Rikki Rockett & Joey Allen, 4/16/03

 

DUAL SUPER BALLS AWARDS!

 

Last week, Rikki Rockett and Joey Allen exchanged emails on our page to the entertainment of the Sludgeaholics everywhere. A lot of people would try to keep their disagreements private, but these two took it public and that takes balls….Super Balls! Regardless of who you agree with, we think they both have Super Balls and they are both winning that award today. This is the second time they have both won this award! They are two time, two time winners!

It all started with this post:

Who Would Fire Mike Fasano by Rikki Rockett – Round 1

Then came:

Joey Allen Responds To Rikki Rockett’s Post – Round 2

And finally it was:

Rikki Rockett Responds To Joey’s Response To Rikki’s Post – Round 3

Congratulations to both of them for airing their dirty laundry in public!

Now here are a wide variety of emails on the subject of Rikki vs. Joey. The first one is from producer Jack Ponti!

Hats off to Rikki Rockett for being a human being and an intelligent one at that. It’s apparent from his e mail his depth of heart and his honest assessment of the genre of music we all call our own. Never met him, but certainly a good guy from what I can tell. Bravo Rikki.

I used to be in the rock biz for many, many years. Maybe I was mediocre, maybe I was just OK at what I did. But I did it with passion and with conviction. It saved me from poverty and brought me dreams come true and riches I never thought possible. I thank God for that, always have and always will. For any of us to be paid to do something we love is a blessing and an honor. Whether we are paid pennies or millions. Music is subjective and personal. One man’s meat is another man’s poison (NO pun intended).

What Rikki’s diatribe was about had nothing to do with music, It was all to do with what the world is lacking at large; loyalty and honesty, standing up for what is right. He defended a friend and that is commendable. That’s a good man.

I have had an amazing career and it has had various mutations and growths. Am I talented? Maybe. I am lucky? You fucking bet. Back in the day when I was writing and producing, being the K Mart version of Desmond Child, taking the gigs he turned down, I would have never dreamed of what turns my career would take and I certainly would have never bet I would
be where I am at today. I could have never dreamed of all this is and what we have done.

I go to Sludge all the time, to see what’s up to remember where I came from and why I got into this business; a love of guitars, cool music, attitude and vibe. I love Sludge and think it’s the best written site on the entire web. It’s moments like this nonsense that bother me.

I’ve spent the last 7 years running a management firm and one thing I do all the time is tell my clients about how different the rock and roll game is. How supportive everyone is. How it’s not about bullshit but about camaraderie. He we need to borrow from it and help each other and not be fucking children. Am I missing something or isn’t that part of what made “our” music so special? Wasn’t it always “us against them” not us against us?

Isn’t it bad enough that “our music” is discarded and now people have to fight just to make a living? Isn’t it bad enough that “our music” is out of fashion and thought of as passe’?
Chill with the infighting, it’s bullshit and goes against the grain of what this always was: A Good Time. Entertainment. Fun.

You meet the same people going up the ladder and you do coming down. Again, Bravo Rikki.

Ponti

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I like both bands, but after reading the letters that were written by both sides I?ve got to give the W to Rikki.

I don?t know any of these bastards. I like listening to Poison and I like listening to Poison so I could really care less about this kind of shit, but in the spirit of ?if it doesn?t fit you must acquit? I?d have to side with Rikki on this one.

Later,

Dan in Baltimore

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Hey Guys,

Poison may still be up & running better than Warrant, but when it comes to new material, Warrant has it all the way…Rikki should have apologized for HollyWierd while he was at it, and for playing the same setlist the past 3 years. I’d like to see Poison do some small club dates like Warrant, but Bret has too much ego in that bandanna….Both band members should shut the fuck up already and make a new album.

