Miles Evans: Olympian, Manhattan Beach Open Champ, Hermosa Winner -- What's Next?

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Alright, miles ahead and we've been on two or three times. Take three. Let's go.

We're in.

Oh, yes. I finally got one of those. It's pretty rad.

We clap your things. It's official. I'm pretty stoked on it, as you can tell.

So our studio keeps evolving. It's almost done. The new renovated studio look.

But yeah, still a little janky, saw dust on everything, but you can't see it on camera.

It's nice in here. It's nice enough, right? It's a lot of space.

Decent temperature. Oh, dude. Welcome back to the show.

Yeah, do you think so? It's got to be your third time, fourth time, third or fourth.

Yeah, I think third.

You came to the original studio back in my other place, right? Yeah.

Third, okay, okay, okay. We did a post-Olympics one, I think, right, with Chase?

Yeah, with Chase.

Yes. We don't need him. He's busy.

Yeah, he's busy, dude. He leaves practice right away. I'm like, alright, see ya. He's got things to do.

I know. I wanted to have Chase on just to pick his brain.

Because now that I'm a little ahead of him in the second kid game, I'm like, how's that going for you, buddy?

Well, because I had the second kid all last season, too, and yeah, I'm like, it's different.

I think Kevin is trying to side out and trick in wake up and do all the things, you know?

I remember Casey Pat when he was on, because he has like 20 kids.

I think he is, what, five? Four, five, five.

And eventually, like, as, like, we're always like, oh, we can't wait to get home.

We're kind of grinding on the road and stuff, and then eventually he's like, guys, I'm usually can't wait to get on the road.

It switches. The more kids you have at home, the more you're like, oh, this is so relaxing.

Being on airplanes and like traveling and all that.

Yeah, when we get to the hotel, Chase is like, dude, this is the easiest life ever.

Just like hanging back, playing video games and stuff.

Yeah, I mean, he's not on those charter planes anymore.

Yeah, it's a little different lifestyle.

He's cramped up in the middle seat next to me.

Yeah, like, dang, I can't, I'm impressed.

Hey, stay humble.

Yeah, definitely.

Our sport will definitely keep you humble.

So what's the updates?

How's like the off season and all that?

Or I guess, are we still in off season?

Yeah, we're technically still in the off season.

Yeah, I mean, at this point, you hope to be playing good enough volleyball

because, you know, tournament starts in two weeks.

Yeah, I don't want to be playing.

It's almost like not off season anymore.

Yeah, yeah.

But it was nice. I got to go to Hawaii for like two to three weeks.

My dad lives out there, served a little bit.

I got pummeled by some good ways.

Where'd you go?

Lonnie Keira.

Oh, yeah.

Molokai I tried once.

Pretty rocky or reefy.

Really?

Yeah.

What else?

I served Hollywood Harbor.

Yeah.

That was the first.

Yeah.

I know it was like, it was really good.

Uh, like baby Hollywood, uh, poor Anna point.

Like the point on the right side.

Just to the left or the harbor over there.

I don't think I've been to the harbor.

Yeah.

I mean, I've been to like proper Hollywood, but.

Yeah, it's sawed left.

There's more rights, but come on.

Yeah, I'm give you foot.

There you go.

Yeah.

So it was a good time.

Nice little recharge.

Hang it out in Hawaii.

Your dad lives in town, right?

Yeah, he lives closer to what's he called?

Punchball.

Punchball.

Yeah, I remember you told me that.

Yeah.

Sick.

Well, me too.

Got some nice Hawaii time in.

Nice to.

That's where it's at.

Um, and then what?

Trained out there at all?

Or just kind of relaxed?

Took a month off.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Oh, a whole month.

Yeah.

Pretty much five weeks.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, that's really nice.

You got like a little community built out there nowadays?

Yeah.

I got a couple of friends.

Everyone's like, let's play volleyball.

I'm like, God, it's like actually the last thing.

Let's do anything.

I know we're all friends through volleyball.

But, you know, surf.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Surf.

Exactly.

That's where I've been at.

But then I've been trying to like rehab.

It's funny.

Actually, I played in the...

Actually, this is relevant because I did play volleyball.

I got...

I got peer pressured in.

I played in the daddy, which is...

You should probably play in that one in these days.

And you're out there.

One of these days.

Yeah, I have a plan.

It's usually December 20th, fish.

Okay.

You would have fun.

It's kind of like one of those bucket listers, for sure.

And it's super high level now it is.

But like, yeah, you know, I'm trying to play.

And my neck's obviously...

I'm rehabbing that and whatnot.

And then the crab classic.

The boys put on their little...

Their little tourney.

And I got peer pressured into that.

And then my neck was so jacked after that that I couldn't really surf.

And I was trying to learn how to foil.

But then every time I paddle, I looked up.

Yeah, I couldn't look up.

And I was just like, oh no, I ruined my surfing.

This is volleyball keeps ruining things for me.

So I haven't really been able to get it in quite as much as I wanted or pictured.

But it's probably for the best because I'm like,

if you're going to actually heal, you have to like...

Yeah, you're going to take time off.

You got to chill.

Oh, man.

But, yeah, Hawaii life in the winter.

Is that kind of the annual trip for you?

Yeah, usually go December.

You know, it's when I have the most time off.

And I've got a couple of friends out there.

Have some fun.

You know, recharge, if you will.

And go to a couple of different spots.

I went to Brazil the year before.

To Lume kind of had some fun.

See?

Yeah.

Hell yeah.

I got this tattoo and Joa Pasoah, Brazil.

Oh, no way.

A couple of years ago.

Yeah, let's hear the story.

I've seen it.

But I haven't like looked at it up close.

