Jason: Yeah, so that was a good conversation with Joe. That went, I think, yeah. Jacob: it was, man. Hilarious. Jason: Yes. Hilarious. authentic. yeah, it was just that was good. That was good. And he's he's very easy to talk to. He's gonna be really good on his podcast. Like they're gonna Jacob: Yeah. Jason: do yeah. They'll they'll kill it with that. So I didn't get to talk about nearly, I had a lot more notes. But we're running out of time and I also didn't wanna I didn't want to read the whole damn book on air, Jacob: Yeah. Jason: I guess, because then that takes away of the chance. But I would say that if you guys didn't catch that episode, you need to go back and watch the episode with Joe Clemente, the author and baseball guru of The Long Ride Home. was good episode. Right now we're double recording because we are going to be joined any minute. I gotta get rid of this. We're gonna be joined by any minute. By J Mac, who is down at Select Fest, and they just had their banquet a little bit ago. I just saw some, we took a little, what, 25-minute intermission, me and you. And Jacob: Yeah. Had to get some food. Jason: and I saw that they were doing their banquet and the boys were getting surprised with their stuff and all that kind of stuff. So just a cool, cool experience. I just I want to talk to I wanna talk to J Mac. I wanna have a conversation and ask him, like, you know, whose whose brainchild was this thing? Like Jacob: That's what I was wondering too, like, how did this come about? Jason: Is this something that Tony wanted to do at U like a U trip and he couldn't? And that's what spurred him to leave, you know, and how how long into the process was, you know, was J Mac brought into it? You know what I mean? Like whose Jacob: Yeah. Jason: grandchild is this? Is it so? That's just kind of stuff. And I also want to talk about you know, the kids that made it this year, the level of talent. there he is right there. I thought it was. He was there and now he's gone. I think. What's this say? there we go. Yo Where's John McAdams: What's up? Jacob: What's up? Jason: your ears burning? Where your ears burning? John McAdams: Nah no no. At crazy part, my wife back in Jersey, she literally just called me and she's like, There's a bat in our fucking house. And I'm And I'm like, What? And she's like, Yeah, I gotta get it out. And then I have three kids, they're sleeping, so she's trying to get it out without waking the kids. It's incredible. So she just killed it with a g Jason: Stop it. Stop it. Jacob: And then he's probably John McAdams: She killed it with a rake. Jacob: okay. Jason: Wait, wait, wait, wait, John McAdams: Yeah. Jason: wait, wait, wait. Are we talking garden rake or are we talking leaf rake? John McAdams: No, garden rig, garden rig. Yeah. Jason: Okay. All right. So there's claw marks in the wall, is what you're saying when you get home. John McAdams: Yeah yeah. no doubt. No yeah. She's badass. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Jacob: And he's like, hurry up, babe. We I I I got a podcast to get on. Can we can we speed this process up? Jason: Yeah. Right, right. John McAdams: That's what I said to her. I said, I said I go, You've seen the Travel Ball Dads podcast, right? And she 'cause she like sends me random stuff sometimes and then she's like, Yeah, I've seen it. I'm like, I'm about to go on in two minutes. She's like, All right, I said, Are you alright? She's Yeah, yeah, I'm good. I said, Alright, I'll to you later. I know. Exactly. Jason: Right, right. What yeah, three tetanus shots later, she'll be all right. Jacob: Yeah. Jason: welcome, man. Like it's been a long it's been a long day for you, bro. John McAdams: Yeah, appreciate you guys. man, yeah, it was crazy. Yeah. Started early, continues to go, then later on I gotta do lineups, playing time charts, all that good stuff. Nobody realizes that stuff. Like that we actually knew that. Jason: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I wanna listen, just just because this is something that fascinates Jacob and I. We were just talking about it before we before we tagged you in. Who's I wanna know, does anybody know? Has anybody ever talked about us whose brainchild was this? Was this Tony's? Was it yours? How did this whole thing come to be? John McAdams: no, so yeah, so back when the Ford family actually owned PG, Ben Ford, one of the sons, and then Jeremy Brown, who heads up thirteen fourteen U National and then festival stuff with Russo and myself, they just decided to create it and then it started as a fourteen U game and then matriculated its way down. We added thirteen with thirteen U National, then twelve U and then eleven U recently or most recently. Jason: Okay. Is that the is that the is that the lowest you guys are gonna go, or do you think that in the years to come you will bring it all the way down to where you're selecting nines? John McAdams: I don't I don't know. S so I don't know if you guys have seen so my background just from a tra like a regular travel ball coach ran tri state arsenal in New Jersey for ten years. so I'm a development type guy. So then I've been now with PG Yep. Jason: Okay, 'cause I was gonna ask you, I was gonna ask you, like who the who the hell died and made you king? Yes. John McAdams: yeah, so after I was done playing, I moved. I've lived in North Jersey, grew up in Pennsylvania, but then I was at Cooperstown and I coached like a regular regional, like local team against Tri State Arsenal. and we just did everything right. Like it wasn't any flashy players or anything. I just we just did everything right and they asked me, Hey, would you be interested Jason: Mm. John McAdams: in trying to do a national stuff, whatever? so the Barth family, which is like South Jersey royalty, they coach trout, etcetera. they they brought me on and then Bob, who's now a vice president of business development for perfect game, I kinda took his place as the director of operations, ran it for ten years. only time we finished number one in the country with the Northeast Northeast base team was the two teams that I managed and coached. we have like twenty-six present big leaguers and so forth too, and then kind of did perfect game showcases part time and then they brought me on full time. S this is my seventh year and was a as a scout and then became a national cross checker. Then they kind of influxed me into the youth stuff. so now I'm kinda doing a bunch of different things. Jason: Okay, explain to explain to the dumbasses out here what do you mean by cross checker? John McAdams: Okay. So obviously I'm based out of the Northeast, but I have some guys underneath me that are national scouting coordinators, and then there's myself, Jeremy, Tyler Russo, Jared Goodwin, who's our VP of Scouting, Greg Sabres. so obviously we we live in particular regions, so we get those guys to kind of give us players and for our rankings and so forth too. But then from a national perspective, we all brain child it when we do our rankings, cross checking just different information that we get, not even just from our guys, whether it's pro scouts, college coaches, travel ball team guys, they send in information to us and then we kinda cross check it to make sure it's real because listen, you don't know what type of radar gun they're using, who's actually watching it and so forth Jacob: Yeah. John McAdams: too. So we use our connections if we can't see them live in the meantime until we get to see and then we kinda go from there. Jason: Okay. What Jacob: Yeah. Jason: did this has this exceeded everything that you thought when this first started? Like is it has this is I I joke about this with Tony. we were John McAdams: Mm-hmm. Jason: sitting watching the game in PGI and I was like he was he was overwhelmed because he said, you know, he's like, Yeah, he's like the elevens are easy peasy. He's like the thirteens are easy peasy. He's like, these twelves, he's like, it'll keep you up at night. John McAdams: Huh. Jason: And I look and I looked at him like, well, you fucking created this monster. Like, Jacob: Yeah. Jason: like, has this has this superseded anything you guys visualized? John McAdams: Yeah, I think so too. And I think it's like, hey, listen, and and even so like the elevents, like easy peasy, yeah. But a lot of it too, it's like, hey, everybody thinks we look at just stats or just this, and it's a year long process that me and Tony do at eleven and twelve, and it's a year long process that Russo and H and myself do at thirteen, fourteen, where it's like we're watching everything, like w everything we possibly can get our hands on to make sure that not that we want to be right, but it's like you and everybody knows within travel ball, like you're looking at the little kid the smaller kids on the smaller fields with the trampoline bats and it's like, does that swing play long term and all that stuff like that? It's definitely exceeded it to the point where the bubble bo like the bubblegum boy and the fest name and so forth too, where it's kind of taken on its own animal where it's like a badge of honor. Like we're