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Ep 26: The Reach A Rounds

Final Round Pinball Podcast·podcast_episode·1h 0m·held·Jan 28, 2021
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Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.031

TL;DR

Live coverage of 2020 Reach Arounds, a satirical pinball awards show hosted by Final Round's Marty Robbins and Jeff Teolis.

Summary

Episode 26 of Final Round Pinball Podcast features live coverage of the 2020 Reach Arounds, a satirical pinball awards show hosted by Marty Robbins and Jeff Teolis at an undisclosed event. The episode includes red carpet interviews, comedic award presentations (many of which were sold rather than voted on), acceptance speeches from various pinball community figures, and humorous commentary on the state of pinball award shows. The show parodies traditional awards ceremonies while celebrating pinball content creators, streamers, and community members.

Key Claims

  • The Reach Arounds feature awards that are both voted by the Final Round Voting Academy and sold to nominees

    high confidence · Marty Robbins explaining the award show format: 'there are a lot of categories that have been selected by the Final Round Voting Academy, and there are some awards that people have actually paid for'

  • Membership in the Final Round Voting Academy requires being a host of the show

    high confidence · Marty Robbins: 'You need to be a host of the show'

  • The pin bar feature is noteworthy enough to win a major award category

    high confidence · Steve Bowen accepting the 'Where Did That Come From?' award: 'The pin bar really is something that I didn't know I needed until I started using it'

  • Laura Fraley organized a Quarantopia selfie tournament during the pandemic that exceeded participation expectations

    high confidence · Laura Fraley's acceptance speech: 'Participation in the Quarantopia selfie tournament exceeded my expectations'

  • The 2020 Reach Arounds was recorded live and involved multiple international participants

    high confidence · Jeff Teolis: 'this truly is an international award ceremony and we were able to fly people all around the world just to be a part of the ceremony'

  • Jeff Teolis won a Pinball Profile World Tour tournament in Australia through luck or favorable circumstances

    medium confidence · Ryan C.: 'Make sure Jeff Teolis, the smiling Canadian, never ever mention his Pinball Profile World Tour lucky drunken victory in Australia again' and Greg Selby's acceptance: 'My wife did play you that night in that tournament. She defaulted her game by pressing the start button just because she felt like you looked like you needed a win'

Notable Quotes

  • “award shows are just like the reach-arounds. You can never have too many, and you usually have to pay to get them.”

    Marty Robbins @ ~05:00 — Sets the tone for the satirical nature of the event, establishing that awards can be purchased rather than earned purely on merit

  • “my life really hasn't changed a bit since starting the Final Round Pinball Podcast with Jeff, and I'll take that as a win.”

    Marty Robbins @ ~07:00 — Self-deprecating humor about the impact/reach of the podcast despite its longevity

  • “The pin bar really is something that I didn't know I needed until I started using it.”

    Steve Bowen @ ~25:00 — Genuine testimonial about a specific mechanical/software innovation gaining traction in the community

  • “I had to beg and plead with my wife to get a reach around for me as an early Father's Day gift”

    Albert Agar @ ~35:00 — Demonstrates the humorous nature of purchased awards and the awareness among recipients

  • “We all know that capitalism is better than democracy. I would like to thank Jeff and Marty and accept this award on behalf of the Underground Pinball Twitch channel.”

    Brad Hopkins @ ~40:00 — Cynical but humorous commentary on the commercial nature of award shows versus democratic voting processes

  • “it's just kind of too hard to pick our favorite cancellation. They were all so good.”

    Jeff Teolis @ ~70:00 — Dark humor about the many 2020 event cancellations due to COVID-19, including major tournaments like Replay FX and Texas Pinball Festival

  • “My wife did play you that night in that tournament. She defaulted her game by pressing the start button just because she felt like you needed a win.”

    Greg Selby @ ~100:00 — Suggests Jeff Teolis's Australia tournament victory may have been aided by his opponent, adding context to ongoing ribbing about that win

  • “I'm under 18, so I've had to play competitive pinball for five years now sober. So good luck, and now you can feel the pain that I've had to feel all these years.”

Entities

Marty RobbinspersonJeff TeolispersonFinal Round Pinball PodcastorganizationRebecca SalempersonManu SmithpersonLauren GraypersonDavid DennispersonSteve BowenpersonAlbert Agarperson

Signals

  • ?

    community_signal: The 2020 Reach Arounds attracted international participants and multiple content creators, suggesting strong community engagement and a developed alternative award structure to traditional pinball awards

    high · Multiple international attendees, presenters from different countries, sold-out award categories

  • ?

    content_signal: Multiple pinball podcasts are active and receiving recognition at community events, indicating a vibrant podcast ecosystem

    high · Mentions of Pinball Nerds Podcast, Top Rope Pinball, Underground Pinball, Backbox Pinball Podcast, Silver Ball Chronicles, TPS Midweek Edition, Final Round Pinball Podcast all receiving coverage and awards

  • ?

    design_innovation: The pin bar feature is gaining acceptance and positive reception in the pinball community, with a major award dedicated to recognizing it

    high · Steve Bowen's acceptance speech about the pin bar being a valuable innovation: 'I didn't know I needed it until I started using it'

  • ?

    community_signal: Pinball community adapted to COVID-19 lockdowns through online tournaments (Quarantopia selfie tournament) and remote streaming/podcasting content creation

    high · Laura Fraley's Quarantopia selfie tournament, multiple streamers and podcasters gaining recognition during pandemic, mention of event cancellations

  • ~

    sentiment_shift: Community members are creating alternative award structures (Reach Arounds) as either parody or genuine alternative to traditional pinball awards like Twippies and Pinball Industry Awards

