Jock Jams. And non-jock non-jams.

I played pickleball yesterday. As is the custom of the elders.

Some of my friends think I play too much.

(It IS a lie. I played this morning too!) But the reality is I only play on days ending with a “y.”

Yesterday afternoon, I played at a place called PickleBarn. Not to be confused with Pickle Lodge. (I’ve played there before too!) It’s called PickleBarn because:

a. All of the good names were taken

b. It’s two courts inside a pole barn structure.

(The two women who own Pickle Barn had originally intended to renovate the old house on the property and turn it into a rental. But after they bought it, they discovered the land was zoned commercial. Life handed them lemons, and they turned it into a business with lemon-colored plastic balls.)

PickleBarn has a Bluetooth speaker on site so you can connect your phone and listen to some music while you’re playing. One of the dudes I was playing with yesterday hooked up his phone and started playing a bunch of tunes that were… how can I say this diplomatically… boring as heck!

Sorry, but it’s tough to get hyped for some intense pickleball action (perhaps an oxymoron) when you’re listening to Sweet Baby James Taylor and John Denver and Jim Croce.

The songs on his playlist were the polar opposite of “Jock Jams.”

It got me to thinking about what songs I’d want on my own jock jams playlist. Those songs that, when I hear them, get me hyped.

This one is probably my favorite. It’s a bit of a leftfield choice, but that’s how I’m wired.

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Travelin’ Band” would be on there too. Some Ramones. Definitely Superchunk’s “Digging for Something.” “Makes No Sense at All” by Hüsker Dü. “Max, Jill Called” by The Bicycle Thief.. OK, these are all leftfield picks. So be it.

I think I should put all MY jock jams into a playlist and play it the next time I’m at PickleBarn… my opponents will be so busy wondering “what sort of weird music is this?” that they won’t be able to concentrate on the game.

Pickleball is my jam. With my jams going, it’ll be even more of a jam!