still seeing kids at sixteen, seventeen years old wearing the bubble boy on their helmet. You know what mean? we saw Jason: It's I would say that as a dad, as a dad of a kid who has never made the list, the that's the most that's the most sought after sticker of any sticker that I think my son is ever like it that thing in itself has has has its own identity. John McAdams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And that's too like Will Brick. We just dropped Will Brick's draft day video that we were did when he was at his draft party and so forth too. And there's parts of the video where he's got the program from the awards banquet, his catcher's gear, his stickers, his uniform. It's like crazy. And this guy's just signing for a lot of money. So it's like it's it's crazy Jacob: Yeah. John McAdams: to think that that That logo now has taken its own identity, obviously with Perfect Game involved too, like w obviously being hand in hand, but it's like even just that bubble boy logo, it's like it's crazy. Jason: Where did that come from? John McAdams: so we did the original Fortune game, we've partnered with so at each of the games there's a fundraising arm to it, whether it's children's hospital, like Galisano's is the first one, and they had I believe they had something on one of their logos that we kinda went from there and it morphed into something more to where it was like the kid with the chewing bubblegum and blowing a bubble. so it's more so like just that fun of like it's a child's game, we're still playing it for fun type thing, and then it's kind of morphed into just having its own identity for sure. Jason: That's it's it's nuts. so I gotta I gotta be real honest with you, okay? And I've said this, I think I I think I said this to Tony. Maybe I said it to Tony, I'm not sure. But yes, I did. But I have s you and I have made eye contact about 50 times, I think. I John McAdams: Yeah. Jason: swear to god, I never knew who you were. Well, and this is this is in all honesty, this has a lot to do with my insecurities as a dad and I'm not I just I don't I don't as somebody likes to say with me and Tony I don't chum it up at a lot of these events unless I'm very comfortable with somebody and then I kind of just hang with them for an entire event. I literally John McAdams: Mm. Jason: thought you were a dad that just didn't want to take off his select vest shirt. For fuck I swear to God. I had no idea. John McAdams: Yep, yep. Jason: And now I feel horrible because you you and I literally have had to like move out of each other's way. We've crossed each other's paths so many freaking times. And then this year, it was this year at PGI. I was like, what the f like are okay, now it's all coming together because I see you and but I just always thought you so you do John McAdams: Mm. Jacob: Mm-hmm. Jason: an incredible, an incredible job of just absorbing information. You do John McAdams: Mm, mm, mm, mm. Jason: not put yourself out there, like you're not making TikToks with Tony in the lobby. I give you credit. Okay. All right. John McAdams: Nah, no. Jacob: Yeah. Jason: So with that being said, I I I apologize for not intro introducing myself earlier. that's my fault. But it's also your fault too, because you could have done it too, dude. but John McAdams: Correct. Correct. Jason: you guys talk about I saw you guys out there in on the right field line. We were playing, I think JSM. HUD was playing JSM at the time, and you guys were underneath your white tent and you guys had a table. Cody Hendricks is is is pounding. beverages while you guys are trying to cross-check, as you say. My John McAdams: Yep. Yep. Jason: question is, is what are you looking at? Like give parents insight into you're not staring like one of you is staring at the computer back and forth, but the rest of you have got eyeballs. What are you looking at at that time? John McAdams: Sure. It yeah, and too, like listen, like Tony's been around it obviously for years, and then you have Scooter and Rob and our the rest of our youth team that are throughout the country too, that throughout the year they kind of send us information on events because listen, we can't be out on the road fifty two weeks out of the year. We're on the road a lot, but we're not fifty two weeks. So so with regards to that, they do an incredible job of feeding Tony and me information on guys that we may not have seen firsthand yet until we get to the World Series or PGI and so forth. But When from me, from my standpoint, being on the scouting in the scouting department, I'm looking at things where those guys are just looking at it and it's like, hey, they're good baseball players within the tournament, right? So per performance based, right? myself, it's looking like, hey, and listen, they're young, but it's like a broad stroke of a paintbrush of athleticism, or hey, they have a high waist and long levers. they handle VLO well, or it's like, hey, somebody went first pitch break. Jason: Stop. Stop. What the hell is high waist and long levers? John McAdams: So just think of it, arms and legs are long, high waisted, where their their waist is obviously higher than the torso. So that's a big thing with projection as you move forward, right? that means you obviously have plenty of room to continue to grow both height wise and widthwise and add strength. so a big thing where you see guys that are like that type of athletes or that type of build, it's like, all right, well, when he puts on twenty five pounds and grows five years from down the road and now it becomes real strength and so forth too. And me and H talk about it a lot, like that broad stroke of a paintbrush where this isn't the final picture. We know that, right? but you start to see certain things, whether it's athleticism, and at listen, at eleven and twelve everybody looks for bombs and guys throwing gas and stuff like that too. But it's like, hey, the guy that throws eighty miles an hour that can throw strikes, that's pretty impressive from fifty feet at twelve years old. You know what I mean? or the guy that, hey, f he went he got out on a breaking ball his first A B because He was facing somebody with a good breaking braw ball, and then all of a sudden his next A B, he recognized it and then was able to pick out either a zone within the strike zone, a pitch, and then was able to actually adjust to it. You know what mean? because PGI and so forth too, that's the best guys. That's the that's where most of the t all the most talents kinda accumulated together in one event. Because listen, not everybody travels into everything, but that's the kind of the the thing where we can see every The most people that we can kind of see from a Jason: Yeah. John McAdams: talent base. Jason: Have you ever have you guys ever chosen somebody that's never played at a PG event or do they have to play at a PG event? I'm asking authentically. John McAdams: Yep. Yeah. So there I don't think there's ever been, honestly, and I wasn't involved from the infancy. I don't think there's ever been anybody that's not participated in a perfect game event. Jason: Like they have to be in the system. John McAdams: Yeah. So now it's kind of more of the like at thirteen and fourteen, there's never been re never been somebody that hasn't attended thirteen or fourteen you national showcase, right? same thing with the all American game, like you have to attend the national showcase. Then kind of when this youth team with Tony and Tony Van Daltran and Darren Larson and so forth, they kind of matriculated and created the PGI where it's like, hey, that's the biggest composition of talent. So we need to see you at the PGI to obviously be able to make the selections. then we've kind of morphed into some stuff too where I don't know if you guys have seen like the Select Fest ID camps, which are my brainchild, where we get some metric stuff and then they matriculate through. and then to kind of answer your question from earlier, I don't know if we'll go younger. I don't know that. obviously that's not my decision, but we've created the the Select Fest ID Camp All Star Series from nine through twelve. So it's like another event that they can earn their Yes, brand new, brand new. Jason: Is that new? Is that new? Okay, because I was gonna say, so in all Jacob: Okay. Jason: transparency, Jacob, you and I, we've been we've gotten a lot of those emails, okay, of to Jacob: Mm-hmm. John McAdams: Sure. Yep. Jason: for the different camps around the area. And I I just saw because I saw Jayquan. Like I I follow Jay Quan on Instagram and John McAdams: Yep, yep. Mm-hmm. Jason: he he didn't get a Select Fest this year, but he got Select Fest All Star this new thing, and I'm thinking John McAdams: Yep. Yep. Jason: So you know like I I don't there wasn't a whole lot there wasn't a whole lot of runway to this thing where you guys had the word out that this was coming, was there? Or was this just something that just John McAdams: Correct. No. Jason: okay. John McAdams: No, it was kind of something where we were doing the ID camps that led to obviously guys going to World