Happy New Year! This is the second year of the Podcast, and The Wannabes open up 2020 with some fire. They're both ready to, as they say, "Beat some people". 

Check out the timestamps for a closer look at this episodes topics. No synopsis can beat those delicious timestamps!

0:00 - Intro and episode summary \ 2:00- 2020 plans for the podcast \ 2:55- HNC Launch \ 3:25- JDs new series road to Top100 \ 9:34- Pressure and restlessness, some FOMO from Wassabi \ 15:06- Value of taking breaks and type of breaks \ 16:45- Genesis prep and thoughts \ 23:16- Ranking season is weirdddd \ 25:00- What it means to be T100 \ 32:46- Firm vs soft goals to make T100 \ 36:15- Personal weaknesses \ 42:46- "Striking distance" \ 45:47- What’s out of our control \ 51:46- First weekly shout out of 2020 (Aklo) \ 60:11- Discord Questions!

It's a Wannabes Podcast Bonus Series!

The Wannabes are fighting for a spot on the top 100 list, and JD wants to document the journey every week. He's made it his goal to crack the list, and each week he's going to go through his thought process on how to make it happen. In part one, JD talks about the goals for the series itself. What is he getting out of it? What will the viewer get out of it? Why do anything at all?

Music -

Done With Work - David Renda

Vibes - David Renda

On My Own - David Renda

We're back! To make up for the short hiatus, Will and JD come back strong with an extra long episode covering everything that happened since last time. JD gets a new job, Will starts a new training program, and they dive in DEEP on the fox ditto. This is another one of those episodes where if it's your first time listening, this is a great place to start. It sure as hell was fun to record.

Timestamps coming soon!

Thanksgiving, the ultimate holiday of gratitude and eating your face off. This week Will and JD talk in depth about what they're grateful for in Melee, the podcast, and generally in their lives. Also, Will has an insane week of Melee as he swings back up into his grind. This is starting to look nothing like an offseason...

Even though he lost to Wassabi on netplay riiight before recording, JD had a great run at Hax's Nightclub last week and is in pretty high spirits. The Wannabes talk about anticipating big matches, fighting against the "what if" thoughts at tournaments, and the best ways to come back from a Melee break. They also talk about Pokemon, of course. (Spoilers, JD beat Will on showdown)

Turbulence in JD's life, some clarity for Will. This episode has the Wannabes opening up to some real introspection, and tangling again with some of the more fundamental questions. How do we best improve, the concepts of low and high tides, escaping ego and playing to our ability. Then a step further, what is the value of ambition at all? When do we know when we're doing what we're meant to be doing? A deeper episode than most, but hey, it's what's been on our mind.

No tournaments in the horizon? That might stop some, but for some reason the wannabes are motivated as hell. With winter creeping up and the days growing shorter, JD looks to gain momentum to tough out the cold season. Meanwhile, Wassabi goes over his plans to improve as much as possible before 2020. Lots of inspiration in this episode... let's kick some ass!

The transformation is complete... Wassabi and JD have somehow switched into each other's modes, and probably for good reason. Will is looking to slow things down, catch his breath, and get everything in order. JD is trying to go fast. At this crossroads there are a ton of discoveries to make, and when Melee is concerned, there's still a lot of improvement left.

Yes, THAT Ginger! JD and the #18 player in the world sit down for an extended interview covering everything from Ginger's early career to modern streaming and marketing strategies for top players. Also, Ginger talks about an exciting new invitational he's hosting in Socal! Check out the Time stamps --

1:18 - Ginger's beginning // 5:45 early practice regiment // 7:30 Starting his grind to the top // 10:33 Streaming philosophy // 19:35 Developing brand and marketing // 21:07 Melee's growth and attracting new players // 24:03 Bringing money to the Melee scene // 28:25 Special tournament details // 33:00 The spirit of Melee // 35:45 Melee's influence on life // 39:07 Core values // 42:54 What advice would you give to an upcoming Melee wannabe?

It seems like only a few episodes ago that Wassabi had an insane run at the new NYC local while JD went through a rough patch. Now the roles have reversed, as JD kicks some butt at Hax's Night Club and Will takes time to reevaluate. Both of the Wannabes work through these feelings in real time, trying to understand where exactly they are in their journey, what they need to do to keep moving in a positive direction, and how to make adjustments when life seems to hit hard.