George

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Sludge,

I just wanted to respond to Joey Allen’s laughable rebuttal. Obviously the guy hasn’t been to a Warrant show in a longtime. I’ve seen Warrant three times since 1997 and bought their live cd a few years ago. Jani can’t sing to save his fucking life…..not that he was ever Bruce Dickinson to begin with but I don’t remember Bret ever claiming to be. Yet Joey seems to think Jani actually compared somehow in technique. And as far as who wrote better songs Poison or Warrant? Christ Joey get a fucking grip on your ego brutha! Unskinny Bop or Cherry Pie? Is there a fucking difference? Atleast Poison aren’t ashamed of their tunes(even if some argue they should be) nor do they bum smokes from the audience with the weak excuse of crowd participation. And say what you will about Bret’s bald head…..not that your hairline is anything to brag about Cagle……. the guy is still a way better entertainer then Jani, who I’ve literally seen stop a show and rant for twenty minutes in a drunken haze. Rikki is right! It’s shit like this that makes their genre pathetic and thus a need for Sludge. A member of Poison can point that out and admit it yet Joey seems to think his band had more cred? Well reality never was Warrant’s strongest point.

And Joe to answer your question: Yes, “Ceceil” was lying to you. But it’s probably hard to see the truth when you are doing a face plant in a pile of blow together. But hey atleast your friendship was based on honesty and not in a haze of booze, drugs and a nice helping of LGD(Lead Guitarist Disease)

I’m out like Joey’s brain cells

Danny Noonan

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Joey Allen is quite right. Jani amounts to more than a pimple on Bret’s ass. Poison is in arenas largely because of having the ‘classic’ lineup and because they went away for so long. Their albums don’t even sell anymore. I would love to see those guys reduced to a club tour to finally shrink their overinflated egos but that is another story. The point is that Jani is a superior singer and songwriter, always has been and always will be. Jani can sing stuff that Bret couldn’t touch. A few of Poison’s hits are top notch, yes, but their “album tracks” are usually utter shit. Warrant’s albums tracks, at least, have some quality. Look at tunes like ‘April 2031′ or most anything else, especially from 1992 and on. After all these years most of Bret’s songs are still cheesy (i.e. Hollyweird from 2002 has “Get ya some” “Devil woman”). At least Jani’s songs have a little more substance and he has gotten better as a songwriter. Bret is still spinning his wheels. If anything, Bret has devolved, instead of evolved. Any of Warrant’s guitar players outclass CC’s technical ability. On top of that, at least Jani had the balls to answer your questions three different times. Bret never has. You’d probably find he can be as egotistical and rude as anyone else who regularly gets mentioned, like Bach, Strum or Lane. I am not saying Jani or Rikki are right (or wrong). I am just saying Rikki’s statement about Jani being a pimple is foolish. Forget record sales and ticket sales. As far as I am (and always have been) concerned, Warrant is a better band, has better songs/albums, a better singer and I’ll even say a better rhythm section. I’ve heard both live and when they are actually on, any lineup of Warrant outclasses those guys in that department, too.

Signed,

A guy who thinks Bret wishes he were a pimple on the ass of Steven Tyler or Mick Jagger.

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I may have to go out and buy a Poison CD after that round 3 blast from Mr. Rockett.

Well done!!

Fernando Von-Tekro

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Oh how the mighty have fallen!!! I gotta agree with rocket to an extent on this one..Jani needs some serious help, this guy is about to explode, his cheeks are so rossy and puffy, I cant beleive this is the guy who wrote so many of my favorite songs. Isn’t there anyone in the warrant camp that can attempt to get through and help jani..Jani is a great songwriter and performer and seeing him like this is well…disturbing. Someone needs to get through to jani and get him back into good health..And like jani bon neal said get the original members back…..That’s the only way to get warrant some credibilty…I dont know how much it will get them but things would deffinetly be better than they are now. As for the way fassano has been treated, this is a horrible way to treat a guy who did give warrant some credibility and obviously saw something allot of other people never have seen in warrant..That jani is a hell of a songwriter!!! And no offense to rikki or the rest of poison who I love too, no song they have ever written even comes close to uncle tom’s or I saw red, those are brilliant warrant songs..It is a shame that people cant see through the glam haze and realize warrant did write some amazing songs..Jani get some help from one of your biggest fan’s from north of the border.