Let's see what we got going.

If you want to share with them.

Yeah, of course.

From the Earth, all the way to the stars.

We all share the same elements.

We don't know much about time.

This is an hourglass.

And kind of destructive events.

Volcano, California wildfires.

Destructive events.

Create new beginnings.

It's kind of like the theme, if you will.

Crazy.

That thing's sick.

And then he related it to humanity.

I was in the anticipating putting like that on my arm.

But I think it's sick.

I think he did a really good job.

We kind of collaborated.

Dude, it's cool.

I like when everyone's artists is their piece.

But when people do it all in one hit.

Where it's all blends together and kind of means something in one.

Versus the patchy all over the place.

I like that.

That's why I went big on my first one as well.

The whole leg pretty much.

This was 36 hours in three days.

So 12 hours each day.

Because we had to get it done.

I was only there for like three days.

And it's some really like fine.

I don't know what you call that.

Yeah, just like fine line.

Then fine lines.

Mine are a little thicker.

I got mine done in one sitting.

Did you really?

Yeah.

It was the worst day.

How long was that?

I don't even know.

I can't remember.

I want to say maybe seven hours or something?

Six, seven hours?

Nice.

Yeah.

But that's way more fine lines and details and stuff.

That's crazy.

Yeah.

He only wanted to do half.

I was like, no, dude.

Let's take all this out.

Yeah.

Sick.

It's happy to get it done.

But the ironic thing is in Joe Paso.

And then we went back to play our first event.

You were there on vacation?

Yeah.

And then three, four weeks later we go play there.

And then our first tournament this year is in that same spot.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Sick.

So that's pretty cool.

Gosh.

I don't think I played there.

No.

I'm pretty sure I didn't.

There's so many brosy spots with that.

Yeah.

Six or seven different spots.

It's like Mexico and Brazil.

You're like, or China.

You're like, I couldn't tell you the cities I've been through.

It's true.

Definitely China.

If I go there and I see the court.

Oh, yeah.

I played here.

Yeah.

You don't want to go to Mexico right now.

Dude.

There's two events coming up.

And I'm like, should we sign up?

That's a good point.

Yeah.

I mean, yeah.

Not just for Americans.

But any of the players probably don't want to be going there.

And like events where you're sitting in stadiums where you have the target.

I think maybe Tarks Kala could be pretty like mellow because you're kind of out in the mountains.

You know, like away from kind of civilization a little bit.

But I don't know, man.

I don't really want to be in Mexico now.

They can get anywhere they want.

Yeah.

It's true.

Gosh.

That's a good point.

I'm going to be able to start reaching out.

I'm like telling you guys to update some from their side of things because we've had a lot of situations over the years.

Where it was like, yeah, like public security issues going on.

And they kind of were like, I feel like we've canceled events.

Obviously we had COVID.

Yeah.

I remember going to Keysh Island in Iran.

And I think there was some truth.

Yeah.

That one for sure.

Yeah.

Everyone's like, I don't know if you should go.

Even Doha, I think we've had over the years where they're like, all right, make sure you do like these secure traveler fill out the application or whatever.

So our country knows exactly where you're going.

Right.

And all that kind of stuff.

But yeah, Mexico.

Okay.

So what's the schedule look like?

It starts in Brazil.

From what I remember, there's like a solid like chunk of Brazil going on there, right?

In the beginning.

Yeah.

There's two or three Brazil's and then two Mexico's in between like two of the events of Brazil.

Oh, okay.

So it's not straight through.

Of course.

Yeah.

That would make way too much sense.

Yeah.

They have like the first week in Brazil and then the third week in Brazil.

And then the second week is in Mexico.

Oh, yeah.

You can't just like stay.

And they're elite.

I think there's a challenge.

I think, yeah, the first one isn't elite in Texas.

I haven't like deeply looked into it.

Yeah.

I just know that's kind of like the tentative schedule.

We're hoping to just play elites and not have to worry about challenges.

But you never know.

At the level so high.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay.

Yeah.

Where do you guys start in the straight end?

Yeah, we're the ninth seed in the main in Jopas.

Perfect.

Yeah.

Good opportunity for us.

Yeah.

You can't pass that one up.

At the ground running.

You get a good finish in the beginning of the year.

Hopefully we call it came in James to get like a medal in the first term.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Exactly.

They had some of that.

Some of that beginners.

Juice.

They all know.

I was impressed.

Yeah.

Being sweetened, whatnot.

Yeah.

No, for sure.

That was definitely a coming out party for them.

And then what.

League starts in May.

Dude, we have to qualify.

Yeah, we qualify.

Yeah.

We're the third week, which might be overlapping with the Brazil tournament.

Is the qualifier for the league in Manhattan Beach this time, right?

Yeah.

It's going to be stacked.

Which for fans, like what?

You're crazy if you don't come down and watch that.

I mean, every tournament's free, but this is free.

Free volley, you know, like get up close.

There's just high stakes, you know?

Exactly.

The second you qualify for that, that's 20 grand in your pocket.

Yeah.

That's playing for 20 grand.

And you don't even win 20 grand in Manhattan.

Right.

It's 15, I think.

Yeah.

So yeah, it's a big deal.

And like your whole season, like opportunity to double that.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah, it's crazy.

So it's.

I was hoping because we won Manhattan last year.

And Kristen Nuss and Cloth won.

Yeah.

And we both didn't make it into the league as far as the time to.

I was hoping maybe we could get the wild card, but I guess we're not that cool.

But they are.

They didn't get it either.

They didn't get a wild card.

What?

They're like the number one or two team in the world.

And they're not getting the wild card.

Did anyone get wild cards?

I can't remember.