Series and then PGI and then listen, like we said, eleven and twelve years old, we don't know what they're gonna be in three, four years. So like you wanna continue to watch them play and be in competitive atmospheres and so forth too, because listen, the best thing for us and honestly is like somebody that gets pissed off that they didn't get picked at eleven, twelve or thirteen and they continue to work and then they do make it at fourteen or they make the all American game type thing. That's the best that's actually the best Jason: So from there. John McAdams: thing for us, you know what mean? That's the coolest story to it all. I I know, I know, I know, I know. Jason: Yeah, it's easy for you to say. Explain that to them. No, I mean, no, I mean it's just real. It's just we're dads talking. But I mean it's it's the reality of it. Like I understand. And you know, even when you hear from a a coach that you respect, like, hey, this is the best thing for him. He just doesn't know it yet. That's so easier said than done, J Mac. It's so easier said than done. John McAdams: No, correct. listen, and listen, I have Jacob: Yeah. John McAdams: young girl I have all girls by the way. So I have a five, a three, and a one year old. Jason: Mm. John McAdams: All girls. So like I coached T ball this year and going from coaching guys in my career, like I had a first rounder this year, AJ Grazia, that was ninth overall to the Braves from New Jersey. And guys like Davis Schneider and Henry Davis, who was the number one overall pick. Like they were I they played for me at Tri State. So then it's like go to T ball and it's like a different animal, like because it's your kid. You know what I mean? And it's like You have a dad who a couple of dads that are volunteering and you don't want to step on toes and I almost decided I didn't want to coach, but then they kind of reeled me in and then I was like, you what, I'm gonna be hands off, I'll help with whatever I need to help with and then the first like the second practice the guy's like, Hey, I need you to do pract like I need you to run practice. Yeah, like well, yeah, yeah. Jason: Yeah. Third third practice he's doing projections. Jacob: He's the head coach. You see, I would Jason: No this one's taller than the T, y'all. John McAdams: But now my daughter thinks Jason: Keep your eye on it. John McAdams: I but now my daughter thinks I need to coach everything she does. Like she did she started cheerleading on Tuesday. She's like, Dad, are you gonna coach me in cheerleading? I'm like, No, I'm not cheerlead like what are we talking about? Jason: No, I have buddies that like to that that know dances. They can help you with that. No. John McAdams: Yeah, exactly. Jason: yeah, right. what what what how how hard is this? How hard is this for you guys? John McAdams: It's tough. It's hard. It's hard. it's it you know what? I mean, and like Tony said, like he was dead honest with the twelve U age group and and we c I d not that we say it every year, but like Carter Nash's group a couple years ago ago with Trey Lawrence and all those guys where we had like the crazy game that it ended up being, that was one of the toughest ones, and that was only my second time kind of being involved in it. And then I got to this year and I was like, Man, I could maybe pick like four teams worth of kids that would compete against each other in a really, really good fashion. You know what mean? and that Yeah. Yeah. Jacob: Mm. North, south, east, west? Jason: I brought it up. Did you hear about it? I brought it up. Jacob: North, south east, west. John McAdams: Yeah. So it I know. I know. I know. So it's Jacob: Yeah. John McAdams: like and then me and Tony like me and Jason: I'm just I'm just saying, I'm just saying, I'm just saying. John McAdams: Hey man, I could probably pick like forty eight guys or fifty two guys that are really, really good players. and listen, that's a testament to the way that training has evolved. Obviously, travel ball has evolved with guys playing so much, and then the training aspect Jason: Yeah. John McAdams: and kids just getting bigger, faster, stronger way earlier than ever. so it's crazy. Jason: Yeah. Have you that's that's a very that's a very good point that you just bring up. And I I'm I I probably just stole this from Jacob, but how have you seen how have you seen it change? Like the 2032s compared to let's say when you first started, how much quicker are these kids so much more elite than what they were five, six, seven years ago at this exact same age? John McAdams: And it it's exponential that you probably couldn't Jason: Is it? John McAdams: even put a percentage on it. Yeah. And I th I Jason: I'm asking because I don't know. John McAdams: think I think from a training aspect and a tools, let's say tools or athleticism and so forth, they've kind of matriculated far quicker than previous kids, right? they do play a lot of games for sure. So sometimes they're doing things probably in real time that they probably should work on in practice settings. You know what I mean? So like maybe baseball IQ or certain situations sometimes can probably get a little bit dicey, but from a aspect of bigger, faster, stronger, kids doing things that other kids would have never dreamt of doing five or six years ago, hitting balls three hundred and fifty feet, throwing balls eighty-five miles an hour. Like we were talking about the B low, right? And the floor of what the V Lo could be at the twelve U level for this game. Like last year we had fourteen guys throw. the slowest was a left hander that threw seventy five. The highest was eighty five and then there was a bunch of guys high seventies, low eighties, right? And then this year I'm starting to like look at guys and all this stuff and I'm like the floor might be eighty miles an hour. Jason: Right. Right. Right. No, I agree because Jacob: Yeah. Jason: what are they you've got all right, you've got thirty six per roster, right? John McAdams: Thirty six for twelve U, twenty eight for eleven you. Twenty seven for eleven you. Yep. Jason: Okay. All right. So for just let's just stay in the twelves right now because I know those kids. So let's John McAdams: Mm. Mm-hmm. Jason: stay in that one for right now. So how many of those thirty-six are just here for POs? John McAdams: So we don't technically do that, the PO stuff yet, just because there's so like there's not a guy that was just picked to be PO right now. obviously Jason: Okay. Okay. John McAdams: as you get to the bigger field that stuff starts to figure itself out. But I mean, could you say there's guys that are ahead of ahead of themselves on pitching rather than hitting? Sure. but there's nobody that strictly was a PO on this roster. Jason: Okay. So how will you tonight, when you get off of this podcast with us, John McAdams: Mm. Jason: how are you gonna figure this out, bud? Like how are you going if like it's gonna be John McAdams: Yeah. Yeah. Jason: really easy for the floor to be eighty if they only have to throw one a third of an inning or two thirds of an inning because you gotta get these kids a chance to showcase themselves. John McAdams: Sure, and there's g and listen, there's guys that are we could say primary pitchers, you know what I mean, that are the fourteen f the first fourteen guys that we're gonna decide to throw in the game. And then we'll have a couple extra because listen, you never know. If the lights turn bright, they may get nervous, they're still twelve years old, so the command could obviously become an issue, but we have some other guys, but like those guys throw seventy-nine, you know what I mean? It's like so there'll be fourteen guys that we select that are gonna be slated to pitch in the game at the twelve U. and we'll have extra guys just in case something happens crazy or something like that. But it's gonna be tough. Like I have penciled in guys right now, but I don't have a final right now. I can tell you that much. Jason: Yeah. Go ahead, Jacob. Jacob: you know, I always thought and Jason and I have had this conversation, I always thought it was about the pitchers and then hitting. Because I mean Jason and I have had like I said, had this conversation about you don't see many guys that or maybe we don't see it as parents where they get graded for their fielding and you know, John McAdams: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Jacob: throwing their their athleticism on the field. You know, as you're doing the metrics, is there a grade in the computer? Is that how you guys go about it? You know John McAdams: So Jason: Yeah, where's that? Where's that grid at? Jacob: Like the like the top John McAdams: yeah. Jacob: thirty six guy, let's say those are all A plus guys, and then the next guys after that are B plus, B minus, or whatnot. John McAdams: Yeah, so I mean, as you start to get older, so we don't do scouting reports or gr PG grades on anybody not thirteen and above. so when you attend to showcase, you get a scouting report, you get a PG grade that's based on a one through ten scale that's on our website and it kind of says what it it it