Transcript

groq_whisper · $0.181

0:00
The Pinball Network is online. Launching final round pinball podcast. It's player versus player and player versus machine. welcome to the final round the following was recorded live at the 2020 reach arounds many people contributed and a lot of different elements are going to be in this podcast please listen at the normal speed here we go
0:59
Welcome to the 2020 Reach Arounds. Hello and welcome. I'm Rebecca Salem from Booktronic. And I'm Manu Smith from Mystery Pinball Theater 3000. And we are live on the red carpet as we get set for the 2020 Reach Arounds. It's the event of the year, and we're hoping to get to talk to some of the nominees tonight before the show begins. And I think you're about to talk to our first guest. It's none other than one of the hosts of tonight's show, Martin Robbins. Isn't it amazing how 50 can look great on some people? What are you wearing? Mainly gin, regret, and disappointment in equal amounts all over this chink tux from the Pauline Hanson collection. We've heard the forums complain about other award shows. In fact, there are even some protesters just beyond the red carpet. What do you say to those who think there are just too many award shows and there should only be one? I agree. There should only be one, and you're at it right now. But seriously, award shows are just like the reach-arounds. You can never have too many, and you usually have to pay to get them. I know you're in a hurry, but tell me, what's it like working with Jeff Teolas? You know, besides having to remove a few stray red hairs after we record, I have to say, my life really hasn't changed a bit since starting the Final Round Pinball Podcast with Jeff, and I'll take that as a win. There you have it. Martin Robbins, everyone. Great work, Rebecca. I've managed to snag a special guest. Say hello to David Dennis of the Silver Ball Chronicles. Hey, Manu. How's it going? Good to see you. I know you have the Pinball Industry Awards tomorrow night, so why are you here? Well, the tuxedo for tomorrow, that was like a two-day minimum, so I thought, hey, what the hell? Now, are you up for any Reach Around Awards tonight? Oh, no, no, no. But I was the Uber driver for one of them. And they gave me a big tip, so I'm a winner already. Well, it's great to see you, David. All the best. Thanks, Manu. Yeah, keep up the great work. And looky here, another special guest, looking fabulous as always. It's Lauren Gray of the Backbox Pinball Podcast. Hey, Rebecca. So good to see you. Hi, y'all. Hi, everybody. This is the first event of the Pinball Awards season. You must be thrilled. Rebecca, I am so excited about this event. Of course, you know, I have my red carpet look ready to go. Sequence, sequence, sequence. You cannot get enough, I promise you. More than that, pinball, it's meant to be fun. I'm so excited about this event. Plus, Martin and Jeff, they are totally my jam. Big fan, big fan of the Final Round Pinball Podcast. And again, just excited to be here. It's going to be fun for sure. Take care, Lauren. I'll let you get to your seat. Bye, y'all. We are moments away from the start of the show, but I can see the other host for the reach around. Jeff, Jeff, can I get a quick word? Hey, Manu, how are you, buddy? Whoa, jeez, I almost tripped over that cord there. You almost saw me eat a bunch of red carpet like I'm Peter Griffin. Hey, when was the last time we saw each other? It was at the Pinball Profile World Tour event at Free Go Watch in San Francisco. Yes, yes, that was so good. Great people. I got to get back there. Just real quick. Tell us, what's it like backstage? I think everyone's kind of a little bit nervous here at the Golden Gropes. You know, there's this weird aroma backstage. It's kind of like a mix of weed and Gwyneth Paltrow goop candles. But the main thing is, there are plenty of ATMs around to help the nominees secure their win. All right, it looks like they're rushing you off, so all the best. Break a leg. Can I pick who's? Where's Josh?

Emily Cosson @ ~105:00 — Reveals a young competitive player in the community and the challenge of age restrictions in adult-oriented venues

Brad Hopkins
person
Robert Byersperson
Zach Menyperson
Carl D'Angeloperson
Laura Fraleyperson
Ryan C.person
Greg Selbyperson
Kate Martinperson
Emily Cossonperson
Rob Frostperson
Craig Bobbiperson
Deep Root Pinballcompany
Backbox Pinball Podcastorganization
Ed Robertsonperson
Dennis Krieselperson

medium · Satirical nature of Reach Arounds; Robert Byers winning a 'first place award' rather than settling for 'second tier award from the Pinball Industry Awards or the Twippies'; explicit self-awareness about the commercialized nature of awards

  • ?

    industry_signal: Jeff Teolis' Australia tournament victory is a recurring point of friction/humor in the community, suggesting competitive tensions and ongoing ribbing about tournament results

    high · Multiple references to his 'lucky drunken victory in Australia'; Greg Selby's revelation that his wife defaulted her game; Keep Your Mouth Shut award specifically created to silence mentions of this

  • ?

    venue_signal: The Pinball Profile World Tour brought tournaments to multiple venues including the Silver Ball Saloon in Rochester, creating memorable experiences for new/casual players

    medium · Rob Frost's mention: 'Jeff for bringing the Pinball Profile World Tour to the Silver Ball Saloon. That's a memory that I'll always cherish'

  • ?

    community_signal: Young competitive players (under 18) are participating in the pinball community, navigating age restrictions at adult-oriented venues

    high · Emily Cosson, age under 18, is a competitive pinball player; her speech about playing sober for five years due to age restrictions

  • ?

    event_signal: Major 2020 pinball events were cancelled due to COVID-19, including Replay FX, Texas Pinball Festival, and other tournaments

    high · Jeff Teolis: 'There were many cancellations in 2020. Replay FX, Texas Pinball Festival, Loser Kids' chances of a Twippy'

  • ?

    content_signal: Podcast hosts are offering paid promotional services ('Five Days Reach Around') as a monetization strategy, suggesting podcast sponsorships and advertising are part of the content creator business model

    medium · Five Days Reach Around award giving hosts the ability to 'plug you all over social media for five straight days' to winners who purchased the award

  • ?

    community_signal: Pinball community spans multiple countries with active participation from Australia, Canada, and the United States

    high · Marty Robbins described as 'pride of Australia', multiple Canadian winners and participants (Brad Hopkins, Craig Bobbi), international presenters

  • ?

    operational_signal: Arcade venues like Buttermilk Bar maintain pinball machines and employ staff who interact with the pinball community

    low · Kate Martin works at Buttermilk Bar and is involved with Women's International Pinball Tournament