I mean, Phil got it, but or Phil got it the year before.

And then, you know, he called Phil was genius because he announced his retirement.

He pulled out the Oki doke on that.

Yeah, he's.

That was so much.

And this is my retirement.

So you're going to want me here, you know, media purposes.

Oh, I only have to play eight weeks the next year.

I can do it.

I can do it.

And then I did the opposite.

Right.

I said, or I didn't qualify.

And then I said I'm retiring.

Oh, Lord.

Well, that's, I mean, hey, no teams can complain now that they're not throwing wild cards out,

even for teams like that who have, you know, are Olympic teams.

We won the league the first year.

I was like hoping that we got some pull, but don't matter.

I don't think I've gotten a wild card.

I'd probably wrong.

There must have been one at some point, but I don't think I ever got a wild card in anything.

I don't expect it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I've never got it.

No.

Okay.

So that's the focus.

Is this year, like, I know 20, what year's it?

2026.

2027 beginning is Olympic qualifying starting.

Some teams want to like be fully energized for that run.

What's your guys thoughts going into this 2026 year in terms of commitment and like, I guess,

the gruelingness of your schedule?

I don't think much is going to change from last year to this year.

Our big goal last year was to make it to World Champs and be a good seed for that.

I think it's similar mindset.

I don't think much changes, but at the end of the year in November is, I think, the start of the qualification process.

Oh, they're going to do that for like three tournaments.

It actually starts in 26.

Yeah.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah.

So we got to be ready at the end of the year.

And that's when I'd like to peak as far as this year, you know.

But I think they have three leads back to back in Doha guitar.

So that's pretty important to be ready for.

That's kind of like, let's say, our World Champs.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Interesting.

Yeah.

Picking at the end of the year for sure.

That was our goal last year and, you know, started playing better volleyball kind of mid season.

Yeah.

Kind of started out a little rough, but I always wanted to really do well towards the end.

And we didn't necessarily get the finish.

We wanted it in World Champs, but, you know, we remind me how you guys did at World Champs.

I forget.

We won our pool.

And then I think we lost first round to play off some nice.

I think we took 17th.

Oh, wow.

Yeah.

That's a big field.

That's right.

Out of 48, I believe.

Yeah.

We lost a Portugal.

We both did not play well.

Yeah.

They're one of those sneaky teams where, if they're on and you're a little off, they can take you that day.

If you know if you're on, you'll probably, you should get the win, but, yeah.

But yeah, they're sneaky.

No excuses.

That was a little sick.

No excuses.

But here's one.

In case you want to give it to you.

Wish I was, you know, 100%.

But that's how it goes.

I got a crack at them.

We took them down in China before, on my last tournament.

Nice.

Just saying.

No excuses.

I was eating that China food too.

Just dim sum all day.

Yeah.

I'll be the guy to not wrap China in a great way.

It's a cool country as far as playing there.

I'm not a huge fan.

Right.

And I think that's probably not fair to the, let's just say the Chinese, because, and we all talk about it in this way.

Right.

So like, I'm not excluding you.

But we also, I think they just don't send us to places where like, yeah.

Like if people want to go to China on vacation, they're not going to go to where we go.

Right.

So like, people that are listening all these years of us being like, China's not the best stops.

It's like, because they send us to Chinese towns.

It can be more random of a spot that we go to.

It feels like it's the most rent.

It's, well, because they want us to go in front of local communities.

You know, it's not like, they don't, we don't, we never go to Beijing and like, play in the city center or something like that.

Yeah.

I played in Shanghai.

And we were, couldn't have been further away from Shanghai.

It wasn't, it was, it was so far away.

Maybe it's good because we don't get the smog as much kind of where we are on the beach maybe.

Yeah, it's usually not too bad, but then they like fence off the beach every time.

We're at the beach.

You can't even go in the water.

Yeah, you can't.

It's like, it's crazy.

That's like torture for us.

Yeah.

But China, I will say, I've been to a few places where I really enjoyed it, especially Hong Kong, which is I know it's a different kind of a different country.

It's, it's definitely China, but it's, I don't know what they're, where they're at in the political situation, but Hong Kong is dope.

Yeah.

Super cool.

It was like Chinese version of, of Tokyo meets Brazil.

Because like, you know how Brazil's cities kind of built into the, the mountains and the forest and whatnot.

Oh, really?

Nice.

It's super like, it was clean, nice, good food, but it was built into like a harbor, like a bay.

Yeah, yeah.

And it's flown in a couple of times when you're flying in, it's beautiful.

And you can go up on the mountain side and there's jungle around.

It's cool.

Yeah.

So we just have to go to the right place.

It's a giant country.

It'd be cool, you know.

Just one time, just one time.

Yeah, can we please just go to the sweet spot?

I mean, Hong Kong.

Let's go play in Hong Kong.

Yeah, let's go.

If I throw into that, the sandcast open will go.

Let's go.

Hong Kong.

I guess then we'll like China and talk.

I don't know if we can pay you.

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Oh, yeah.

So this offseason was like all of us from the outside were kind of like

what's going to happen?

Partnerships.

And we're seeing like we knew Andy and Miles were going to split.

So we were waiting for.

Well, I don't know how early we heard it, but we knew it at some point.

So we realized the Andy was the main trickle down piece of the puzzle.

For sure.

You guys were kind on the outside.

It was like a little like, do they want to do something?

Are they going to?

I don't know.

How was it from the inside?

Like, did you guys have any conversations?

I know it's always weird.

Because I've been through it.

Yeah.

If I'm thinking of it, am I supposed to bring it up?

Or is it better to just do it and then do it?

Cut it right away.

I'm not going to lie.

I was nervous.

