“Cracked Paddles Podcast” is a weekly pickleball podcast hosted by Alex Crum (AC) and Kevin Dong (KD) that brings you the biggest storylines, controversies, guests, and tips for both professional and recreational pickleball. This is a podcast that undoubtedly will bring joy and belly laughs to your life both in and outside the kitchen – guaranteed, or your money back. Tune in every Wednesday to hear what outrageous topics AC and KD will cover that you would only talk about with your closest pickle friends. This podcast is produced and managed by Cracked Media Ventures.
Latest episodes
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1 h 02
Elliot Schupp Reveals the Secrets Behind His Rapid Rise
AC and Kevin welcome rising pickleball star Elliot Schupe to Cracked Paddles to discuss his journey from a relatively unknown competitor to a PPA gold medalist. Elliot reflects on…
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43 min
50 Episodes Later: PPA Vegas, Tournament Struggles, and Lessons Learned
AC and Kevin celebrate the 50th episode of Cracked Paddles with a breakdown of PPA Las Vegas, including the tour's controversial late-night scheduling, AC's continued struggles wit…
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52 min
AC’s Full-Body Cramp + Kevin Competes with 4.5 Bro
AC and Kevin catch up after a chaotic stretch that included illness, travel, and one of AC’s roughest tournament experiences yet. AC recounts suffering full-body cramps during sing…
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56 min
Beating Connor Garnett, PPA Nationals, and 4.5 Pickleball Mistakes
AC and Kevin start by preparing Kevin’s brother Brian for his first 5.0 tournament, breaking down the most common mistakes they see from 4.5-level players. From overhitting drives…
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1 h 02
DreamBroken and How to Make In-Game Adjustments
AC and Kevin break down the end of the Columbus Sliders’ MLP season in Newport Beach, including the playoff loss to Brooklyn and AC’s difficult DreamBreaker performance against Chr…
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1 h 04
Pickleball Clothing Scandal and Tournament Lessons Learned
AC and Kevin break down one of the strangest controversies of the season after Thomas Yu and Max “Purple Jesus” Manthou were forfeited from an APP event over matching-clothing requ…
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55 min
Pickleball Etiquette: What's OK and Not OK?
AC and Kevin return with plenty to catch up on, starting with injury updates before breaking down the end of the Major League Pickleball regular season. They discuss the electric a…
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41 min
Pickleball Hot Takes and the MLP Playoff Picture
AC and Kevin return after a brief break to recap the latest Major League Pickleball action in San Diego and Chicago. AC breaks down the Columbus Sliders’ run to the San Diego final…
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33 min
Why Stats Matter in Pro Pickleball
AC and Kevin break down the biggest storylines from MLP Grand Rapids, including the Shock's dominant performance, Georgia and Anna Leigh Johnson's first women's doubles loss of the…
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41 min
AC's First Gold +Treating Your Body like a Pro Athlete
AC and Kevin recap everything that happened at MLP New York, breaking down the biggest surprises from the weekend, standout team performances, and how recent roster moves are alrea…
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46 min
Quick Tips for Better Counters and Serves
AC and Kevin react to another chaotic week in Major League Pickleball, breaking down the biggest trades, roster moves, and storylines coming out of MLP St. Pete. They discuss team…
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59 min
Crazy MLP Trades and Kevin's Surprise Hospital Trip
AC and Kevin are back for Episode 40, and the conversation starts with Kevin sharing the details of a serious medical scare that landed him in the hospital. The guys discuss what h…
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45 min
The Philippines Pickleball Scene Is Going to Surprise You
Kevin returns from the Philippines and shares everything he learned from an eye-opening week of clinics, tournaments, and community events with Friday Pickleball. The guys discuss…
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41 min
MLP Columbus Winners and Losers
AC and Kevin break down everything from MLP Columbus, including the teams and players who helped themselves most through the first stretch of the season. From standout performances…
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42 min
The MLP Season Has Begun
AC and Kevin break down everything that happened at MLP Dallas, including the biggest surprises of the weekend, standout player performances, and why certain teams exceeded expecta…
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38 min
What Should Beginners Focus on in Pickleball
AC and Kevin break down the biggest conversations happening around professional pickleball, including recent tournament takeaways, player performances, and how the pro game continu…
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34 min
It's Tama Time!
AC and Kevin break down one of the biggest breakout performances in recent pickleball, diving deep into Tama Shimabukuro’s rise and why his game has suddenly become one of the most…
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41 min
How and When Will Paddle Brands Break Into Asia + KD Honeymoon + PPA Recaps
AC and Kevin catch up after Kevin’s honeymoon in China, diving into his experience exploring the country and getting a firsthand look at the growing pickleball scene overseas. From…
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45 min
Is Asia Taking Over Pickleball?
AC and Kevin dive into the PPA’s Asia swing, breaking down what the events looked like on the ground and how players experienced the transition to international competition. They d…
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44 min
The Paddle Quest is Over + PPA/APP Recaps
AC and Kevin break down the latest PPA tournament, diving into the biggest results, standout performances, and the matches that shaped the weekend. They discuss which players are t…