    • 4:42
    All right, that's it from the red carpet. On behalf of Manu Smith, I'm Rebecca Salem. Enjoy the Reach Arounds! 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2...
    4:59
    The pinball world has gathered as the stars have aligned for the biggest award show in pinball history. Welcome to the 2020 Reach Arounds!
    5:17
    Ladies and gentlemen, from Bare Naked Ladies, Ed Robertson. Thank you. Ever since the last award show, you've wanted an award. But most of them are horseshit, you end up getting bored. Some will give you trophies for all the work you do. But if you've got a checkbook, then we've got to reach around for you.
    6:05
    You want theme integration and worlds under glass? Well, we're bringing back the magic that comes from kissing ass. So listen while you're driving, maybe before you crash Cause no one got a vote here, they traded cold hard cash It's the reach around, trophies with a twist We wanna reach around, put money in our fists
    6:43
    I'm your MC, Mark Silk. Now, let's welcome your host for tonight's festivities. One is the pride of Australia, while the other is Australia's undefeated pinball champion. These men have been on over 500 combined podcasts and not one award to show for it, and rightly so. They persist on anyway, shameless and unapologetic.
    7:09
    Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Martin Robbins and Jeff Teolis. wow what a performance and look at everyone everyone looks so good marty i know people have made such a huge effort for the reach arounds this is what we were hoping for and i'm glad that everyone has made the effort and you're right ed robertson opening up the show this is it it's great that we can all be here together and everyone's all gussied up look at all the pinball shirts the different leagues and tournaments there's a lot of lanyards and cargo shorts a few loser kid pinball podcast hats and we're here to celebrate achievements in pinball that the other award shows don't want to touch we'll touch anything as proved tonight here on the reach rounds i want to thank people in the green room backstage because a lot of good entertainment's going on there we've got twitch superstars dj fuzzy nuts pressing play on his pre-recorded music mixer we've got asmr streamer pink sparkles looking after the social media chat and you two can chat with us here. Where can they get a hold of us here, Marty? They can get us on Facebook with Final Round Pinball, on Instagram, that's Final Round Pinball Podcast, and on Twitter, it's Final Round Pin. So Marty, how does this award show work? How is it different? Well, in some ways it's different and some ways it's the same, in that there are a lot of categories that have been selected by the Final Round Voting Academy, and there are some awards that people have actually paid for. So as I said, like award shows. So how do you become a member of the final round voting academy? You need to be a host of the show. Oh, well, check. Look at that. All right. Seasoned veterans, I would say to become part of the academy. Excellent choice of wording, Marty. Absolutely. And you know, you did say check there. We've seen a few checks too, because there are other awards too, not voted on by the academy. And we did sell out of all these awards and that is what this show is about is to celebrate those winners we've already had people ask us how can i win an award well you're too late although maybe we'll add a late fee for next year but the point is marty we've got a bunch of winners here and a lot of amazing presenters and so jeff what is our first award let's bring on our presenter she is the founder of bells and chimes phoenix and tilt studio pinball league a big warm welcome to tracy linberg I know firsthand the importance of winning an award. When I won the final round Yegpin Trophy, my life changed forever. It was like being in a whole new world. All of a sudden, people would stay six feet away from me, and they would refuse to shake my hand like they weren't worthy. It's time to bring another lucky person into the chosen few of award winners. We've had our ups and downs in 2020, but we've also had some pleasant surprises. It's time to award the Where Did That Come From? Reach Around. This award goes to the pinball feature we didn't know we needed in 2020. Honorable mentions go to the Subway Lock Mech in Avengers Infinity Quest or the 600-plus lights on Guns N' Roses. But the winner of the Where Did That Come From? Reach Around is the pin bar. Here to accept the award is Deep Roots' Stephen Bowden.
    10:33
    Thank you very much, Tracy. I am very honored to accept this prestigious major award on behalf of Deep Root Pinball. The pin bar really is something that I didn't know I needed until I started using it. And when I'm playing a game that doesn't have it, sometimes I will catch myself glancing down to find information that I want, And then I'll chastise myself for looking, knowing that there's nothing there. I think to myself, what am I doing? What are you looking there for? It's not there. So I'm kind of getting used to it being there. So anyway, I'm looking forward to bringing this award into the office where it will sit proudly and remind us all why we do what we do. Thank you very much.
    11:18
    Congratulations, Stephen, and to the Deep Root team. Award well earned. For our next award, one of the great things to come out of 2020 is the amount of people that grabbed a mic and a camera and started streaming pinball. Literally, a mic and a camera. That's it. And we're here to celebrate those streamers that couldn't quite work out how to focus the camera or how to plug in the mic. The kind of streamer that thought Microsoft Paint was a great tool to create their layout. And so it's now time for the Show Us Your Bits Reach Around for Mediocre Streaming or Podcasting. And our first winner is, from the Pinball Nerds podcast, it's Albert Agar.
    12:01
    You love me. You really love me. I just want to start by thanking everyone who voted me in for the most mediocre pinball live streamer on the planet. That's right, I won the Show Us Your Bits trophy at the 2020 inaugural first annual Reach Arounds. now I'll be honest okay you didn't vote for it I had to beg and plead with my wife to get a reach around I'm not gonna lie but she got the reach around for me as a an early father's day gift and I can't thank her enough and as much as I love reach arounds from my wife I want COVID to frig off so that next year when I again win a reach around from the final round dudes Marty and Jeff I just want to get that reach around live and in person from them you know what I mean everything is so much better in person. I'm sick of everything that's digital. Ah, thanks again. And until next time, pinball nerds, remember to eat, sleep and breathe. Reach arounds.
    13:03
    Way to go, Orby. I hope to listen to your show one day. And that brings us to our next winner of the Show Us Your Bits Reach Around for Mediocre Streaming or Podcasting. And the winner is, from Underground Pinball, it's Brad Hopkins.
    13:19
    Finally, a pinball award show that makes sense. No begging, no voting, no crying. We all know that capitalism is better than democracy. I would like to thank Jeff and Marty and accept this award on behalf of the Underground Pinball Twitch channel. The Show Us Your Bits Award for Mediocre Achievement in Streaming is just the award for our suboptimal effort. Also, Harlem Globetrotters is not underrated. More proof of how democracy is flawed.
    13:49