I was like, wait.

How should I do this?

You know, you don't want to hear the bad news.

Should I feel bad if I'm just thinking about it?

It's like a real relationship.

Yeah, it is interesting.

But yeah, I sent the text and he was like, I'm not reaching out to anyone.

And I'm playing on playing with you.

But he didn't really say like, we're like, lost.

Yeah, right.

So I was like, kind of nervous.

I'm like, all right.

Like, should I reach out?

Right.

Well, because at the same time, it's like, on one hand, if you reach out,

or sorry, if you talk about it with your partner, now you created that kind of tension of like,

oh, you were thinking about it.

And then if you don't do it, it's like, oh, that was unnecessary to even have that conversation.

But if you do break it off, then you also want to respect your partner and be like,

make sure they have enough time to find it.

It's not going to be last second.

It's not going to be like, screw them over, kind of thing.

So it's always like, I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

Really, how do you do that?

But ultimately, obviously, you guys ended up sticking it out together.

Pretty much everyone else shook up.

Right?

Yeah.

Who is Hagen and Logan?

That's the one thing I don't know.

It's happening.

Like, I asked some of the guys today.

I shouldn't probably ask Hagen himself.

Yeah.

I think Hagen doesn't have a partner as far as what I've heard international.

Logan and Hagen are going to play the league because they qualify.

But then who would that leave Logan with for international?

Logan's going to play with Tim Brewster.

Oh.

And word on the street was that Logan turned down Trevor.

Trevor asked him and Logan was like, no, I'll play with Tim.

That's bold.

Yeah.

That's a bold move.

Yeah.

Based on resumes.

You know, they're good friends.

Yeah, yeah.

Hey, sometimes I think Trevor has a little bit better resume.

Not to say anything bad about Tim.

Well, we'll reach out and get some confirmation on this.

But that's kind of the fun.

That was a rumor on the street.

You know, it's like, this is on the street.

We know.

Yeah, exactly.

I think confirmed here, people.

But it is fun for the fans.

And I mean, of course, me and Travis are always trying to piece it together.

Travis is like, weirdly knows everything.

How do you know that?

He's like, don't worry about it.

Like a sneaky little journalist.

They can't reveal his sources.

Yeah.

I knew about the USA job way earlier than most.

Dude, I'm so stoked for it.

He's going to, that got that job.

Yeah.

And I was like, I'm too.

In my mind, couldn't be anyone better.

You know, like, I'm really happy about it.

Yeah, yeah.

Let's get into that.

Yeah.

First of all, Furbs.

Do you have a history with him?

Yeah, actually, I coached for him at Rockstar when I first met up here.

For a couple of years.

And that's his family run club, right?

Yeah.

He and his wife run it, right?

Yeah.

And then Mizuno is his wife's club.

Oh.

I coached there as well.

Oh, God, I got it.

So, got to know them pretty well.

A surfed with Furby a couple times.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You know, when I first moved down here, I was just starting to try to qualify and whatnot.

And he kind of saw me try.

And I was practicing with the men's national team here and there just to get reps.

Yeah.

And he was there.

So, he was around seeing me kind of go through the ropes and try to solidify my volleyball.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Right.

He's seen me from the beginning of times.

Oh, sick.

Yeah.

I had coach and he called me yesterday and we caught up a little bit.

Nice.

Matters back from that guy.

Yeah.

I'm really excited to see what he's going to bring to the table for our squad.

I feel the same way.

I know Furbs well enough like we've chatted over there, seen him.

But we haven't really gotten on the sand together.

Obviously kind of missed generations there.

He left right when I came in.

But yeah, my vibe is that we should be happy about this for sure.

And I want him to come in and kind of like come in with a clean slate and kind of be like,

build this thing from scratch, not from what we've already set up kind of thing.

And I already seen a lot of changes.

Starting with Spraw, of course.

And obviously he and Spraw know how to work well together.

So I'm excited as well.

I'm actually a little bummed because I'm like, dude.

Why are you guys making all these changes now?

Do you want to work with Furbs?

There's an assistant coaching physician.

Yeah, I heard about that.

I heard about that.

Every pretty ideal.

Yeah.

And obviously you get to work with a great coach.

Yeah, true.

I don't know if I want to start traveling again.

Quite the same.

You talk slowly a little bit.

Just watch you guys grind it out.

It would be fun though.

It seems like a cool staff that they're throwing together.

No announcements on the assistants or anything like that.

Spraw, you see that as soon as been around for a bit.

I'm hoping that he might have the position.

Dude, the seat pat would be great, I think.

Yeah, I love picking his brain just the way he thinks and the way he plays.

He also played with Chase.

The number of years we can relate on situations in that regard.

When he stares you down, here's what you do.

Well, sick, yeah.

How do you feel about all the changes going on?

I'm still a little confused about how it's going to work with having a head coach.

What do we call it?

Centralized system.

Right.

To where can they make some calls on partnerships at some point?

Like, because that's how some federations are actually.

I'm hoping that that's not like what they get to.

Yeah, it doesn't sound like that's the direction.

But maybe suggesting to people or helping.

Because it is hard coming up when you think you belong at the top.

But the top guys are kind of protecting the top.

They don't want to let you in.

Yeah, of course.

So having the coaches and the staff kind of be like,

I'll talk to the top.

I feel like it could materialize in us having partnerships over the years

that make more sense than what we might put together ourselves.

Because we have that weird drama involved with it as well.

Right.

Of course.

They have history and I don't know about this guy.

And if I tell him that he's going to, you know,

Chase pushed Trevor at one point.

Yeah.

I don't know if they could play together.

Yeah, I don't know.

That worked out perfectly.

Exactly.

