I gotta say the best ice cream spot on campus has to be Twist. Yeah. We love Twist.

SPEAKER_02 37:23

Well documented on this podcast, but yeah, I agree. Twist is great. Um I love their banana waffle. Have you tried that yet, by the way?

SPEAKER_01 37:32

No, I went I did go to Twist two days ago and I did not get the banana waffle. I'm so sorry. I got a gelati. It was a nice day out. Water ice with um some vanilla custard. It was amazing.

SPEAKER_02 37:42

Not to get off topic here, but gelati, I love that growing up. I just I don't I would never get a gelati now. Like the ice cream, water ice, like the soft are-so good.

SPEAKER_01 37:53

That combo.

SPEAKER_02 37:54

I'm just not a I wouldn't, I'm not into that right now.

unknown 37:56

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 37:56

It doesn't do it for me.

SPEAKER_01 37:57

Wait, you gotta know, I didn't grow up with water ice, so like maybe I'm making it for most time.

SPEAKER_02 38:01

I'm water iced out, I think.

SPEAKER_01 38:03

Also, I just looked up chocolate, chocolate chip ice cream. It is in vanilla ice cream. You didn't you just say it was in chocolate ice cream?

SPEAKER_00 38:09

Oh, I don't know what you looked up because.

SPEAKER_01 38:11

I looked up chocolate chip ice cream.

SPEAKER_00 38:13

It is literally chocolate ice cream with all vanilla.

SPEAKER_01 38:18

Oh, there's one. The seventh photo is chocolate, so I don't think I'm crazy here, but alright. I love ice cream.

SPEAKER_02 38:25

Yeah, my theatre. We all love ice cream. Might be a twist stop tonight for me.

SPEAKER_01 38:29

Yeah, it's a nice when it's a nice day out too. It was like 80 degrees today. Yeah. Okay, next one, the mascot races. It's awesome. I'll start us off underrated. I think this is like one of the funniest like parts of a game. And when do they usually do it?

SPEAKER_02 38:44

Uh it's like, I don't know, between innings.

SPEAKER_01 38:46

Like a random time, but it's always like it's always amazing. I remember I went to a Braves game this summer, and like it's it's like a Home Depot bucket racing like a hammer, and it's awesome. And it sticks towards the like it's like they always throw in some random person, and it's it just it's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 39:02

Yeah, so I gotta get a little specific here. So I think I've just said underrated for everything, maybe not the peanuts, but I love baseball, so this is awesome. Mascot races. The best mascot race goes on in in DC, the nationals game. They do the presidents race.

SPEAKER_01 39:16

Oh, that's hilarious. No, I haven't.

SPEAKER_02 39:17

They bring out like mascots of like old presidents and they race them, and it is it is absolutely hilarious. Everyone needs to go and YouTube this.

SPEAKER_01 39:23

Yeah, we gotta look that up.

SPEAKER_02 39:24

Because one of the presidents always falls. It's hilarious. It's like George Washington out there, and you just get a lot of things. And it's just like all the it's awesome. So I would say that is a mascot race. It also just fires the crowd up, you know what I mean? For sure. They wheel out the mascots and then wheel? You know, they bring them out, whatever. They bring them out the mascots. It's just great vibes. Um again, like, where are they doing this? They're they're not doing this at a love football. They're not doing a football game, they're certainly doing a basketball game. I don't think cricket. I don't think cricket's rolling out mascots.

SPEAKER_01 39:57

At Hooter's birthday, they did bring in all the mascots.

SPEAKER_02 40:00

Were they racing?

SPEAKER_01 40:00

No, but they were playing basketball. Did you see that?

SPEAKER_02 40:03

Yeah, but they're not racing.

SPEAKER_01 40:04

It was so funny. They were so bad at it. I think I'm bad at basketball. Oh my gosh. The mascots. The mascots, they can't probably see, but yeah. What about you, Ayush?

SPEAKER_00 40:12

I personally have no opinion because I have- I don't think Ayush knows what this is. I haven't seen it. You've never seen this?

SPEAKER_01 40:18

It was all over my Instagram last year, I feel like.

SPEAKER_00 40:20

Yeah, I guess if I see one, I think I think I would enjoy one. So it's entertaining for sure. I gotta watch the president's one.

SPEAKER_01 40:28

That sounds hilarious.