    Congratulations, Brad. That is a great stream. Don't you love it, Marty? I absolutely love it, and I catch it all the time. You've never seen it, have you? By the time this airs, yes, absolutely, I will have seen it. That's dedication, you know. He writes a check, we'll give you one view. Well done. Money well spent. By the way, both winners, Canadian. Looking for a little attention, maybe. Yes, that is the Canadian way. Whereas Australians just like to hide under the radar. Hope the cops don't see them. That's true.
    14:26
    Please welcome our next presenter, a podcasting legend, Macho Pinball. Oh, yeah. Hey, what's this? Presenting an award? Oh, you should be giving me an award because I'm macho. Yeah. Oh, but I'm not afraid to share the spotlight, baby. Because no matter who wins, they're always going to be looking up, looking at that cream on top. The cream, baby. That's me. Well we have two winners for the next category It the five days reach around Yeah Marty and Jeff will plug you all over social media for five straight days They'll tackle any trolls and they'll put you on the same path as Macho. The first winner of the five days award is the champ, Robert Byers, a top rope pinball coming with the elbow.
    15:27
    Finally, the Rob has come to the final round pinball podcast. First of all, I'd like to thank Jeff, Martin, and Macho for this wonderful, hard-earned, and well-deserved honor. Top Rope Pinball is moving close to its 100th episode and has done more than 30 wrestler introductions. It truly is awesome to be different than Josh Sharp and win the first place award, at least as far as pinball show awards are concerned, and not settle for a second tier award from the pinball industry awards or the Twippies.
    16:07
    As Carlito said, I only hang with the cool kids. Now that Jeff and Martin have honored me with this greatness and given me five days of reach arounds, they have joined my cool kids club with me and now can finally be considered my friends. Also, when it comes to Texas, everything is bigger, so I really did expect to win the five days award. When we win a reach around, there's a lot to grab onto, so you better be prepared. Seriously, in closing, I would like to thank all the fans and supporters of Top Rope Pinball for not voting for me in the Twippies or nominating me for a Pinball Industry Award so I could fill my true destiny of winning a reach around and pay Jeff and Marty to finally like me. Woo! Okay, all you jabronis out there. You need to bring it and come down to visit my next stream for some fun, energy, and excitement. As I bring the smack now to any pinball machine that gets in my path. You can find me on Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and on the Discord channel by searching TopRollPinball. And always remember, if you smash!
    17:29
    La la la la. What Raw is flipping. Thanks and keep chasing those GC scores out there. Cheers. Oh, Robert, you don't get the five days right now. There are other awards. Like the second winner of the five days reach around. Oh, here it comes. Flipping out Zach Meaney. Yeah.
    17:57
    Holy shit. I won a Reach Around Award. Nicole, hear that, hon? Says here we've earned a... Never mind. I guess it's from Tealess or Marty or both. I don't know who to thank in this paid-for acceptance speech. I mean, I guess I'll thank myself on Flippin' Out Pinball's behalf. Bye, bye, bye? Bye, bye, bye! Maybe that just means I give myself a Reach Around. I don't even know if that's possible. Regardless, I want to thank Martin and Jeff for hosting not only this fabulous award ceremony, but my tip of the hat to their passion for pinball. I couldn't think of two better pinball ambassadors and generally great people. And hey, look, I'm no savant with spoken word. I get that. So I thought it may be better to express my feelings from the heart in the form of singing. I dedicate this song to Martin and Jeff because anyone who spends this much fucking time and dedication doing a podcast to entertain and inform others must be a basket case. Do you have the time to listen to me whine about nothing and everything I want? I am one of those melodramatic fools Neurotic to the bone, no doubt about it Sometimes I give myself the creeps Sorry Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me It all keeps adding up I think I'm fucking up Am I just paranoid or am I scum?
    19:46
    Yeah! Come on, sing along everybody. I went to a shrink to analyze my dreams. That's ironic. She says it's lack of success bringing me down. Can you relate boys? I went to a whore. She said my life's a bore. So quit my whining cause it's bringing me down. down Sometimes I give myself the creeps Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me And I keep setting up Final round is cracking up Am I just paranoid? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah Woo, love you guys Everybody give themselves a reach around
    20:40
    Geez, Marty, we're giving them five days. It looks like they used one of their days right there. I think they only have four left each. What do you think? Probably three. If we're really honest, they were a little bit long. I mean, what are we going to say about them for five days that they haven't already said about themselves? We might just have to play that clip for five days, I would say, Jeff. Can we get it all in in five days? It's tough to say. Anyway, the point is we've got more awards here and another presenter. Who is it? Our next presenter, somebody that I've looked up to for many years when it comes to streaming and technology, from IE Pinball, it's the one and only Carl D'Angelo.
    21:25
    When I was asked to appear at the Reach Arounds, I assumed I was getting an award and not presenting one. But that's okay. I'm glad to help out. Up next, it's the follow-through Reach Around. This goes to the best use of time during the pandemic. And I'm not nominated for this? I tackled 10 wizard modes on machines like Simpsons Pinball Party, Lord of the Rings, Iron Maiden, Wizard of Oz, Alice Cooper's Nightmare Castle, Family Guy, The Avengers, Big Buck Hunter, and 24. Okay, those last two almost drove me insane. But I did run Pin Clash, and I gave away $1,000 of my own money. Okay, maybe that wasn't so smart financially. Fine. The winner of the follow-through reach-around is Laura Fraley and her Quarantopia selfie lead.
    22:15
    Thanks, Carl. I'm delighted to accept this award, and thank you so much for tirelessly trying to raise the bar in pinball broadcasting and content creation. You make it look effortless, but we're all well aware of how much work actually goes into it. Participation in the Quarantopia selfie tournament exceeded my expectations, and I'd like to thank everyone who submitted a score, made a funny face, entered into an overseas back-and-forth battle for the top score on a game, or just spent a little bit more time playing pinball with their loved ones. Special thank yous go to Andreas Hochstrup-Peterson for creating and managing match play, Ian Harrower for creating 11th Hour Code to help me determine overall standings, and all the pinball voices who helped me promote the tournament while it was still running, including Pinball Nerds Podcast and NoCoinDropRequired. But most of all, thank you to all of the community leaders, organizers, and operators who have stepped up to help keep their communities connected in large and small ways. While we can't reverse all of the damage that has been done by this pandemic, we can choose to support arcades and locations near and far who have made safety and community a priority during this time.