It's next year Trevor and I are playing together.

Everybody like, what the hell happened?

It was Fermi.

No.

But yeah, overall, I'm pretty stoked on it.

I'm excited to see what happens.

Yeah, I would say, you know, it's definitely different having centralized training

and competing with and against the guys you're going to play against all year.

They can see your tendencies from the very beginning of the season.

It's really interesting to actually see everyone's progression

from the very beginning of the season to, you know, where we're going to get to.

Yeah.

And just like how everyone goes at their own pace and, you know.

You feel like the competitiveness is the same as it was in terms of like,

the competitiveness is always there.

But like, when you don't see them and then the team comes out and plays with you,

there's like this, like, we have like this real beef, right?

For sure.

But when you're with them all the time, you kind of like learn how to let your guard down a little.

Right, yeah.

But at the same time, you're getting more reps against the other top guys

and you're feeling them out.

And I think in the long run, maybe it'll help us internationally, especially.

Like the USA Bowl, what does it care about?

A-B-P.

You know, who wins on A-B-P?

But I think it will help in the long run.

You know, in the past, we'd practice with ourselves what, like Monday through Wednesday,

maybe get Thursday, Friday, competitive games and drills with other teams.

So you don't see anyone.

And then you're like, really stoked to finally compete against them.

But you don't want to show them everything.

Right.

I'm just going to shoot high lines.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You know, so that they don't...

Coach might give you some restrictions.

Like, you can't use this today.

Yeah, exactly.

They don't realize that.

Yeah.

So it's interesting to, like, fall on.

Everyone just basically is sharing information for the first time.

Yeah.

That's definitely unique.

Is there actually a little information being shared?

Like, because the coaches will bring us in, right?

And then they're like, anyone have anything?

And you're like, you're not going to be like, oh, you know what I noticed?

Yeah.

Logan hits deep middle.

You're like, all the time.

When you come inside, like, maybe like, don't bring it down low, because here's what I'm thinking.

You know, you're not going to tell them everything.

And he's probably one of the coolest guys that will kind of give you, like, a little bit.

Like, if I'm serving, he's like, hey, maybe go, like, thumb up a little bit to get to that spot

and just give you a little bit of feedback in that sense.

That's pretty cool.

Yeah.

I can't say that I would be the one who would start that trend.

But I think it would be cool and beneficial to our national team program.

If we got to the point where the guys were sharing information.

And especially on other countries.

You know, I see your draw, bro, here.

Here's the info.

Yeah.

But USA got to make some big changes to stop incentivizing us to kill each other.

Well, yeah, we have to get paid more.

But once the Olympic run starts, that, like, communication has to stop.

We're all fighting for two spots.

Right.

But no way.

I'm going to be like, hey, like, I'm giving them information.

We're literally fighting for.

If USA, as long as USA teams are enemy number one, nothing's going to change.

We're going to be competing hard.

But maybe they could change that, the incentive program and all that.

But also Olympic qualifying.

Dude.

If I make the Olympics, I get 200 grand in my pocket when I'm 25.

Dude.

Because this is my second Olympics and they give, you know, 100 grand.

Yeah.

And they didn't prepare us, right?

No.

They didn't.

Yeah.

So hoping they do some back pay on Olympics.

Yeah.

Can we?

Man.

Yeah.

Well, you don't get the second 100.

But it's nice to know it's there, right?

No, I think it's when you make the Olympics because it's my second Olympics.

They give you 200K instead of 100K.

Oh, I see what you're saying.

Yeah.

Oh, really?

Yeah.

So there's a lot of incentive.

So if I were to go, it would be the same.

Yeah.

Oh, I see.

Yeah, dude.

Because they give you 100K when you're 45, right?

Yeah.

I think it's 45.

45.

Yeah.

I think it's 45.

And then another 100K, you're like life insurance.

When you die, you're family insurance.

Right before you're about to die on your deathbed.

Like, here's another 100K.

Yeah, here you go.

But that's cool, you know.

Someone's going to score.

Your kids are going to score on that one.

Yeah.

If you're sure you're going to score.

Damn.

That would have been nice.

It would have been nice for me to know right now that I had that, you know?

Right.

And then all this anonymous money coming into USA volleyball all of a sudden, anonymous donors,

donors donating to USOPC and like, what?

Was I the problem here?

Geez.

Oh, that's good, though.

It is exciting.

How's the hype for you knowing that it's LA 2028?

Man, it's awesome.

You know, it'd be super awesome to represent your country at home.

And I grew up in Santa Barbara an hour and a half from here.

So a lot of family will be there.

Yeah.

You're super rad.

One thing I remember about being like in the Olympics is just like the crowd was just so much for us.

Even in Paris, like a playing against France, we still had so many fans cheering for us.

Really?

I would say it's like 50-50 or something or?

It felt like it was 60-40.

But it was, you know, who knows?

Still in France.

I've played in, I mean, obviously, if we've all played in other countries where you play the home team,

and it's like 99% to one.

They were chanting super hard in their own language.

Yeah, yeah.

I definitely missed a serve because of the crowd.

I told chances like they got to me.

They got me.

That's good.

Next play.

Next play.

Yeah.

How was the whole experience?

I know we went over it when you guys came back, but overall, like looking back now two years, I guess,

removed, having, walking around, living your life with that Olympic label.

Like, how has that experience been?

Honestly, it's changed my life.

Like, I'm no longer Miles Evans.

Everyone introduces me.

It's like, oh, you met the Olympian?

Isn't that funny?

Yeah.

It is funny.

It's cool, of course.

It's something like I can't wrap my brain around because I'm like, obviously it's super cool.

Like we did all that work just to get that label and experience that.