is, basically. that's Jason: We know some like Cooper. Like we've seen Cooper's like Cooper Hootens, you know what I mean? And like John McAdams: Yeah. Yep. Yep. Jason: Knox Myers. We've seen their grades. So I know I know exactly what you're talking. John McAdams: Yep. Yep. So from a younger perspective, and that's kind of why they brought me into that fold from a like a s we'll say a scouting lens without giving grades because that's the stuff that I'm there to look at. So when you were watching me at PGI where other guys were maybe just watching what's going on in the game, that's what I'm watching. Like I'm looking at their athleticism and their range and their footwork and the catchers. Like the catchers that can receive eighty five from fifty feet, like their hands are strong, they're ab they're mobile because they're able to block the ball and so forth too. So that's where I come into play, where I'm looking at things other than just home runs and high V low. Jason: Right. Okay. Because so and I think the reason why Jacob's also bringing that up is because, you know, one of the things early on in a lot of these kids' PG career we'll call it, and I'm I'm I'm okay saying that because a lot of these kids, if if you give a choice, they're always going to want to choose a PG event. And it's not it's not just about the great baseballs and the great facilities. It's about the fact that they know that if they're going to play at a PG event, they're going to play Great competition and they're gonna get better. So, with that being said, John McAdams: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Jason: early on in their careers, the biggest thing is always the all tournament teams at all these events because no matter where you go and play in a PG tournament, you have an opportunity to get that certificate. And for these younger kids, that means the world to them, like the the bubble boy does for everything else. And you never John McAdams: Mm. Jason: see anything for metrics or you never see any accolades for. like defensively. You know what I mean? Like a kid could John McAdams: Yeah. Yep. Jason: go from four, the kid could have a horrible week, but just like nothing gets through the the middle of the infield on him. and I've just John McAdams: Mm, mm. Jason: always wondered like, is that is that w why don't we do that? I guess that's the question. John McAdams: Sure, sure. And I think too, I especially at the younger ages, we're not trying to do scouting. You know what I mean? We're not trying to do that type of stuff. But and that's Jason: Yeah. Okay. Okay. John McAdams: something that it's probably tough just based on sheer numbers of events and games that were going Jason: Because you can't see him. John McAdams: on with regard that, yeah, you just can't see everybody. Where then it would it wouldn't be fair across the Jason: You'd have to go off of a coach's opinion. John McAdams: board. Yeah. Jason: Yeah. Okay. Yeah, you'd have to go off of a coach's recommendation or a non biased parent's game changer report. Okay. Right. Yeah. Jacob: Yeah. John McAdams: Sure, sure. Exactly. Which is maybe few and far between to find, maybe. I don't know. Jason: Go ahead, Jacob. Jacob: You know, with the boys getting on this and, you know, fall ball coming and you got a couple of big fallball thirst, especially the thirteen age group, do you ever get any coaches John McAdams: Mm-hmm. Jacob: messaging like, Hey, don't overthrow him or you know what I mean? Watch his arm or John McAdams: we have Jason: Yeah, you got pieces of these right around the corner. John McAdams: yeah, so we have got listen, they're they're only gonna throw an inning. Jacob: That's what I mean. And the WWBA. John McAdams: Yeah, they're only gonna throw one inning at max. and if they do get to a point where it's like, hey, twenty f they're over twenty five pitches and they start creeping up towards thirty, we're gonna we're gonna roll the we're gonna make a move. You know what I mean? We're not Jacob: Okay. John McAdams: this is a this is to show off their skills, obviously, amongst the guys that are within the PG ecosystem. It's not to hurt anybody. So it's like we're It's like a culmination of all these guys and what they've been able to do over the past year. We're not trying to do anything crazy. You know what I mean? Yeah. Jacob: Celebrate John McAdams: So yeah, celebrate celebrate their how they've performed, their achievements and so forth too, and then just it's a good thought process to like, hey, these guys in four or five years, then we can see them in national showcase or in the All Star game, the RPG All Star game that we're gonna have next Friday at Citizens Bank, or the All American game as they move forward. so yeah, they the max they're gonna throw as an inning. and we're not gonna even tax them with that stuff. Like they're not gonna get to a point where they're even gonna be that point of coaches saying, Hey, don't overthrow and so forth too. And I think this weekend it's the first since they'll probably shut down for a couple of weeks, go maybe go on vacation, relax, and then get ready to go for fall again anyway. So it's like kind of the perfect end to their summer. Jason: Yeah, yeah. Jacob, after I ask him about this, I want you to make sure that we don't forget to ask him about the text message that we got the other day about the thirty two versus thirty one thing. And you you understood Jacob: Yes. Jason: that question better than I did. So I want you to ask him. But Jacob: Yeah. Jason: for before I do that, who are who are the guest coaches this week? This weekend? John McAdams: so we have R Ryan Klesko. and Jason: So he's back. John McAdams: yep, Ryan Klesko's back and then Flash Gordon's back as well this weekend for the elevens and twelves. Yeah, they'll coach Jason: Okay. And he they're coaching both games. Okay. Okay. John McAdams: both games and then we have some local guys. Lloyd Thompson, who's been around PG in general just for a while. He is used to own home plate chili dogs. He throws BP at like all the high profile events and so forth too. So he's one of our like PG guys. Then we have Cartersville high school's head coach Kyle Tucker. he's just another guy that's done showcases with us a lot as well. And then we do have some special guest coaches of that used to potentially played in the game prior to that are gonna make an appearance. Well, yeah, yeah, Isaiah Jason: Isaiah, Nelly. Yeah. John McAdams: well, no, Isaiah Nelly will be there from a media perspective. They'll be in the dugouts doing obviously media stuff. but we have some former former Jason: Right. What they do. Right. John McAdams: festival alums that are gonna come and and and hang out with the boys as well, too. Jason: Awesome. Okay. do you guys ever foresee Jacob, I swear to God, I'll let you I'll let you ask. But do you guys ever foresee do you guys see this always being an East Cobb thing? Or do you guys ever foresee this thing going west to that other beautiful place? John McAdams: We've talked it we've talked we've talked we've talked about it. I don't know if we would fully move both of them ever. I don't know that. that's probably above my pay grade. But there's been me and Tony have talked about it with some other complexes coming on board under the PG kind of like portfolio type thing where there's other newer facilities. obviously East Cobb's historic, you know what I mean? Even when I played and Jacob: Yeah. John McAdams: came down there when I was thirteen to fourteen years old. so it is a cool atmosphere, obviously, too. but there's been thoughts about it. There's been definitely dialogue about it for sure. Jason: Yeah. Hey, 'cause you guys have got this eleven, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen, right? And then it stops at fourteen. Okay. John McAdams: Yep. Yep. Jason: So the twelves that didn't make it this year still have two years left to to to make it. Okay. All right. John McAdams: Correct. Correct. And usually thirteen U from a location standpoint, we usually do it at Division One College. So this year it's at University of Tennessee. we've done it at Oklahoma before. Jason: That doesn't suck. John McAdams: Yeah, no, it's gonna be awesome. Brand new renovated obviously stadium. last Jacob: Mm. John McAdams: year we did the past two years we did it at UVA because Tennessee was obviously going through renovations. we've done it at University Jason: Yes. John McAdams: of Oklahoma as well. and then fourteen U is always at Jet Blue Park in Fort Myers. That was the original We've kept it there. it's just gonna continue to be there just because it's the first one. It's always been there. It's cool to play, obviously, in replico replica Jacob: Baby. John McAdams: Fenway. Yeah. Jason: Yeah. Okay. Go ahead, Jacob. Jacob: okay, so as Jason was stating, we've been getting a lot of well, we got text messages and messages about 2031s and 2032s that are in the 12U age group. And I John McAdams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Jacob: get the one question I got is how is it fair for the 31s to be