    23:21
    Now, that was a great speech. Humble, thanking others, not too long. That's what you want in an award show. You know, Jeff, there were many cancellations in 2020. Replay FX, Texas Pinball Festival, Loser Kids' Chances of a Twippy. Did they have a chance? You're right, though, Marty. It's just kind of too hard to pick our favorite cancellation. They were all so good. I think the only thing to do right now, the right thing to do, is to cancel our next award, the Stall Balls Reach Around. I believe it's what everybody would want us to do. Now that's the best cancellation of all. Speaking of cancelling awards and avoiding shitty possible speeches, we did you the honour of having a special ceremony last weekend. It was the Science and Technology Reach-A-Rounds. At a sold-out event attended literally by a dozen of people, hosted by Dennis Creasel, it was a star-studded event. Hello all my eclectic friends, or as I like to call it, the casting call for the remake of Revenge of the Nerds. Dennis was handing out reach arounds to several winners congratulations to the winner of the reach around for outstanding achievement in soldering and the reach around award for best coin door hinge goes to and the I can't see reach around for best use of blinding flashers is congratulations to all the winners of the science and technology reach arounds yeah that's going to be a nice trophy for them to bring to their high school reunions when people said you'll never get a reach around i can imagine people are now thinking about what they can do for the science and technology awards for 2021 get to work people more reach rounds and uh just looking at oh looking at the show notes at what's next uh i'm not saying anything about this this is yours marty possibly my favorite award of the night and to present the award good friend of ours It's Ryan C.
    25:47
    But I'm here to talk about awards, and holy shit does the pinball community love awards. I say that we have an awards show every month. Let me just say, on behalf of all Australia, this award is the best reach around of them all. It's bigger than the Academy Award for Best Picture. It's more important than the Nobel Peace Prize and the Australian of the Year combined. It's time for the Keep Your Mouth Shut reach around. This award gives the winner the power to make sure Jeff Teolis, the smiling Canadian, never ever mentions his pinball profile world tour. Lucky, drunken victory in Australia again. I wish this award could make him shut up about other things like his love for Led Zeppelin, his childhood boner, his hate for action buttons, Bullying Josh Sharp Boring Being the IFPA People's President Shut up Jeff Or making fun of things I say that are out of context My little pecker, my little pecker There were several people in the running for this award Like Half of Canada The Sharp Family Marty Jeff's wife and kids Pretty much anyone who knows Jeff But the winner of the Keep Your Mouth Shut Reach Around And the hero to us all is get a dog up ya it's greg silby from haggis pemble indestructible play fields and now indestructible sexual favors thanks greg good day final round podcasters uh yeah i'm really excited to be winning the keep your mouth shut reach around award from the final round podcast thank you guys i actually feel like a golden globe winner i'm writing an acceptance speech for this award that i've paid for but look i really just wanted to thank Jeff for acting like a complete dick all year about his win and continually mentioning it now this one is for the sanity of the entire pinball community so someone needed to do it I did want to say though that you know Jeff my wife did play you that night in that tournament defaulted her game by pressing the start button just because she felt like you looked like you needed a win but thank you guys awesome podcast all year really enjoyed it here's to a really awesome 2021 well done
    28:10
    Well done, Greg. So you'll be absolutely deserved. And thank you very much for buying that award. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right, it's done. But now, now's the time for the real reach around. This one I've been looking forward to.
    28:31
    Please welcome our next presenter, the creator of the Women's International Pinball Tournament, Kate Martin.
    28:40
    Good evening. I'm here to present the dry reach around. This goes to the person who enforces that Martin Robbins will not be allowed to drink for one month on his Melbourne silver ball stream. Wait, what? I work at Buttermilk Bar. You want me to tell someone to stop drinking? Hell no. What's the next reach around that don't tip your server aboard? This is bullshit. Kate, Kate, Kate, it's OK, because Marty A is in Australia, so you're not losing a customer. And B, he's too cheap to tip anyway. All right, fine. The honorable mention for the dry reach around? are Oz Eric, Hashman and Dangeray, and Dr. Curly Tech. And the winner of the Dry Reach Round is Emily Cosson.
    29:21
    Hey, Marty and Jeff, it's Emily, and I'm going to purchase the Dry Reach Round because I'm under 18, so I've had to play competitive pinball for five years now sober. So good luck, and now you can feel the pain that I've had to feel all these years.
    29:37
    Okay, Marty, so you can't drink and I can't talk. This is going to be great. This is going to be an interesting month for me, rest of your life for you. Hey, Greg, I know where you live, all right? I've been to Melbourne before and I plan on coming back. So watch your back there, kid. Not having to drink on stream for a month, that's pretty bad. You not having to mention the Pinball Profile World Tour win in Australia that is devastating But Jeff I have something special for you today because it is your birthday Really I know how much you love Led Zeppelin So we have a special singer. You didn't get Robert Plant. No. The next best thing. Robert's cousin, Harry Balsagna. And here's a special song for you.
    30:30
    Welcome to the Reach Arounds. Time for the hosts to get paid. Thanks to you in the final round, the winners might now get laid. But now it's time to break up the show Sponsors have got something to say But for some it's a pain They will complain Even on your birthday Oh, sometimes it's not desired But I know I've got one thing just for you Reach around And as it's hard to buy right now You can't go wrong I'm going round the world I've got to reach around You've got to pay to play Going to put this award up on display You've got to reach around I'm down, I'm down, I'm down, I'm down I'm jumping, honey Oh yeah Still more awards to come here on the 2020 Reach Arounds.
    32:20
    It's the most important thing in the world to you. Without it, your very existence is in question. Family? Friends? Health? No, I'm talking about a pinball award. You campaigned long and hard to win a trophy. Begged and begged. Please, please, please. You've had people vote who have never played a machine, never saw a stream, never heard a podcast. But if they have an email, they were there for you and your vote. Good for you. Although, sadly, even with several social media posts, videos, audio drops, mass emails, and pleading for weeks on end, you came up short. Don't worry. We've got just the thing for you. Kleenex. That Kleenex box is going to come in handy when you wipe your tears when you don't win. Blow your nose after endless sobbing. And did you know that Kleenex has other purposes too for pinball folk? Like zit squashing. last minute toilet paper, padding bras and crotch regions, plus many more. That must be why Ryan C has so many Kleenex boxes and bottles of Juergens. Not sure the connection there. Kleenex, there for you and all your sticky situations.