But then it's like, is that good that it's like this defines who I am.

That's fine.

That's fine.

It's a good thing to define, but it's also like, I don't know.

I don't know if I want it to be like part of every introduction.

It gets to know me because obviously people light up when they hear that and they want to be around the Olympians and whatnot.

It's like, you don't really know quite as much of which relationships are quite as genuine.

If they found out you're an Olympian right before, you know.

My friends are always trying to get me like discounts at places like, hey, like, did you know he's an Olympian?

Like, did you get like 10% off?

They're like, sure guy.

What are you talking about?

Are you an Olympian?

Aren't you rich then?

No, actually opposite.

Most are broke.

Believe it or not.

Unfortunately, it's sad.

Maybe with the girls it works.

Are you single?

I am single.

Oh, there you go.

How's it working on that?

It doesn't hurt.

It doesn't hurt.

It's kind of fun.

You know, I'm like, hey.

That's when you're a wingman.

Oh, yeah, you got the tattoo.

Let's see the tattoo.

The Paris tattoo.

So you're just like accidentally reaching up for something like, yeah, let me grab a...

Did you watch the Olympics?

My friends are literally just like, lift up my arm.

I'm like, hey guys, how are we doing?

Yeah, yeah.

It's pretty silly, but it's fine.

It's all fun and games.

You get L.A.

Well, how do you add to it?

You add to it or get another one.

It's got what the Eiffel Tower in there, right?

I have the Eiffel Tower.

I'm like, planted up.

You can plant something around it.

That's the A.

I don't know.

Oh, yeah.

You have the vision already.

I don't know.

I don't know.

Hopefully the gold medal inside.

That's visualizing in the head already.

Love that.

Yeah.

All right.

So what else we got from here on for just training, league, same old?

Grinding away?

Yeah.

I mean, the league qualifier, you know, it's going to be a little nerve-wracking.

I haven't had to do that before.

Everyone's gun hoe.

Everyone wants it.

You know, new partnerships, new year.

We're, you know, we're one of the top teams having to prove ourselves again.

It's humbling.

Yeah.

It's extra pressure.

Yeah.

You know, I'm not used to kind of getting used to now.

Yeah, yeah.

Not looking forward to it, really.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It could be like the last year it was raining.

It was super windy.

Oh, I threw my back out.

Oh, that's right.

Couldn't walk.

Obviously skipped the first one.

Yeah.

Barely trained.

Like, got to practice maybe twice, I think, before.

And then it's raining.

I'm braced up.

We lose.

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And those guys are having one of those matches where it's like, I'm trying to, like, force stuff, you know?

Yeah.

And they're getting one hand stabs and so much energy. I'm just like, I don't have energy.

I have rain.

Yeah.

I don't want to be here.

And then it was like, so it's, it is scary.

Is there anything that happened?

There's so many things that are out of your control.

You have one of those crazy wind days and they're like, well, we're running it anyway.

Yeah.

Where you're like barely playing volleyball and maybe you play one of those guys who are really good in the wind.

And it's just like, right.

It's just like perfect situation for them or something.

That's the thing about our sport.

Bar, are you going to get to all the qualifiers?

Because you said there's an overlap, right?

There's an overlap.

You know, we're hoping the first one we take care of business get it done.

And then we don't have to worry about the next one.

Yeah, yeah.

Right, right, right, yeah.

You know, you never, never solidify that in your mind.

And there's only what, Trevor and Phil are in.

Logan and Hagen are in.

Logan and Hagen.

We got Andy.

So everyone.

Yeah, everyone else.

We got some good teams.

Yeah.

Everyone else.

Yeah, except for those two teams.

Yeah.

Well, come down and relax.

And you're like, ah, sipping on a mic.

This is nice that I don't have to do this.

Maybe a bloody marry.

There you go.

Yeah.

Wait, what's the date of that again?

I think it's the third week of March, maybe like March.

Oh, March.

Yeah.

Oh, geez.

It's coming up.

It's in the month.

Yeah.

And then the league doesn't start till June, right?

Like June 1st or so?

Or around there?

I know we have, we've announced it.

It's out there.

If you want to look at it.

It's over there.

I don't want to put out false info.

Right.

Yeah.

It's somewhere around there.

How do you, like, what do you look forward to most in terms of playing volleyball?

Like, what matches, what tournaments excite you the most nowadays?

Now that you've put in a lot of years.

For sure.

It would be really awesome to win like Chicago.

I've never, you know, I've always done, done well.

Yeah.

Like, yeah.

Like, what's your bucket list, there's I guess?

Yeah.

I mean, when Manhattan, I don't want to continue that.

For sure.

But that was a big checklist bucket list.

Yep.

I want to win any elite.

You know, I want to meddle in any elite.

Yeah.

Like, I've done well in challenges and proved that.

But, you know, it's time to take it to the next year.

It is one challenge.

We've won a challenge.

We've taken, we've probably had like four or five medals.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Now it's time.

No medals in elites yet.

No.

Yeah.

Like, 12 during the Olympic year and then 14 last year,

it was at the highest we got to.

It's time to take that to top 10, you know.

And finally be an elite team in my eyes.

Yeah.

So, that's definitely the goal.

Stodd would be super sweet.

Yeah.

Get that cowbell.

Put a cowbell on your mantle for the rest of your life.

For an Andy and Miles got that.

Super sweet.

Yeah.

You know, it's funny how teams win and tend to win early on.

I won my Grand Slam my first year on World Tour.

Wow.

Yeah.

That's super impressive.

I mean, I think sometimes obviously like you don't have a target on your back.

There's no pressure.

They don't, they don't have expectations for you.

They kind of draw you and they're like, we'll probably dust this team.