playing with the 32s if they're actually 31 gonna graduate with the 13s now? No, we're yeah, yeah, just it's just a qu you know, text message we got. Jason: It just it's we're just curious. Curiosity can yeah. Yeah. We're not I'm not criticizing the system. John McAdams: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Jacob: No, no, we're not because I mean ultimately there's still they still are twelve, but it's the parents started them earlier, you know, in school. Like, is there ever a thought of, hey, we're gonna go by grade class? Like this guy's a thirty one, he's but then how do you justify him being Jason: He's gonna have to play thirteen years. Jacob: how do you justify him being a Select Fist kid at thirteen when he's been playing twelve John McAdams: Sure. Jacob: U? John McAdams: Sure, and I th I think the that whole thing is an ongoing conversation that everybody's kind of had too, and I don't know if there is a real answer at the moment type thing. it's a discussion that we've talked about whether it's moving the the birth the date of birth requirement, whether it's like January Jason: So you guys so this is this hasn't fallen on deaf ears. You guys have had discussions about it. John McAdams: No, and that's the thing too, like listen, anything and everything that most people or ninety nine percent of stuff that comes up within this industry, we are having conversations about it nonstop in some capacity. Now, Jason: Okay. Here you go folks. John McAdams: making a move on it, obviously we have to continue to weigh all options and so forth, and I'm in not in most of those discussions, but even some of the ones that I am and so forth too, it's on we're talking about everything and anything to make this game better. You know what I mean? To make the travel ball industry better, to make it better for players, to make it better for organizations, parents, et cetera. That's what we're always talking about. Jason: Yeah. Yeah. Jacob: So you y you just said about move you know, you guys have looked at moving to birth year. Do you guys I mean, do you mean that as in like they do in travel soccer where it's like say the thirteens John McAdams: Yeah, I don't I yeah, I was in a conversation maybe about a year ago and I know we were talking about just discussing different sports, whether it's like hockey, soccer, the different areas whether they do li Jacob: They by the neighborhood. John McAdams: correct. Yeah, and like the January first, type thing and instead Jacob: To the thirty first. John McAdams: of May first and stuff like that. So there's definitely discussions about that on an annual basis and pretty frequently to be completely honest. I don't know myself, don't know what the the best answer is. or what the best thing is. That's why we have so many people that are involved in the conversation because everybody's got good thought process and then if we can figure it out and it's make gonna make it better, then we'll make it better, you know. Jason: Yeah. I don't wanna listen, I know you have a lot going on and I don't want to take up your whole night, but there are a couple of things that as you're talking, I'm just thinking about, you know, right now the boys are are doing whatever, probably I don't know. Is it lights out yet? Probably not yet. Probably what? John McAdams: ten o'clock. Ten o'clock, yeah. Jason: Okay, so 10 o'clock's lights out. So on weekends on on special weekends like this weekend, this is a two part question. Do you guys do anything where you have time with the boys and with the parents? To explain or do you or go over the importance of the image that they're portraying through their social media? Are you guys doing any kind of media boot camp with them while you guys are here? And I don't know anything about this. I'm just asking because it just my ADD popped in. I was like, I wonder if they're. And the reason why I ask is because have you ever not chosen somebody based off of what they're portraying online? John McAdams: Yeah. so we Jason: And it and you had to make that you had to make that soft decision. John McAdams: Sure. Yeah. So we reiterate re reiterate it numerous times to both players, parents separately, players and parents together. like we just had a welcome dinner with the eleven year group where we just talked about the weekend and so forth too, and myself, Tony, Jeremy at and Russo at thirteen and fourteen, we talk about it at lengths, every kind of chance we can get to where it's like, listen, you guys have to pay attention to what you're you're personally putting out there on social media, listen, it can be a great avenue for your personal brand, opportunities down the road, now, et cetera. But you also have to understand that there's people out there that are gonna pay attention to whatever's coming out of your social media. So whether it's a lyric in a song, you liking something, you putting a story up, anything and everything, somebody out there is watching, so you guys need to pay attention. Jason: co signing something by sharing it. John McAdams: yep, exactly. So and we do talk to the parents just about them even themselves sometimes their actions on and we talk about it on field for the players, off field for the players, and then during events for the parents as well. there has been situations where how a player acts on the field, off the field, etc., where we can't put our stamp on it because that's just Jacob: Yeah. John McAdams: not how we're it's gotta be everything encompassing, right? It's gotta be a good player, you gotta be a good person, you're gonna continue to be a good person. you have to just kind of present yourself and be there as that type of thing. We we can't we can't do that, right? Because now even as they matriculate through our ecosystem, right? We always tell them use us as as access and resources for when you need or you're talking the colleges in five, six, seven years too, right? But if if we have certain stuff that we can't be liars for you. We can't lie as to who you are as a person because Then they're not gonna talk, they're Jason: It discredits you. John McAdams: gonna yeah, we're gonna they're not gonna ask us for advice anymore on players or anything like that. So we have to make sure. So we we do talk about it at length, to both separately and together. 13 and 14 U National, when we bring the bl we bring all the players back to go over a presentation of you may be selected for the game and you there's a video, then we all talk about social media, whether it's advantageous stuff to them, like potential NIL stuff. And then the disadvantages of it, like listen, who you associate with, if you like a story or or just repost something with a bad lyric in it or something, then you have to pay attention to. Because guess what? There's a bunch of kids that didn't make the festival, right? They're looking for something. They're gonna be looking for something for one of those guys that did make it. Jason: God. They're just sharks circling the water, just waiting to to feed on some. So you're Jacob: Yeah. John McAdams: Yep. Yep. Mm Jason: in all reality in all reality, you're not just projecting the athlete. You're projecting person. John McAdams: Correct. Correct. And that's the thing too. And like listen, not Jason: Yeah. I hope everybody just heard that. John McAdams: yeah, and it's like listen, we can't see everything, but we do see a lot. We do see a lot and Jason: Sure, sure, sure, sure. John McAdams: we can see certain and listen, I mean, Tony gets tagged in endless things. I get tagged in endless things. Jeremy gets tagged in endless things. So we see a bunch of things that on a daily basis where it's like, Hey, listen Awesome. He's working, he's continuing whether he made the game or he didn't make the game, but they're continuing to work. We see cool stuff and everything like that. But guess what? We might get a text message from a coach and say, Did you see this? Did you see who did this? and stuff like that. And we have to pay attention to it, obviously. So Jason: Right. Right. Right. Jacob: Yeah. Jason: But and d do you give do you have do you have a sense and and and I d I mean this I mean this legitimately. Do you have a sense of grace and mercy to where a kid can or you know, let's say l let's just I'm just totally making the scenario up. Let's say a dad is having a few pops at a game and Maybe says some things that he probably shouldn't say, gets tossed out of a game. You don't know about it, but you hear about it. And that was a fringe, that was a fringe selection. And that John McAdams: Mm-hmm. Jason: parent action just cost the son an opportunity. Is there a grace period or not a grace period, but is there a mercy method with you guys to say, like, okay, that's not who he is. It's just who he was for a moment. And next year you don't hold that aga like you don't like this isn't a okay, okay. I'm not s yeah, and that I don't mean grudges, but yeah. John McAdams: Yeah. No, no we don't we're not holding grudges and stuff like that. Listen, if it's yeah, it's like a one time thing or a one time thing and so