    33:35
    Once again, your hosts for the 2020 Reach Arounds, Martin Rubbins and Jeff Teolis. You know, Jeff, this truly is an international award ceremony and we were able to fly people all around the world just to be a part of the ceremony. And our next guest is all the way from Australia, presenting the Give It a Try Reach Around. It's Jessie J.
    34:00
    Good evening. Less than one year ago, I was new to the pinball media. In fact, I had never played in a pinball competition. I've never had to press F5 repeatedly to get an entry. And there were several pinball machines I had never heard of. But after several episodes of Jessie J's Pinball Adventure, I now know everything about pinball machines, podcasting, and single men. It only makes sense that I am here as a presenter for the most prestigious awards in pinball. These next winners may gain that same pinball knowledge as me with their new awards and a future guest appearance on the Final Round Pinball Podcast. It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the two recipients of the Give It a Try Reach Around. First, from New York State, Rob Frost.
    34:47
    Excuse me, I'm a little lost here. Where's the pin bar? Just kidding. First, I want to thank Martin and Jeff for the reach around and allowing me to buy my first trophy in pinball. And to be honest, the only one I'll ever win. Another thanks to Jeff for bringing the pinball profile world tour to the Silver Ball Saloon. That's a memory that I'll always cherish, even though that was the only tournament I've ever played in and had more than like a $10 bar tab. Let's say add a zero to that number that day. Also, I genuinely wanted to send a shout out and thanks to my Rochester and Western New York pinball buddies for being an incredible, welcoming community into this hobby that basically changed my life. The last notes I had here, I just wanted to say fortnight, teed nighty, and go Bills.
    35:39
    Thank you, Rob. Our next recipient of the Give It a Try Reach Around comes from Toronto, Canada. The winner is Craig Bobby.
    35:48
    Well, thanks so much, Jeff and Martin. You know, I knew it would feel good to get a Reach Around from you two. And well, now that I actually got one, I'm just tickled pink. I couldn't be happier. When I first got the call from Jeff saying that I've been nominated, I actually didn't know what to think. But now that I've actually won, a couple of things do come to mind. Number one, this is by far the best award I've had to buy myself this past year. And when Jeff told me it was the cheapest award in the industry to purchase, honestly, I just couldn't resist. And number two, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my guests that I've had come on my show over this past year on TPS Midweek Edition, with special thanks to my sometimes precocious but always adorable co-host and my daughter, Lil Flipper. She's been a real trooper to come on this old-timer show and give her no-holds-barred approach to what she sees in these new pinball titles. Anyway, it's been a ton of fun. Thanks again, Jeff and Marty. I'll truly cherish your reach-around forever. Catch you on the flip side.
    36:54
    Looking forward to having all those guests on future episodes of Final Round, and I hope you're enjoying the reach-arounds, everyone. I know Martin and I are having a lot of fun doing this, too. you're probably asking yourself, how do I get a piece of this show? You know, all the trophies are being handed out. We missed out on the reach-arounds. Or did they? Well, in fact, you can still get a piece of memorabilia of the 2020 reach-arounds, and that's via the Look At Me reach-around, which is a Photoshop job. We will put your face into one of our images on our show. Signed by yours truly. Think of it as limited edition, all right, you pinball players. You love your limited edition. This is a one of one because it's Marty. It's me and you. Nobody else. What a keepsake. And it could be yours, too. We appreciate everyone who supports Final Round. And if you're interested, please send us an email. FinalRoundPinball at gmail.com. Available for the low, low price of only $40. And look at what we've got here. One of the many winners of the Look At Me Reach Around, it's Michael Rausch.
    37:59
    Oh, wow. Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Oh, really, it was an honor to be nominated, but even more of an honor to give these fine gentlemen some money. I feel like I'm on top of the world now. I'd like to thank all my family and friends here in Seattle. A lot of good pinball. I'm not one of the ones that plays that good pinball, but now I have a special award, and let's face facts. We all got into pinball for one reason, to be able to make ball jokes, and I'm not going to do that. So thank you very much, Jeff. Thank you, Marty. It's truly an honor to, again, give you money and support the show. Thanks for all you do. Have a good one.
    38:45
    Congratulations, Michael. You are going to be the coolest person in Washington State. On to another one of my absolute favorite Reach Around Awards. It's the hand-up Reach Around. for the best puppet in pinball. And I can't think of anyone better to come and present this award than the ultimate puppet himself. Ladies and gentlemen, it's Kermit the Frog.
    39:14
    Hi, who. It's great to be here at the reach-arounds. It's nice to see puppets finally get some recognition. So often we're just chew toys for pets. What are we, a piece of meat? Did you ever think about our feelings? No, no, no. It's just, here, Bowser, play with Kermit. You don't even take a look back to see that your fucking mutt was humping the shit out of me. I'm sorry, I'm pissed. And while I've got the mic, why is it only now that puppeteers are finally washing their hands? Because of the pandemic? Those greasy bastards have been jamming their grubby fists up our asses for years. Here are the honorable mentions for the hand-up reach-around. Ed the Sock. Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. And Steve and Moppy? Who the fuck are they? And the winner is Rory from Puppet Pals.
    40:04
    Huh? Well, golly, I ain't never won an award before. What do I do now? A speech? Well, I didn't have nothing prepared. Who would ever thought a silly puppet could have won a major pinball award? Sure is swell of Mr. Jeff and Mr. Marty to be giving reach-arounds to all these fine people. Us puppets don't get a lot of attention in the pinball hobby, so it sure is a great exposure for us. Who would ever thought a paper bag puppet like me could win an award? Normally I just play the piano. Well look at me now, Mama. I did amount to something. I made it something of my life. Your boy's getting a reach around in front of the whole world, Mama. I hope I make all you puppets out there proud today. I share my reach around with each and every one of you. Rory's Reach Around.
    41:03
