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Ep 45: Tag Team

PodcastAnalysis updated 2d ago1 hr 20 min listenBy Jeff Teolis & Martin Robbins
From the creator

Final Round Pinball Podcast Episode 45: Tag Team  Hosts: Martin Robbins & Jeff Teolis Reach A Round winner Robert Byers joins our squared circle as we discuss: District 82 Super Series in Wisconsin...

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Highlights

  • District 82 was a new tournament in 2025, modeled after Brisbane Masters and German tournaments like Bulls and Balls in Fulda, featuring six tournaments over four days
  • Raymond Davidson won the overall District 82 standings; Kaylee jumped to number 3 in world rankings; Carl D'Angelo won the four-strikes event; John DelZoppo won another event
  • Robert Byers' results declined across six tournaments due to mental fatigue: 34th, 31st, 13th, 12th, 10th, 38th: but consistency kept him in 7th overall with prize money in play
  • District 82 had over 100 pinball machines and approximately 100 competitors including top players from North America and internationally
  • Tournament timing issues caused tournaments to run 1-2+ hours over schedule due to top players 'trapping up' and taking time on classic machines like Whirlwind and Earthshaker
  • Houston Arcade Expo uses a unique format with red/blue session splits allowing players to compete half the day and socialize/drink the other half
  • Robert Byers is streaming the Houston Open qualifications and finals on Top Rope Pinball with potential guest wrestler appearances as commentators
  • Matt Hardy and Reby (wrestling personalities) have recently joined TPN and are integrating pinball streaming with wrestling intros
  • Texas Pinball Festival uses a limited-entry format (20 entries, 12 machines count) and community members are concerned about pre-event Texas Pinball League finals being played on tournament machines

Notable quotes

“You're not going to see casual pinball players at this event. These are the diehards, the gamers, the tournament players, the best of the best.”
Jeff Teolis
“The concentration of competition that was there, he didn't understand that if you have Whirlwind or Earthshaker in the classics, and you get three or four top guys on there, trapping up, taking their time, destroying these games, they're going to go long.”
Robert Byers
“I got up at 3:30 a.m. in Austin, Texas to catch a 6 a.m. flight... I averaged about four to five hours of sleep for three to four nights straight.”
Robert Byers
“Think about the fucking people organizing these tournaments because they are there two hours before you. They are there two hours after you, and they don't get breaks.”
Marty Robbins
“I think he is well past his peak, and there's probably not much more left for him. Whereas I think Robert still has a lot left in him and a lot more achievements to be had.”
Marty Robbins
“The optics aren't good. I'm just going to say it. I'm not trying to piss anybody off in Texas.”
Robert Byers
“Eric did these six tournaments. Do you know that that night he entered them in to IFPA so that the I saw that the results came out almost instantaneously?”
Jeff Teolis
“Life ends at 50, and you will find out in a year and one month's time.”
Marty Robbins
“I would go next weekend if there was another one. So, I mean, Eric, I think this is definitely going to be an annual event.”
Robert Byers

Entities

  • Houston Arcade Expo· event
  • Pinball Expo· event
  • Texas Pinball Festival· event
  • Top Rope Pinball· organization
  • TPN· organization
  • Carl D'Angelo· person
  • Colin McAlpine· person
  • Eric Thorne· person
  • Jeff Teolis· person
  • John DelZoppo· person
  • Kaylee· person
  • Marty Robbins· person
  • Matt Hardy· person
  • Phil Birnbaum· person
  • Phil Grimaldi· person
  • Raymond Davidson· person
  • Reby· person
  • Robert Byers· person
  • Tom Graff· person
  • District 82· venue

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