SPEAKER_02 40:29

Yeah, I'm gonna pull it up right now just so as we can record, you guys can uh can watch this. But uh let's let's move on to the last one, which this is a hard question. This this is a tough one that I probably should have started uh thinking about beforehand uh as they watch the uh presidents go on and race. I know, I kind of cheated.

SPEAKER_01 40:48

I'm laughing at the presidents right now. Um Abe Lincoln is really slow.

SPEAKER_02 40:52

Yeah, he's he's getting cooked. Um all right, walk-up song. So, as you know, if you follow baseball, every home team, every batter gets to walk up to whatever song they want, which is honestly sick. Like in a big moment, you know, new pitcher comes in, here comes the walk-up song for the hitter. It just gets a f it just gets the and the crowd starts singing along. So uh, you want to start with with with what your walk-ups are?

SPEAKER_01 41:17

This is such a tough song. I don't know. I you could go, or such a tough question. Um This is gonna be such a random poll. I might go like a throwback song, you know. You kind of want everyone in the crowd to hear it or like know it so they can sing with you. This is a song that was played today at practice, so that's probably why it's on my head. But Mirrors, Justin Timberlake, it's an undercover banger. Or I would do something fun, like that song, it goes like na na na. I think that's a fun, like an upbeat kind of like. I love that song. So I would want something that like everyone would sing and it would like get me like hype.

SPEAKER_02 41:53

Yeah, it's a good answer. I agree. You gotta you gotta find like what's gonna get you hype, what's also gonna get the crowd into it. You know, Bryson's Dad has the Ano Abi, yeah. That's it, that's a great one. Ayish, walk-up song.

SPEAKER_00 42:05

Well, I gotta go dreams and nightmares by Meek Mill. I mean, been in the city. Philly classic. Yeah, Philly classic, exactly. Been in Philly three years, so just gotta rap, you know.

SPEAKER_02 42:19

Yeah, that would work. Alright, my mine is I'm gonna go with uh Live Your Life by uh sing it. T.I. and Rihanna. It's like so live your life.

SPEAKER_03 42:28

Oh, that's a good one, actually.

SPEAKER_02 42:29

Yeah, yeah. Um I just love that song. I feel like it would just give me juice at the plate. I'd be ready to go. Get that Rihanna in there, you know. So uh yeah, welcome song. Those are good temple takes. Yeah. I thoroughly enjoyed that.

SPEAKER_01 42:42

I liked that thing.

SPEAKER_02 42:43

And uh Go Fillies, as always.

SPEAKER_01 42:45

We could have sung it too. We could have done our second song of the of the day and done like Take Me. I don't want to.

SPEAKER_02 42:53

I didn't want that.

SPEAKER_01 42:54

Take me out to the ball game? You don't know that song?

SPEAKER_02 42:56

Okay, okay, okay. I didn't know.

SPEAKER_01 42:58

Okay. Well that was yeah, that was fun.

SPEAKER_02 43:00

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 43:00

Now to your favorite segment.

SPEAKER_02 43:01

Let's pivot. Let's go Owl or Foul. Um segment where we discuss something that's trending upwards or soaring upwards, excuse me. In Temple Athletics. Why we call it soaring upwards?

SPEAKER_01 43:16

Because it's a it's a little shout-out we do every single week. That the Owl Faithful know that Soar is the name of the American Conference mascot, which we have never fact-checked. Is this what you're fact-checking right now?

SPEAKER_02 43:28

No, I'm looking at a picture because I miss his face.

SPEAKER_01 43:30

Oh, oh, you miss Soar's face. That's adorable. Um, yeah, so the American Conference is the only conference with a mascot, and that's Sore the Eagle.

SPEAKER_02 43:39

Soar the Eagle.

SPEAKER_01 43:40

Soaring upwards, something in in Temple, that's gonna be our owl, and then the opposite, our foul, is what it sounds like. And that's gonna be something that it needs improvement on or around campus. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 43:53

I like that. I'm just reading Meet the Sore Eagle, the press release. Yeah, can I just read it out loud? It's kind of funny.

SPEAKER_01 43:59

Love it.

SPEAKER_02 43:59

One of the One of the most innovative and fun aspects of our brand evolution is the introduction of Soar the Eagle as the American Conference's first ever conference ambassador. Soar is a multi-platform brand symbol designed to personify our values and story. In fact, we are the first collegiate conference to unveil both a live and animated character to represent its brand.

SPEAKER_01 44:19

Thank God we weren't wrong this whole time. That would have been embarrassing. Like we were we're wrong a lot, but like, thank you.