    Reach Around. Congratulations, Rory. Absolutely well deserved. And now we're on to our next reach around. And did you know, Jeff, that this reach around was named after you? I'm flattered and pleased to present the first ever The Ginger Reach Around. This is for the best voice work in pinball, in a machine, a podcast, a stream, or cameo. Honorable mentions go to Jeff Parsons, who was in Rick and Morty, the shitty Australian in Houdini, and voice acting legend Mark Silk. But the winner of The Ginger Reach Around for best voice work in pinball goes to Ron Hallett Jr. Hello, this is the Crypt Keeper. And this is Gene Simmons from KISS. And this is your old friend, Stewie Griffin. And this is Ron Hallett from the Slam Tilt Podcast. And we accept the Ginger Reach Around Award for Outstanding Voice Acting in Pinball. Make no mistake, Jeff and Marty, this is the greatest pinball award I have ever received. And I will gladly display it in my bathroom. right above my toilet. So thank you once again, Final Round. See you later.
    42:24
    Congratulations to all of our winners so far. Wow. Ron wins the Ginger Reach Around for Best Voice. You kidding? I love the podcast. I really do. Really? Do you know how many movies and TV shows and video games I've been in? I worked on Star Wars with George Lucas. I'm in Episode 1. I was Bob the Builder for a decade in the States. You know Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pinball? You know, when you hear, choose your turtle. I'm Splinter. You know when you hear, Bebop and Rags. I get nothing?
    43:00
    Oh, fine, fine. Okay, Ron is awesome. I'm done. Ladies and gentlemen, the reach-arounds will continue. I will not. Bye-bye. Holy shit. I know, right? But you know those pinball artist types. Mark, we love you. We had you on our video for Virtual Expo. It was the highlight of our seminar. So we love you, man. Marty, you can't have an award show without a United Kingdom announcer. It's just impossible. Well, Jeff, we always come prepared. We have an understudy. Oh, like I do for hosts if you ever decide to leave? Okay. Just like that person that may or may not exist.
    43:39
    Scott, Josh, call me. So who is our United Kingdom understudy? Literally the only other person I know from that region. It's Neil McRae.
    43:50
    Thanks, guys. I'll do the best I can. You'll be fine, Neil. Just read the script. This is Neil McRae, and this event is bigger than anything NASA has done before. What? Just read it. This is the 2020 Reach Arounds. Martin, it's no secret that 2020 has been a difficult year for many people. In fact, we lost many of the things we love. And right now, we have a special tribute in their honor. As we reflect and remember the pimble things we lost in 2020, please welcome John Lerman. Imagine there's no ceiling No amount that's too high No price will scare us Hurry up, buy, buy, buy
    45:02
    Affordable price toppers those who gone away so long Imagine there's no tourneys, zero whoppers for you. Nothing to win or play for Oh, what will Josh Sharp do?
    45:42
    Imagine all those dollars Collecting interest You may say you're a streamer But you're not the only one DMCA can fuck off And pinball will be more fun How many times have you been at a pinball tournament or arcade and asked yourself, what the fuck is that smell? You can't put your finger on it, but after searching for rotten meat, dead corpses and month-old laundry, you know what it is. It's that waft only a pinball player can produce. You know that person, the one that can't remember their last shower? That's why you need Extra Balls deodorant. Thankfully, because of the pandemic, pinball players have learned how to wash their hands for the first time, but that's not enough. Believe it or not, hygiene is more than just a greeting to our favorite San Fran cameraman from Orange Photography. Hygiene helps maintain health and prevent disease. Who knew? Pinball players know the grueling schedule of long lines and long hours at tournaments. Let Extra Balls Deodorant help you and others around you. Put an end to crop dusting, dragon breath, and armpit warfare. Get Extra Balls Deodorant today. Act now and we'll throw in a bonus. Your first and very own tube of toothpaste. Please use Google on how to apply.
    47:31
    Welcome back to the 2020 Reach Arounds. We're honoring the best of what happened last year. There were some changes for the good, some changes that we wanted to see happen, but unfortunately they didn't. Which brings us to our next presenter, who's also the IFPA president. No, no, please, please, please stop booing.
    47:52
    Seriously, hey, settle down, people, please. Come on, hey, stop it. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all. That's my motto. Ladies and gentlemen, IFPA president Josh Sharp.
    48:08
    Oh, this has been a fun night. So many jokes at my expense. Ha ha ha. Hilarious. Well, here's a joke for you. I'm still the IFPA president, Teolis, so what do you think of that?
    48:25
    Okay, now that I'm done reading what Jeff told me to say, it's time to award the Sharp Focus Reach Around. This award is for when second place is good enough. I've been saying that for years. Jeff made me say that last part. It's fine because it's not. I don't think it's good enough. But Jeff thinks it's funny for me to say it's good. Whatever. We're moving on. The honorable mentions go to Peter Anderson of Denmark, the IFPA's number two ranked player in the world. Raymond Davidson, second place finisher at Pinclash. And the winner of the Sharp Focus Reach Around goes to the second best host on Slam Tilt Podcast, Bruce Nightingale.
    49:09
    Oh, thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you, everyone. Oh, my God. There's so many people here that are just rooting us on. I'd like to thank all the little people in my life. Yes, that's Ron Hallett from Slamtail Podcast. Without him, the show would be nothing. I'm really happy for you. I'm going to let you finish. Give me back that mic, Kanye. Get the fuck off the stage. Oh, I hate people. Oh, God. So, I'd like to thank Ron, my wife, everyone who listens to Slamtail Podcast. Thank you very much for this. I'm getting finally my reach around. And you know what I say, eat your vitamins, say your prayers, and always reach for the balls.
    49:52
    There goes another happy reach around winner. This award is the real deal, that big enchilada. There's nothing fake about it. Unlike unicorns, leprechauns, and moon landings. Are you kidding me? Right, that's it. I quit. Shit, we're out of announcers. That's all right. We only have a few more reach-arounds to give away, and they are some big ones. They are big, certainly, when it comes to how much people had to pay for them. No amount is too large. Don't feel you are just limited to just what the suggested retail value was. Feel free to donate again. FinalRoundPinball at gmail.com. We should do a telethon. We should. This is a telethon, isn't it? It really is. So this next award is the Top Fan Reach Around for somebody who probably has too much money, too many pinballs, loves us probably a bit too much, but we love them too. So that's why we're both presenting this. Double-fisted, if you will. It's a great honor to give the Top Fan Reach Around to our top fan, Joe Fox.
    50:58