forth. Listen, at the end of the day, the kids, especially at the eleven and twelve year game, they're eleven and twelve years old. They're gonna do stuff. You know what I mean? And even thirteen, Jason: Yeah. Right. Yeah. John McAdams: fourteen, fifteen, eighteen, twenty year olds, whatever. But and even parents too, like if you start to see something that reoccurs every weekend, then it becomes an issue. You know what mean? Yeah. Yeah. Jason: Right. Right. Right. For sure. For sure. Okay. before we let you go, I just want to touch real quickly how give an idea for people that are listening and that are new to that are new to this Select Fest conversation that we're having. And John McAdams: Mm. Jason: I want this is this is something that I would I really wanted to do this for the boys, even though mine's not involved. I love these kids. I have been with John McAdams: Mm-hmm. Sure. Jason: most of these kids since they were nine years old. So we know them. We know their families and we're super Jacob: Mm. Jason: proud of them. Tell people just quickly, because you guys posted a viral clip of me saying it, but tell people just how special this group of of boys is. John McAdams: Yeah, and and I think it's too a testament to everybody, every year. Like there's a special thing about each group, but it's like the the cool part about this whole thing, right? The games are the games, right? So Saturday and Sunday, the games will be the games, and that's the fruit of their labor, right? But the cool thing when these guys come into the hotel room and then we start to take them to their rooms and the excitement that they see when they see their gear. And then They get to hang out with their friends or maybe new friends, right? Or they meet a kid maybe for the first time. Usually not for the first time, but just in general, they're playing ping pong in the players lounge and then they go to Dave and Busters. I think the coolest kind of thing is how much we get to see them not on the baseball field during this event. And you start to see them as Exactly, exactly. That's the kind of the coolest Jason: Who they are as kids. Jacob: As the kids they are, yeah. John McAdams: thing. and then you get to interact with the parents in it, not at the complex. You know what I mean? So it's like Hey, they're telling us different stories and so forth, or if they had travel delays or cool stuff that they've seen throughout the years and whatnot. That's kind of the whole the bigger picture of it all, right? So the game i the games are awesome and we understand and everybody understands that and the players have earned it and and go forth. But the coolest thing is what PG as a platform is able to create with what we kind of do or what we're able to do over the course of the weekend. Just with the awards banquet and having Darren Sutton announce that and then them coming up on stage if they win an award or ever actually everybody comes up on stage and they get a Select Fest trophy like trophy as well too. But like just that atmosphere, like you get to see them dressed up. Like you we always see them in uniform. They're dressed up, they're wearing Apollo and and khaki pants, you know what I mean, or stuff like that. And just that kind of interaction and so forth too. So I think that's the the bigger picture. Jason: I mean Andrew I mean Andrew P Andrew Peavy went and got a haircut, so that's gotta mean something. So John McAdams: Ex Yep, exactly. Jacob: Ha ha ha. John McAdams: Yeah. And I think too, I think the coolest thing is the the siblings and the parents. Me and Tony and Jeremy and Tyler at thirteen or fourteen try to do it too. We try to make it known to thank the parents as well because listen, their their kids wouldn't get the opportunity without this type of stuff. And some work second jobs or take out this and do all this traveling and take PTO and so forth too. So it's like your guys' support of us at Perfect Game is we don't want it to be lost. By and that's why we're able to why we want to do these things throughout the weekend and celebrate the players, the families and everything that we possibly can with as much as we can do. So I think that's the coolest part. The games are awesome. Don't get me wrong. They're the best. But that's the coolest part of the whole thing. Jason: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Jacob: Yeah. Jason: So what's the itinerary going forward here for the rest of the weekend? John McAdams: Yeah, so elevens are fully checked in. They did their welcome dinner and they went to David Buster's. Tomorrow morning, they will practice. at East Cobb. We'll practice, we'll go through preliminary rounds of home run derby. while the twelve year olds, some of them the West Coast guys come in tonight, sometimes later, but they do their check-in process starting tomorrow afternoon. And then the elevens will continue. They'll do some stuff during the afternoon, players lounge stuff, some other media type stuff that they do. as well. And then they have their awards banquet tomorrow. And then the twelve you guys start their thing and they kind of do the welcome dinner, Dave and Busters. And then Saturday they practice while the elevens obviously have the game. And then Sunday it kind of goes from there. Jason: Okay. And am I in my mistake. Jacob: Do they ask? Jason: Go ahead, Jacob. Jacob: Do they all s do you guys all stay at the same hotel? John McAdams: Yep, yep. So everybody's at the ho same hotel. players, parents, staff, family members, all that stuff. So we're all at the same hotel, in Georgia obviously. So Jason: That's gotta be r that's gotta be really cool for the boys to chum it up with you and Tony and and everybody at the same place in the same lot. John McAdams: Yeah, it's cool. And too, yeah, we try to introduce them to Jeremy and Tyler specifically for the twelve year olds, just so they can put a face in the name and it's like, hey, now you're gonna see them at the majority of your tournaments. You may not see me and Tony anymore. you probably will see us, but not all the time as much as you'll see these guys. So we'd like to introduce them there. but yeah, it's cool. They come, they're always dapping you up, they're saying thank you, which is awesome. and just how appreciative they are of the opportunity, and it's like, listen, you don't need to say thanks to us. Like, you earned it. We're We were able are fortunate enough to be able to select you guys, but they're just very appreciative. The families are awesome. so it's a cool, cool weekend for sure. Jason: Yeah. And you guys does does Beast of the East count towards any I guess everything counts, doesn't it? Everything that you do counts. John McAdams: Yeah. Well so yeah. So that's kind of the thing. And everybody that's probably maybe I don't know, that might be the million dollar question, specifically at a lo eleven and twelve. So think about it like this. I always talk about it's it's a a year long process that typically like as soon as PGI when PGI was going on and all that thing, we were g starting to gather like ten new names for next year to start to focus on as we're gonna go into Beast of the East and Best of the West, National All State in November and so forth, and then we get to Houston one thousand. So think of it like That whole process on a year basis, it's recurring where we're watch we're starting to build lists from different events in the summer and the fall to then get to when official I guess you'd say kick off Houston one thousand, then it moves into super NITs and the World Series and PGI. So it just continues and continues and continues. So a lot of the times everybody's just like, Well, you just base it on PGI. Now we've been watching the whole year. Jason: No, no, no. I know Jacob: No Jason: that. I know that, but I didn't know I didn't know if your evaluation calendar, like if you guys just kind of let the fall wash, and you started it in Houston. I guess that's kind of as a dad, that's kind of what John McAdams: Mm. Jason: I always assumed was the evaluation for you guys, you guys start cross checking each other, come Houston. But like, and it may be like that with a lot of with the with the young ones, but like with the thirteens, John McAdams: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Jason: you know, we've got Beast of the East, and then the weekend after we have the WWBA. And John McAdams: Yeah, yeah. Jason: I've tried to tell, well, obviously that his this is lit a fucking fire underneath that one. So he's John McAdams: Mm. Jason: already preparing for Beast of the East and he knows it. And I'm just like, bro, like this is the part of it. Like you, this is your opportunity to get on the short list right out of the gate. And then just stay on it the whole year long. And I just John McAdams: Mm-hmm. Yep. Jason: was curious, is do you you I mean, that is that is honest, right? I'm not lying to my kid, like. John McAdams: Yeah. Jason: You guys are paying attention at Beast of the East and WWBA and whatever else is happening in the fall for these regional things. John McAdams: Correct. Exactly. And