Emma Watson, Will Ferrell, Dierks Bentley Star in 'Pickled'

CP's Apology. PB time machine. Another rule change.

Last night's Pickled on CBS raised money for homelessness. Awesome.

And in a time when our nation seems split down the middle, more distant than ever, CBS' Pickled offered us a rare moment of cohesion. One nation, under God (whomever your God might be), collectively...cringing. And cringing hard. Can't you feel the togetherness?

Overflowing with cliche one-liners, pickle puns and awkward, drawn-out, sequences of 2.5-3.0 pickleball, the televised celebrity outing was...something to behold.

If you're into cliche adages, any press is good press, so pickleball in the spotlight is ultimately beneficial.

But in a time when pickleball is fighting to shed its reputation as a goofy hobby for the retired and un-athletic, Pickled may not have helped its case. But, we digress...more on this below.

It's another massive pickleball weekend, let's jump in!

Pro Pickleball 2019 vs 2022: Stats and Style

Jim Ramsey did it again.

A breakdown of nine matches and over 13,000 shots produced data backing his hypothesis: "Conservative, patient pickleball is giving way to a faster, more aggressive and assertive style of play."

Ramsey analyzed the doubles finals matches from the 2019 US Open and compared them to the finals matches from two recent PPA Tour Stops.

The findings?

Perhaps the most telling discovery centers around achieving neutrality. The two-bounce rule naturally provides a court position advantage to the returning team. The serving team is looking to neutralize their disadvantage by reaching the kitchen.

In 2019, the serving team achieved neutrality 70% of the time. In 2022, the average fell to 57%.

What is driving the evolution? It's probably a few things. Paddle technology advancement allows for more spin, making it easier to attack. The influx of high-level tennis talent is pushing the limit of what is possible on the court.

For me, the thrill of the hands battle and lack of patience leads to quick trigger pulls. Check out the full breakdown from Ramsey.

Picked at the Peak of Freshness

Up your game and your style. Tangerine's fresh-picked pickleball paddles are unlike any others on the market. With so many bland pickleball products on the market, their aim is to be the sweetest!

Check out Tangerine, to add a POP of color to your appearance and your game!

‘Pickled’ Provides Comic Relief

The Pickled charity tournament starring host Stephen Colbert and a plethora of celebrity players was, in a word, strange.

Where else could you expect to see Emma Watson, Will Ferrell, Dierks Bentley, Tig Notaro, and other celebrities go head to head on the pickleball court…on a major television network…with pickle puns and pickleballs firing from every corner?

Before you ask: no, the quality of play wasn’t very high. Nobody seemed to have much pace control or even the ability to convincingly dink.

The quality of humor, though? Still mixed, depending on who you ask. We’ve seen lots of criticism on Facebook, with many claiming that cringey attempts at jokes turns people away from the sport rather than towards it.

Yes, there were some jokes made at the expense of the sport – some more funny than others – but their tone was of genuine appreciation for the game; nothing malicious. And credit where credit is due. Very cool to see so many big names come together around our sport for a good cause, and shoutout to coach Pickleball McNasty for doing what he could with the talent he had.

Perhaps the most important takeaway for many, though, is that Emma Watson has an incredible forehand. We know promise when we see it. Someone better fetch her an agent!

Check out our blog about the show here.

Parenteau’s Apology

Catherine Parenteau issued a public apology on Instagram after she switched partners last-minute at Nationals last week, leaving Allyce Jones on the line (for those unaware, the drama was summarized here).

Part of Parenteau’s apology reads:

“I have apologized to Allyce personally for what me or my team did to make her feel like she didn't have a choice in the matter. It was not until I read her post that I understood that her initial OK of the partner change was not how she really felt after she was able to process things.”

Now that the greater pickleball community voiced its concerns, what happens next is between Catherine & Allyce. All we can say is that it undoubtedly takes courage to publicly apologize and we hope this puts an end to PartnerGate.

Read the full letter here or listen to Rob and Stone react on the It Feels Right podcast.

Proper Eyewear on Court is Critical

Introducing RIA Eyewear, the Official Eyewear of USA Pickleball. Trusted by many pro pickleball players, RIA has emerged as the leader in performance pickleball eyewear.

Developed in collaboration with renowned lens maker Zeiss, RIA’s lenses are built through extensive color science research to specially enhance contrast of the pickleball against the court background, helping to improve clarity and on-court vision.

RIA also offers interchangeable lens options to account for various lighting conditions. All of their lenses are impact resistant, treated with anti-fog/anti-glare coatings and are 100% protective against harmful UV rays.

Combine performance and eye safety on the pickleball court with a pair of RIA's.

Semifinal Drama at the PPA Takeya Showcase

There is no love lost between Lea Jansen and Salome Devidze. If you're the referee (aka the conflict mediator) for their match, you better keep your head on a swivel. They met in yesterday's semifinal and at 10-10 in game two, it was fan noise that caused the drama.

A fan reacted mid-point causing Jansen to flub an overheard. Jansen immediately screams "Don't talk during the point." After a long discussion, Jansen was awarded a hindrance call and a replay of the point. But it was Devidze that rallied back to win the game and the match 11-9, 13-11.

Devidze will collide with Catherine Parenteau for gold on Sunday, while Jansen finished with the bronze.

The men's semifinal had its fair share of drama as well. Jay Devilliers was frustrated in game two against Tyson McGuffin. McGuffin is known for his serve that teeters on the edge of illegal.

Devilliers started imitating/mocking McGuffin's serve in game two. He hit his serve from about chest height, down into the court. This prompted a re-serve call from the official and another cool down mediation meeting.

McGuffin sealed the match 12-10, 11-4 and will get another crack at Ben Johns on Championship Sunday. Devilliers settled for bronze.

Rules Precedence

Both incidents set an interesting precedent for the tour and were called into question by Sam Querrey on the broadcast. Should fan noise or an illegal serve result in a replay?

Querrey says NO. Hit an illegal serve, you lose the point. A fan makes noise, it's all a part of the game. Do you agree with Querrey or are you happy with the status quo? Don't be surprised if we see a PPA Tour rules update sooner rather than later.

Weekend Viewing

PPA Tour - Takeya Showcase 11/17 -11/20 PPATV
APP Tour - World Pickleball Open 11/18 - 11/20 APPTV
DUPR Collegiate Championships 11/18 - 11/19 Semis and Finals on MLP

Headlines & Quick Hits

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How Pickleball Became Everyone's New Favorite Sport - Front Office Sports
Need a partner for next month's tournament? Find the perfect match with PicklePlay
Move Over Golf, Pickleball is the New Way to Network

Highlights

Homecourt Havens

Two players enter, only one player leaves. This homecourt haven in Marsala, Sicily 🇮🇹 looks like a pickleball colosseum. Who is up for a trip to Italy?