    Wow, guys, thank you. What an honor. It's not many times in life that you get the opportunity to actually pay for an award. I just wish I had read the fine print when I signed up for this and didn't know I had to pay for it in Australian dollars. It was like $30,000. But it's not like this will happen every year or anything. So in all seriousness, I speak for a lot of fans out there who appreciate you guys taking the time out of your lives to entertain us on a fortnightly basis. So from all of us to you and Marty, thank you very much. So there's just one more thing I want to say And it's very important to me And I want everybody to hear it Every once in a while You know Jeff We've had a lot of feedback throughout The season of Reach Arounds People saying, gee, that's a lot of money You're charging for a bit of plastic Or is anybody auditing Your accounts there And I say to them, no This award show cost a lot of money We've had to fly people around the world and we've had to pay for the best presenters the cocaine backstage isn't free all right which brings us to our final award who have we got to present jeff we would not be here if it wasn't for this man and his desperate need to continue gambling in pinball he was able to convince a bunch of new york politicians that it was a game of skill he fooled these people back in the 70s so that he could go on conning his friends back in Chicago, taking their lunch money, and we have pinball today thanks to Roger Sharp.
    52:34
    Well, let me just thank you for that very warm, warm welcome. You know, it's an honor for me. I've been involved with pinball for, you know, God, how many centuries has it been now? And I've been to so many, I've been involved in so many trade shows and expos and events, but I have to tell you, it is my absolute honor to be presenting here at the Reach Arounds. I mean, what an incredible, amazing show and award presentation. I mean, this is really the pinnacle. Nothing like this has ever been before. Nothing like this will ever be again. What Martin and Jeff have been able to do on the final round, let's face it, is nothing short of a miracle. it truly is they pour their heart and soul into it other podcasters let's face it have tried to capture the true essence of pinball and you know their efforts are cute but they fall so far short of what martin and jeff have been able to do these two gentlemen have taken the medium to a whole new level a level that probably no one had ever expected anticipated could ever have been done before. I take my hat off to them. And here it is, our final award of the evening. God, it is my sincere and special pleasure. This award is the Talk a Good Game Reach Around. That's right, folks. It is this one fantastic final award. You know, as everybody knows, it's not as if, you know, I do talk a lot. I'm not necessarily long-winded. But, you know, reviews can, you know, can make you or break you. It's obviously special to me because it's an award given to any random person who put their time in to write up a review on the TWIP promoter's database. And we know what a daunting task that is. I can't tell you how important these reviews are that we wind up saying. In fact, let me just reminisce for a minute because I think that it really is relevant here. But, God, I remember years ago, back in my days at GQ, we'd be doing reviews. I used to do restaurant reviews. And I remember one time, in particular with Ellen, we went to a restaurant, and they had created some special dishes for us that no one could ever get. And it was like, how can I review this restaurant if no one else could have these special dishes? But, you know, another time, just, okay, okay, look, I can take a hint. I just heard the music. I'm aware of how award shows go. Sorry, I was probably just kind of going off on a tangent. It's just so unusual for me. But let me get to the award. I was just trying to add a little context to it. It's just that I remember back in, what was it, 1977, I was in New York and wasn't sure where my future was headed. Until one day, I just turned the corner and, well, there they were, waiting for me in the special room.
    55:33
    Okay, Roger, we get it. Fuck. Sorry, man. We've got the rest of the reach-arounds to get through. Thanks for saving pinball. I mean, okay, we get it. All right. Who won the Talk of Good Game reach-around? He didn't even explain how you win this award. This was a free award that we're giving out. This is for anybody that left us a review on the This Week in Pinball promoters database. And we want to thank everybody for putting all their reviews in. disappointed we only got five stars from everybody, but still the sentiments there. This was a random draw because we are sincerely thankful for the people that listen, for the people that take their time to write a nice review, or even just a funny one, for the people that take the time to write a review. So the random winner from Nashville, congratulations to Glenn Wechter.
    56:28
    Wow. Jeff and Marty, this is truly an honor. To receive a reach around, it's a dream come true. To everyone that thought this wasn't possible, I am proof. If you put your mind to it, anything is possible. I accept this award for the underdogs as well as the poor men and the pinball nerds. Here's to the Twippies and the Pinball Industry Awards for not having an award for Pinball Podcast Short Comedy Skit. Here's to all the others that flew under Pinball Profile's 10 most interesting people, including their top 100 people that were honorable mentions. Lastly, here's to Tim Lee and his mistress, Ann. This reach around is in your face. Booyah! Maybe next year. But seriously, thanks to Ian and Drew from the Poor Men's Pinball Podcast for believing in people like me because I believed in them. And I believe this reach around will be on display in my family room, on my mantle above the fireplace to inspire my kids, my family, my friends, that if you dream hard enough and long enough and firm enough that you too can have a happy ending. Thank you, Marty. Thank you, Jeff. And thank you, Pinball Daddy.
    57:50
    Well done, Glenn, and well done to everybody that got a reach around today. I think we've created a monster. I can hardly wait till the next one. I can hardly wait. Everybody, you now have 12 months to get your submissions in, to work on your projects, to do something so mediocre, we will award you. Depending on our financial situation, this may even become monthly. We will have to let you know. But in the meantime, we do appreciate everyone that participated today. We have a lot of people, in fact, to thank. First person I want to thank is Stuart Thornton for designing and producing our fantastic trophies. They look great. Well done. Thank you very much, Stu. Big hand to our musical director, Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies, to some of his fine bandmates and other performers today, including Glenn Lucas. We have to thank Mark Silk, Neil McRae. and we know that after hearing this, there's going to be this void. Oh, we need more awards. Well, you are in luck here on the Pinball Network. January 28th at 8 p.m. Central, we have the Pinball Industry Awards. I am very excited about this. It's going to be a lot of fun. Please make sure you check it out. They've got a lot to live up to. We've kind of set the bar a little high here. First for the season, probably best for the season. It's going to be a hard act to follow, but we will be there. hopefully you can chat with us as well this has been a fantastic Reach Arounds award show thanks to everybody we'll do this again in two weeks where can people reach us? they can find us on Facebook just look up Final Round Pinball you can go to Final Round Pinball Podcast on Instagram at Final Round Pin on Twitter or you can email us at finalroundpinball at gmail.com good night have a safe drive home and we'll catch you in two weeks I'm Geoff Teolas I'm Martin Robbins thanks everybody
    59:46
    Is that it? Really? Great. Wasn't that fun? Remember to vote for that Mark Silk guy for all his voice work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. What? It's too late? Oh, God, no! The humanity!
    60:05
    Okay, just promise you'll never make me play Thunderbirds pinball ever again.