THE ABOMB
TORONTO, CANADA

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ATTENTION JOEY ALLEN:
I wouldn’t have been able to be as calm as Rikki is. Joey doesn’t even deserve Rikki’s response. Joey has done absolutely NUTHING in music lately and he has the nerve to slam Rikki and Bret????? Tommy Lee is a great drummer, in fact, in my opinion, the BEST! (i’m a drummer, I’m allowed to say that) but Tommy’s opinion of Rikki had nuthing to do with the subject at hand, and for Joey to spit out Tommy Lee quotes is just sad on Joeys part. He needs to name drop in order to sound important.
Yes, you were in Warrant.
Yes, you made your “mark” on the music bizness years ago.
That time for you is way over, dude. Let me guess, your writing a solo album right now and it’s coming out soon and then you’ll be touring, right? Ha ha. You might as well get me to play drums on your tour because I’m about as well known as you are.

You make fun of Rikki for “having his head up Brets ass”, but YOU should be pointing finger at Erik and Jerry for not standing up to Jani and voicing their opinion about Mike playing drums in Warrant. But no, they pretend to “not have known about the decision to fire Mike”. Pfft…what wimps. They took the high road, as usual. THATS a sure sign that they are afraid of Jani and they will follow Jani down any pathetic path he decides to take them. Its sad. Now Erik and Jerry can sit around this summer and do nuthing again. No touring. Nuthing!! (oh wait, I think Jerry’s on his 3rd Annual Soap-On-A-Rope Tour.)

It really pisses me off that Joey has the balls to knock Poison. Does he not remember that when Warrant arrived on the scene, THEY LOOKED AND ACTED EXACTLY LIKE POISON!!!! Jani tried to Bret in every way. Whatever. Jealousy is the best form of flattery.

I can’t wait to see Warrant on tour this summ……..wait, What am I saying? OH YEAH, thats right……I’M NOT GUNNA SEE WARRANT BECAUSE NO-ONE WILL TAKE THEM ON TOUR!!! They need to piggy back Poison around in order to get gigs. Screw that.
Maybe I’ll go see the sweaty, mohawked, punk’d out, trying-to-fit-in, I wish I had my own identity Jani Lane Solo Tour. Naw. I’ve seen Jani Lane live lately. Its kinda sad.
Bret stuck to HIS guns, wether you like it or not and he deserves all the respect. He didn’t cut his hair or start wearing punk rock clothes. He stuck to what makes him Bret Michaels of Poison……and where has that gotten him 20 years later? 4 SUCCESSFUL SUMMER TOURS IN A ROW!! Thousands of people still paying $$$$ to see him and his band play. Jani’s solo tour can barely bring 200 people. You do the math. I haven’t seen Joey Allens name on any marquee anywhere, has anyone else? .
Hmm….the crickets are DEAFENING!
This email war is great press for this summers Poison Tour and Rikki has brilliantly (and rightly so) used this moment to come out of the woodwork and defend his lead singer and best friend since high school.
Good for you, Rikki. We got yer back too.
Shame on you, Jani, for firing the best thing that Warrant had going for them. Mike Fasano. Big mistake, mohawk boy. HUGE!
I met Mike 2 years ago. Great guy and genuinely nice to people. He brought some life and fire back into the Warrant camp and now thats all gone too. I think Jani needed to reassure himself of his leadership role in Warrant, so he pulls a bonehead move and fires a member of his band. Hey Jani, just because your on tour with another drummer and you two are probably getting along real well doesn’t mean you can stab people in the back. Spineless wimp. Anyway, MIke Fosano = a Great Drummer!

As for you, Joey Hasbeen…….have a good non-touring, boring, doing nuthing productive, Poison-slagging, Metal Sludge reading” life. One word: Rogaine.

Hey Joey, CAN I HAVE FRIES WITH THAT?

I”m out like Joeys short-ass career…
Betty Ford

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BAM! Way to go Rikki! What the hell is Joey Allen doing running his mouth?? Poison is still playing shows, he’s got a fucking desk job now! Hey Joey, did your boss give you permission to email that in on company time?