We don't know this kid.

Yeah.

And then Miles and Andy was, it was similar.

They weren't like fully established yet.

It was like, oh they had a good finish or something.

Yeah.

Maybe it was a fluke and then all of a sudden they got a cowbell.

It was like, oh.

Yeah.

Guess not.

Being Norway, 15, 13 or even known over time.

Yeah.

It's incredible.

It goes sweet.

So Chicago.

Chicago, Stodd.

Obviously Manhattan.

World champs would have been awesome, but we don't have that this year.

Yep.

Yeah.

It's the first things that kind of come to mind, I guess.

What about the league?

How's the excitement level for that?

Or is it kind of more like, does it feel like exhibition knee?

Definitely feels like exhibition knee, just because they change the rules, right?

It's like 15 minutes.

Very fast.

Points to 15.

Right.

Like one side switch.

Yeah.

You're in Reno's.

Just doesn't feel like like our normal volleyball.

And I think everyone's kind of trying to show off a little bit more.

Yeah.

Does that add to the fun of it?

It makes it a little less pressure.

But it's just a different game.

So you have to like, you know, let's say if you're really going to play it in the wind.

Yeah.

Now you're kind of nullified.

For sure.

You play that X indoor guy who hasn't really figured out.

Do you have winners just bouncing?

Sanders.

Lotmen or whatever.

You know, they're like, well, this is like playing the their game.

Yeah.

Yeah, Sanders, not really.

Yeah.

Which Sanders is a free agent.

Yeah, is he playing?

He's playing obviously like, you know, send in love to his family.

If you heard the news all that.

I did hear the news.

It's super sad, man.

Yeah.

That's incomprehendable.

But we're sending love out there for sure.

But I mean, it doesn't, I can't comprehend in my head him being that free agent, you know.

I know.

And not for long.

Yeah.

Not for long.

If you decide people are.

Trevor, Trevor's having trouble getting a partner.

Maybe the same thing.

Like, we're going to pass on Sanders in the league.

The league is he's, he's built for the league.

He's built for jumping high and bouncing balls indoors.

I was told that, you know, Taylor and Taylor were going to get a wild card because they're, you know, they bring the fans.

Yeah, for sure.

They bring some fun volleyball.

For sure.

Yeah.

So I was surprised.

That's why I didn't know that miles and.

Yeah.

Oh, I think.

I don't think Sanders, you know, he's, he can walk away right now and go to the volleyball hall.

Yeah.

And I think Taylor Crab is probably seen as like, this is my opportunity.

I got to, I got to like, take this shot and go all in on, on which we heard on, on their podcast on this 2020 Olympics.

So it seemed like the right move.

It wasn't like because Taylor, Sanders wasn't performing or whatever.

It was just like going in different directions.

But yeah, I mean, I would be, if his phone's not blowing up, I don't know what's wrong with a lot of you.

You use players in the, you know, lower ranks or whatever.

But that'll be exciting.

Yeah.

League, League looks fun.

It looks like people are laughing and taking it serious because there's money on the line and.

I think the, the legacy part of winning the league is starting to develop.

Like, first year is like, you'd rather win Manhattan than win the league.

Yeah.

Because what does it mean?

Yes.

Well, what does it mean?

Like, if it had been running for 50 years, maybe there'd be no brand.

Like, if you're a league champion, you're a league champion for life and blah, blah.

But we have to like build up a few years, which is nice because you have it already.

Yeah.

Right.

If it builds up to be something super valuable, then great.

You got it.

If it doesn't, then well, either way.

I liked, you know, it's, it's super different when you had the girls kind of tied to your.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I like that.

Obviously a little bias because our girls balled out and upset the one seed and what not.

Yeah, that was.

That was.

They gave us the league.

That was really nice.

Those three points we really took advantage of.

Yep.

Any of miles didn't lose.

Dude, they didn't lose the whole season.

And then even the last set, they actually didn't lose in terms of points.

Right.

Yeah.

Hey, you take what you can get.

You know, when, when Chase sited out to win, I was not mad about it.

No, I didn't tell them.

I'm like, you guys got robbed.

It's an entertainment product at the end of the day.

It's not, they're not building it to be fair.

Yeah.

That's for sure.

Um, but I'm a little jealous.

The league looks fun to me.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You have to worry about like, oh, this is going to grind us down.

If we play this, then I don't know if we're going to be ready to go somewhere else.

It's like, nah.

Like, we can do a quick serve and pass, player match.

And like, it'll be the same as, the same as having a practice.

Yeah.

Like going harder to practice.

Right.

Yeah.

And then you have, you have a little more time and ability to like engage with players.

Yeah.

And then you have, you have a little more time and ability to like engage with fans and build

up your team's brand and whatnot.

Yeah.

I'm hoping it goes well.

We created a new set last year because of the league.

Like the, it was like, we usually run a 10, which is like my, my go ball to my side.

Yeah.

That way, 10, yeah, as our call.

It's just a super fast go ball.

Yep.

And my arm just loaded and I just stepped close and tried to hit it.

Yeah.

I love that it's not running.

I love that you can hit that because Chase doesn't have to worry about like slowing it

down.

He can shoot it through the zone.

Right.

And whatever speed he gets, gets it through there.

You can just pick it off.

Just pick it off.

Yeah.

Exactly.

And that was pretty fun to kind of add to our game.

It's huge because he's so good on the option.

Dude, he can sidestep the ball.

I don't know how he doesn't do it.

I've tried to practice it.

Whatever.

Like he catches it right before.

It's about to hit the net.

Yeah.

And it sends it.

And he doesn't jump set.

Yeah.

He just does a hard.

Yeah.