SPEAKER_02 44:26

Just just, you know, quick fact check. Just get your facts right. Um yeah, let's take it away with our owl, which we talked about earlier, this team, women's tennis. I just like where this team's going.

SPEAKER_03 44:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:36

I really do. I'm kind of fired up about where how they've been playing. Um, you know, they got their match canceled this upcoming weekend, unfortunately, but you know, next week, you know, I expect big things from this group. Next week? That's a fantastic question. Ayush, do you know off the top of your head who do you guys are competing against next week? Uh I'll tell you right now, they're going against Delaware on a Tuesday. Okay. Delaware, they got Delaware on Tuesday, and Friday they're coming back with NJIT. Alright, so it's a it's a busy week. Home on Friday? Uh, I believe the Tuesday match was a reschedule. And the Friday match is on the road. The Tuesday match, however, there's no indication of where that's being played, which is awesome.

SPEAKER_01 45:20

No indication.

SPEAKER_02 45:20

That'll be played somewhere.

SPEAKER_01 45:22

Um do you know? No, you didn't even know who they were playing. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 45:28

Women's tennis, let's just keep the momentum going. Our foul. You know, we talked about just now warm weather. Warm weather for the most part, it's awesome, right? We've talked about the miserable winter we faced. However, there's one aspect, especially living in North Philadelphia, right off of Broad Street. You get the Broad Street bikers.

SPEAKER_01 45:48

Yeah, it's very niche, but if you know, you know. If you know, you know. Especially if you lived in Morgan.

SPEAKER_02 45:53

This crew is known for kind of obnoxiously riding their vehicles. Because no, it's not just a bike.

SPEAKER_01 46:01

It could be I don't even know what you describe some of them as. They're like the three-wheeled machines.

SPEAKER_02 46:06

Some of the shadiest pieces of equipment you've ever seen.

SPEAKER_00 46:09

I actually saw them today. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 46:11

I think we just heard them.

SPEAKER_01 46:12

Yeah, you can hear them. We're in the middle of campus right now, and we can hear them.

SPEAKER_02 46:16

Yeah, I haven't seen them in a while. Because they don't go in the cold. Yeah, when it's warm. You can't ride one of those things when it's cold out.

SPEAKER_01 46:21

They're doing crazy tricks like wheelies with their legs in the air.

SPEAKER_02 46:24

You can never have all of their wheels on the ground. One of their wheels has to be in the air. It's it's really kind of annoying, to be honest with you.

SPEAKER_01 46:32

It is annoying, but also I'm like, wow, that's they're doing that. I think they're doing something.

SPEAKER_02 46:37

Well, I think, wow, you have nothing better to do.

SPEAKER_01 46:39

That is also crazy.

SPEAKER_02 46:40

I also do.

SPEAKER_01 46:41

It'll be like 1 p.m. on a on a Tuesday. Or it'll be like 200.

SPEAKER_02 46:43

Are we at work or on like a Monday night and you're just trying to go to bed and just hear those motors? Um cringe. But anyway, uh, yeah, it's warm weather, so you know, those fellows are in ladies, yeah. I've seen some ladies, you know, could be both. Um they love the bikes. So uh yeah, that's a foul, in my opinion. Loud, obnoxious, annoying, just anything negative you can think.

SPEAKER_01 47:08

Oh, and they also run through all the red lights, so it's a little dangerous, we could even say, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 47:12

Through campus, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:13

So it's definitely a foul, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 47:15

It's basically the textbook definition of a foul. Exactly. Cross street bikers. Um and if you're listening to this, please don't run me over when I try to cross cross street.

SPEAKER_01 47:23

Yeah, I hope none of them are listening because then they'll be really mad at this.

SPEAKER_02 47:26

Yeah, Al Faithful got our back though.

SPEAKER_01 47:27

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 47:28

If you know you know. Um, alright, well, that'll about do it for this edition of the All Pod. Yeah. If you've listened this long, thank you. Be sure to follow us on our Instagram at the All Podcast. You got any questions? Fire in those DMs.

SPEAKER_01 47:41

Mm-hmm. GM's always open.

SPEAKER_02 47:43

They're always open, so go ahead and you know, tap in there. Ayush, thanks for joining us. Best of luck this up uh the rest of the season and this summer. And uh go als.

SPEAKER_00 47:53

Go al's. Yeah, thank you for having me, guys. Always a pleasure.

SPEAKER_02 47:56

Of course. See you next week.

unknown 47:58

Yep.