listen, that's the thing. It's like, hey, you have the guys that made the game, obviously, right? And then we start the fall and then those guys and then we start to add names. We just continue to add names. And then we're gonna add names through all those events and continue to get to that point. And then obviously at thirteen and fourteen the national showcase comes and then we have our list of names going into those events and then they're gonna perform and do a workout with metrics and so forth too. So now you start to see that process and then they go into gameplay. So now it's a culmination of all that stuff. That we've been watching prior to then get to the national showcase. So yeah, I think that's kind of the thing. Maybe it's a misconception, maybe, but like it's a year long process. We're adding names as we go. Like we're what that's why we go to so many events, right? Our Tony's fiance hates him, doesn't hate him or gets mad at him. My wife's got three kids at home. She's pissed off at me, you know what I mean? Because we're gone. Yeah. Yeah. With a bat in her house. Yeah. Jason: Yeah. Right. Right. Right. Right. With a bat. Yeah. With a bat. Okay, Jacob: Ha ha ha. Jason: I swear to God I'm gonna let you go. but I wanna this again, this is the this is the thing. This is the thing. This is how this works. John McAdams: Yeah. Jason: what kind of relationship do you guys have? Because and I'm only talking about this for the older boys, so thirteen going up now in the big field. What kind of John McAdams: Mm-hmm. Jason: relationship do you guys have with USA? Because that carry event Is a big event. Are you guys paying attention to that too? John McAdams: Yep. yeah, we pay attention to it. Listen, that's the same thing too. Like we're paying attention to it's not just the PG events. Like we're gonna see the other big events. We it's just how that how it works, right? So there's Jason: Okay, okay, okay. John McAdams: a lot of events throughout the ecosystem and the baseball industry, right? So we're watching everything. That's I I think simply Jason: Okay. Okay. John McAdams: put, we watch Jacob: Yeah. John McAdams: everything. Jason: Because because you have to you have to admit and you have to give credit where credit is due. Like some of these kids, it's I mean, they're not coaching the teams, they don't own the organizations, so they don't get to set the schedule because if they had it their John McAdams: Mm-hmm. Correct. Jason: way, everything would be a PG event. But some of the kids just don't have that luxury of being in that kind of an ecosystem. And you know that you're like, Okay, that's a dude, and he's only gonna get to probably play in two sanctioned PG events all year. We got to keep our eye on him because we know he's stuck in Portland, you know, Oregon, and he's not going to get down here or do so. I just wanted to make sure that parents hear that. That just because you're in a situation where your your schedule doesn't merit the kind of schedule that an East Cobb every weekend schedule does does John McAdams: Mm-hmm. Jason: not mean that these guys aren't paying attention to what's going on. John McAdams: No, and too, listen, that's a that's a testament to our tournaments directors or scouts throughout the country that are scattered out throughout the country, obviously at the older age groups, where it's like, hey, there's a regional event, or there's a super NIT or regional event, and then we have a system where there you can input a scout note and then it goes to the scouting department and everybody in the scouting department, so we can see that. And then what's like, okay, well, let's pay attention. Like if we don't know the name, then now we pay attention to it and now we start to watch and then go from there. So there's a system in play. Our our the other scouts within the scouting department, our tournament directors always do a great job where they're feeding information in of players that are doing well and performing. So there's a system in place to get to that point for sure. Jason: Go ahead, Jacob. Jacob: No, I didn't. I was good. I was Yeah, no, I was scratching I was scratching my face. Jason: I you went like this. This is our this is our code. If he John McAdams: Mm-hmm. Jason: has this, if yeah, if he come yeah, the the four times a year that he does this, it means he has a question. So anyway, John McAdams: Ha ha Jacob: Mm-hmm. Jason: well listen, man, I know you have a ton to do. I know it's a late night for you. I cannot, John McAdams: Yeah, no worries. Jacob: Yes, thank you. Jason: cannot thank you enough for carving out 50 minutes with us to shed some light for the parents because listen, there's 36 that do know what this feels like. John McAdams: Mm, mm. Jason: There's 360,000 that don't. John McAdams: Yeah, yeah. Jason: And those are the ones that I want to make sure understand that this is the process. You are human. This is not done by a robot. And here are John McAdams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Jason: some things that you can you can listen to and you can hear from the horse's mouth of exactly what goes into this process. So we heard from Tony earlier this year. I know that we're probably gonna get with him or somebody before Beast of the East because that John McAdams: Yeah. Jason: is a a great event and we're in it and I'm thrilled to be in it, but I just I can't thank you enough for for coming on. Are you guys still doing PGTV? Can that is that where people can watch this? John McAdams: So we're gonna do a YouTube version this year, all of all of So that will be out a couple days after the event too, 'cause we're gonna try to do some more interactive stuff and whatnot too. there will be play by play and commentary as well, but we're trying to do some some more interactive stuff like in dugout type stuff and all that good stuff too. So we will make an announcement to where you can find it after the fact for sure. Yep, have it made it. Yep, correct. Yep. Jason: you haven't made it yet. So I didn't miss it. You just haven't made it yet. Okay. Okay. So it will be broadcast. You guys will have your broadcast team on it like you always have. We just don't know where yet. And we don't John McAdams: Yeah, it's Jason: know who will be broadcasting and the voices that we might hear. Okay. John McAdams: Yeah. It's gonna be on y it'll be end up on YouTube. it'll end up on our YouTube station for all of our YouTube channel, sorry. And then there'll be different aspects of it that we haven't done in recent past. but we're gonna try to some new things for sure. Jason: Okay. Well, so in in that question then, if you currently have a Diamond Cast subscription, could we still at least watch Diamond Cast Live? Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. All right. Awesome. Listen, man. Have a great night. I hope you guys have John McAdams: Yes, yes, yes, yes, correct. Yes. So if the games will be on Diamond Cast, there'll be a a stream up there too as well. Yeah, so absolutely. Yep. Yes, absolutely. Jacob: Okay. Jason: incredible time. I hope the weather is incredible for you guys. I wish you nothing but the best. And I'm just gonna say it again. Give Gino, give him my love, give Andrew my love. Let him know John McAdams: Yeah. Jason: that we're gonna be watching and best of luck this weekend. John McAdams: Yeah, appreciate you guys having me on and and like Tony I'm sure says too. Anytime you guys want to do something again, let me know and I'm in. Yeah. All right. You too. See you guys. Take care. Jacob: No, we'll do. Thank you. Jason: Thank you, buddy. Appreciate it. Have a great night. Okay. See you, man. See ya. Jacob: Thanks. See. Okay. Jason: Well that was good. That was good dude. So Jacob: yeah, and dude, that was a good episode. Very insightful. Jason: It was a lot of information. That was a lot of information. And I know that I know that people blame you and I for being PG honks and you know, for giving that organization as much li I listen, with all due respect. We've spent all year promoting that organization. And Jacob: Yeah. Jason: and and and we've done it extremely authentically. It's just been naturally because we do we do they get a lot, bro. They they get a lot of heat. And nobody sees this kind of stuff from them. they just see the price tag of everything. Jacob: Yeah. Jason: And yeah, I just I'm very I'm very thankful that and maybe this is maybe this is blind by me. I don't know. Maybe maybe I'm the dumbass, but I'm very thankful that that that organization exists to give us the kind of baseball that we have. Jacob: for sure man, that's some of the top baseball you can play. You know what I mean? Jason: So, do you know what I mean? Jacob: With with the tournaments they put on and the things they do and what I appreciate's the things they do to take care of their you know, the players. Like the Jason: Yeah, I mean Jacob: like the Select Fest and you know the all tournament teams and stuff like that. Like Jason: Just I don't know. I just I know that I know that that a lot I just I yeah you and I get a lot of shit for