He's like, I don't need a jump set.

I get these guys faking enough.

It's true.

Sometimes it's all you need is a little bit of a load.

Yeah.

We call it a heavy.

A little heavy.

Yeah.

It's fun.

But it's not good for the highlight reel if you don't jump set.

The Swedish boys, man, they make it look crazy.

They're just the walking highlight reel.

I know.

They are.

Open net, open net.

Boom.

Dude, yeah.

And everybody's dreamy balls.

Yeah.

I mean, I think that would be a really cool thing as if they could.

A.V.P. could bring those guys out to play like an indoor, maybe one stop on the league.

Yeah.

You know, like clearly we don't want.

We don't want international and A.V.P.

We like collecting the money ourselves.

Yeah.

But bring them out just to show everyone, like, how not all these dudes are.

Yeah.

That would be cool.

We need more.

Like, it was sick that we had a new part last year, you know, for the elite.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Bring everyone to California.

I want to have one that's where that becomes one of these like, hey, what are you looking

forward to this year?

Stodd.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Like, oh, I'm going to go to LA or whatever it is.

The American stop.

Yeah.

And I don't think we've delivered on that.

Because I talked to some of the athletes and it's like, they were really excited to come to the US.

Everyone's, they seem very excited to come to the US and they have really high expectations.

Yeah.

But then, you know, everything's so expensive to put on here.

It's true.

We don't have our stuff all that dialed, so like, you know, no offense to the Newport event.

But it was, it felt like it could have been a challenger anywhere in the world, you know.

And as an American, obviously, part of the US have all of them like, I don't like that.

This is our, this is what we put on.

Right.

Brazil's like, what, like, how many sick events do we put on?

I know.

You know, Austria, you know, like, there's a lot, we're not high on the list in terms of.

Yeah.

We have so much culture and history behind Beachville.

We're kind of like the birthplace of it, right?

Yeah.

And we do have good events because they see the videos we're putting out of Manhattan's and Chicago's and stuff.

But I think we got to go there.

Yeah.

And we got to do that.

I think we should do an exhibition style.

Maybe in the offseason, the same thing that we did in Brazil when it was the sickest thing.

They flew nine of us, I think.

Four teams from the US, four teams from Brazil playing against each other.

All the teams play each other and then whoever has the best record plays in the final.

Nice.

And then the whole cup or whatever it was called, Brazil versus USA.

That's cool.

How cool would it be if there's a bunch of stops throughout the year, like a separate tour where you just have each country go battle each other in separate stops?

Yeah.

And then like maybe like collective record or something like that.

Yeah, that would be cool.

And then that would finally give us that energy of like, hey, bro, I just played them.

Or when I play this guy, you know, like it would really be USA versus the world or versus another country for the first time.

I mean, we've never been able to play in that.

That Brazil event I got to play in back in like 2015 was it.

And we got paid like, I mean, we flew us down first class.

Well, it was obviously it was guaranteed money.

I think it was like five grand to show up and then another extra we won like an extra five to

which with whatever however we finished and we got smoked.

US got smoked.

It was in our off season and they were.

Oh, yeah, they're full peaking.

They were peaking and we got smoked.

But luckily me and Hyden still made the final and some like that would be cool.

Especially on like, because the league setting is cool.

These indoor stadiums.

Yeah, I think it's great.

The lights and the energy and these like kind of like de-league basketball arena slash like de-league hockey arena.

It's like the perfect size for us or tennis stadiums.

Right.

I think it's pretty cool actually.

It adds more hype.

It feels like we're like actually professionals, you know.

Yeah, just really nice area.

Like we went to the crypto arena.

Yeah.

Everything's brand new.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

That's crazy.

I know I'm bummed I missed that.

Huge TV screen like right above your head.

It's just watching replays of yourself in between points.

Yeah.

Giant screen.

Yeah.

Like massive and like brand new.

You know, like the top of the line.

Yeah.

That's probably everyone's first time in that arena.

Yeah, that's mine.

Sure.

But.

Huh.

Well, I wonder what where are the new stops?

Gosh, I'm a terrible host.

I'm supposed to have all this written down.

There's a few new stops though that were kind of exciting.

Oh, Vegas.

Is it really?

Oh, I, you know what?

My brother called me.

He's like, maybe he's coming to Vegas.

I was like, oh, yeah.

I think so.

He's like, it's your birthday weekend.

Oh, nice.

Oh.

Perfect.

I'm going to hit up Bobby and Josh.

I'm going to get Rosie out there.

I'm going to try to.

Yeah, Rosie's got to be there just because he's a legend out there.

Tell them they got to give me a court side box for my birthday.

For sure.

I'll try to guilt trip them into it.

It won't work.

I'll give you my pass.

Well, they'll give me a pass.

They'll give me a pass.

I was thinking, like, bottle service, court side, you know, with my own crew.

That's going to cost them a little bit.

I don't have the budget for that right now.

Come on.

Come on.

I'll be fine.

Yeah, we'll be out there either way.

I'll be at a few stops.

Excited to see what happens.

Got anything else before we go?

Now, man, I'm just excited to be playing with Chase again this year.

You know, another great opportunity.

It's hard to get the top blockers.

Dude, yeah.

I'm just thrilled to have the opportunity at the end of the day.

There's not many top blockers.

I get served 80% of the time.

So I'll be ready.

Option as much as I possibly can.

There's a lot.

There's a lot of defenders out there that are jealous.

For sure, that you have one of the top blockers.

You know, so I've got to cherish it, hone in, and take everyone down the house.

It wants to come my way.

Well, good luck with everything, dude.

Appreciate you coming on the show.

Yeah, that way.

Oh, yeah.

Cheers.

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