for talking about them as much as we do, but genuinely my kid's a better baseball player because he plays in that competitive atmosphere. So Jacob: Yeah. Jason: and I'll argue with anybody. Like he would not be where he's at today if he didn't have those boys across the country to meet up with every weekend and freaking just hammer at each other. So Iron Sharpens Iron, bro. And PG gives you the opportunity. Jacob: Yep. You ain't lying. Jason: PG gives you the calos the the the Coliseum to battle it out. So what were you gonna ask me? Jacob: Yeah. Yeah. Well, then before we do that, I was when we went to PGI, you know, I'm good friends with the guys from Diamond Kings. And I watched, you know, I watched probably three or four of their games and I noticed it's one kid man, just good, like very quiet though. Didn't say a word, very quiet. And I didn't say nothing. And then when the Slackfest came out, the kid was on there. And his name, his name is Gayel Fedua. And he's from Texas. Jason: I'm not even gonna try. I'm not even gonna tr Jacob: And so I text Rocky, you know, I know Rocky. I text him and said, hey, you know, what's the insight? He goes, Man, this kid's been with me for years. Always put his head down and just, you know, works and works and works. And I mean, it it's a true testament of the works that he's doing, or, you know. Because like I said, I watched him play and I like, Holy shit, this kid is this kid is good, man. And it came out that he's on the list. So, you know, congrats to him and I just wanted to shout that out because that was one kid that caught my eye when I was down at PGI. But Jason: Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean, listen, dude, what was it? It was it was back, it was back in March. I think I was on we were on a podcast and I said, listen, if you don't know the name now, you better get to know the name Gino Nucelli. Like Jacob: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Jason: we we talked about it. You know what I mean? Like there's kids that were just like, You may not have heard of him yet, but boy, you're gonna hear about it. You know what I mean? And look at him now. Look at him now. So congratulations to all of them. And I know that Jacob: Yeah. Jason: they're That this was definitely a year for there was definitely some new names on the list. There Jacob: Yeah. Jason: were some very familiar names that weren't on the list. And I love that. I love, Jacob: Yeah. Jason: I love the fact that, you know, you we we joke about it. Like RJ's gonna be on it every time there's an opportunity for there to be anything. RJ's gonna be at the top of that, of everything. Okay. Jacob: Yeah. Jason: but I love the fact that they're not just it would be very easy for Tony and J Mac and these guys to get. lazy and complacent of well they're good. You know what I mean? Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Jacob: Yeah. They're putting numbers up. Let's just pick them. Jason: Yeah. And just like, yeah, well they were there last year. Let's just all right. That let's that I I I honestly do believe after seeing like what you just said, you know, with with with that young man and kids like Gino and kids like PV, like there are new faces on there where they are the only way you would know about them is if you were watching all year Jacob: Yeah. Jason: long. And that's how you would know. So you gotta give credit where credit is due. You gotta give flowers when when when it's time to give flowers. And yeah, I'm just I'm stoked about it. And anything that we can do to shed light on the good of this game, that's what you and I are gonna sign up for every day of the week. So yeah, you were gonna ask me something. Jacob: Yeah. Yep. And congrats to them again, man. I do want to ask you something. So I've gotten two messages within the last three days Jason: Okay. Jacob: of parents having young kids not living in regions where there's very big national teams, but their child is good and want to put their kids on want to test if they would be good on if they're ready for the national schedule. Jason: I have a perfect I have a perfect solution for that. Jacob: And my answer to that was and their question is, how do we get how do we find a national or regional team and whatnot? My thing was, hey, you get on Facebook, you find the groups that are looking for players. Said fall is usually the tryout. You start contacting the coaches. Hey, do you have an open roster spot for the fall? I have video Jason: Mm. Jacob: of my kid playing. I can send you, you know what mean? And then just go from there. Because I know the Jason: Yes. Jacob: one family said they were about two and a half hours from their closest national team. I said two and a half hours. That's what I said. I said Jason: That's nothing. Jacob: that's we did the drive. Like you send them video and say, hey, do you have a roster spot this fall for my kid? What do you got to say? Jason: Yeah, very rarely, very rarely, folks, are you gonna find a top tier national organization in your hometown unless you're lucky enough to live in Marietta, Georgia, Houston, Texas, yeah, Los Angeles, San Diego, you know, Jacob: Los Angeles, California, Florida. Jason: Lake Mary, Florida. Right. Like it's just not the good ones are very, are very few. The good ones are. Jacob: Mm-hmm. Jason: yes. I'm gonna co-sign what Jacob just said. And I will also say that doesn't matter how good you are, you could be a Potstown kid, you could be a Select Vest kid, you could play for Team USA. If people don't know you're interested, how do they know you're interested? Jacob: Yeah. Jason: How do they know you're looking? So I I mean I I have a perfect example that I can't speak about of you know of of a dad who doesn't need to look anywhere but chose to to pick up the phone and call. You have to call. You have to. Jacob: Yeah. Jason: You have to you have to do the legwork for your kids in order to give the find out find which doors are the doors of opportunity. Here's the other thing I'll do. I I'd say if you're interested in something like this, and let's say you've never even played a PG event, okay? Let's say you've never even played one. Okay. You get on there and you create a PG profile for your child. Jacob: Yeah. Jason: Okay. And you will immediately start to get invites through your email of different opportunities for your kid. to go be seen. And the best one to do that's going on right now is Allstate games. That is the e that is where we that is where we built the beginning stages of our hit dogs team, bro. Was it that very first nine new Allstate team, Allstate Jacob: Have our head though same yeah. Yeah. Jason: game. So and I mean HUD's only in the position that he's in today where he was where he was at the last four years because another kid dropped out and one of those spots opened. And Jacob: Yeah. Jason: it was like, let's go. So I you know, I know that that and this is also a conflict too, because I know that a lot of PG Allstate games happen during like the Cooperstown time frame. Bro, don't wait until you're twelve. Jacob: The tryouts. Jason: Don't wait until you're 12 and that's the conflict. You know what I mean? If Jacob: Yeah. Jason: Cooperstown is going to be a dream of yours to go do, then make sure you're on somebody's radar or make sure you've had eyes on your kid before you ever get to twelve and it's too late. But PG Allstate games, I believe, are open to anybody. You can try Jacob: They are. Jason: out. Every region has a tryout. And if you think your kids are good enough, get them in front of other talent and let them measure themselves out. That's the easy I outside of the Facebook groups and other stuff, because that can, you know, it that can obviously open up doors. if you don't have a PG profile yet, get a PG profile. It's free. Like you don't have to pay. It's free to have a profile with them. And you will start getting your invites to Select Fest ID camps, to PG Allstate, you know, games, a lot of things. And if you're Jacob: Amps. Jason: willing to put the yeah, the camps, if you're willing to put the the miles on, then there's no there's no limit for the opportunities that your boys can have. So that's my answer. Jacob: Yep. Okay. Well that's I mean, like I said, I've gotten two messages the last three days and I I told him what I told him and I but I wanted to hear another perspective or you know, what you had answered. So there you go. 'Cause they said they both listened to the podcast, so Yep, thank you. Yes, it Jason: Cool. Well, thank you. Awesome. All right, buddy. It's been a long night. So Jacob: has. Jason: I have got an even longer night ahead of me because I absolutely want to make sure that this Select Fest one gets out. because the time sensitive. Joe's I can work on in the morning and release that, you know, later, but this one I've got to get out. So we're gonna we're gonna sign off. I'm gonna grab some coffee and the laptop and get busy. I will catch up with you tomorrow. Sound good? Hey. Love ya. See ya. Jacob: All right. Yep. Yep. Sounds good. Love you. See ya. Jason: Bye. Jacob: Bye.