For the record, I got to meet Jani and Fasano on last summer’s tour. They were both very cool. Jani hung out at the bar with fans after the show.

I’ve met and actually hung out (in a fan type of way) with Rikki and Bret on two different tours and they were both unbelievably cool! On the their first tour, Rikki wanted to get laid so I went out and drug 3 chicks back to his hotel for him to choose from, I felt so cool! (I was 16) HA! So I’ll always have their back!

Anyway, I’m out like Joey’s hair and career.

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GO RIKKI !
Damn, you put it straight this time! What is about all those 80’s now clubbands that think
they still rule the world like Warrant, Dokken (actually they never did). Man, go out there, do your thing and do it good. That’s what we fans want. Posion has always rocked and will probably do so to the very end. Jani Lane obviously has some serious problems, he should get into fucking
rehab, come back and prove he still knows how to rock. Firing members and talking shit about Bret won’t help your carrer shit. A lot of people still show up to see Poison & other 80’s band , so
obviously they’re doing something right. So what, if Hollyweird isn’t their best or best-selling album. They were huge back in the days and how many band do survive more then a couple of years on top anyway? Most not even a year. And like Rikki pointed out, Mick Jagger hasn’t the greatest voice, shit he doesn’t even sell many albums either, but the Stones fucking sell out every damn tour and we’re not talking clubs here. Those guys are older than dinosaures (look worse too), but nobody bitches about them. Because they still give the people what they want. So does Poison. Guys like Jani need to get their shit together. We want to see you out there, but not fat, drunk and with ugly haircuts (Don Dokken & Vince Neil are you listning). Rikki, thanks for your comments. Keep on rockin’ forever !!!!!!!!

Oscar, Metalfan
(And I still like Poison, Motley,Ratt etc as well as Slayer,Motörhead,Soil…you name it)

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Hey,

I have to give a nod to Rikki Rockett…that was a pretty classy response to Joey Allen’s email. I actually thought it took a lot of class to say what he said.

Since talent was being questioned in those emails, it’s amazing that Rikki fought the urge to bring up the fact that nobody in Warrant actually played the guitar solos on DRFSR. Way to take the high road Rikki.

Bead
Halifax, Nova Scotia

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Just checking in to the mighty Sludge while I finish my college applications for this fall and BOOM! Some Sludge is beginning to hit the fan! Those are always the best days… better than sunshine and clear skies… when bands are Sludging each other and I see three or four new posts. Ahh, it’s a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

For the record, Jani/Warrant beats Bret/Poison hands down with singing and songwriting, even in his fat/drunk condition. To think what he could be if he took better care of himself and pride in his condition (sort of like Bret) would be amazing. At the same time, if Bret is this mediocre (at
best) of a singer now, imagine what HE would be like if he hit the bottle and the Big Macs as much as Jani Lane. I’d be able to FART “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” better than he could sing it in that case!

But… they are how they are. I’d still rather have them how they are right now than not have them at all. Of course, Jani is on a highway to his personal hell, and only he can stop that, so what can you do? And Poison’s lineup sucks this year (and they’ll probably play the same set list as last
year with nothing new), but I’ll be there. It’s not that much, but it’s still going to be one hell of a party.

So… I’m going to sit back… crack open a cold one… and wait for the next Sludge to be fired. Like Gay… I mean Goldberg would say… “WHO’S NEXT?!?”

REST… IN… SLUDGE,

Nate S. Axel
Grand Rapids, Minnesota

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Dear Metal Sludge-

Regarding the latest post from Rikki Rockett- I think it’s absolutely stellar of Rikki to take
the high road and offer assistance to Jani in spite of the drama. Sounds like the best thing
for the guy.

I don’t know what his addiction is- that everyone seems to be alluding to (twinkies?)- but, if
anyone REALLY and TRULY cares for this guy, and they are close to him and in a position to
help him- perhaps the time for bitterness is over, and the time for action is now.

Perhaps Rikki and Mike can set something up with Joey and the other Warrant guys and
do some kind of “Metal-Sludge” intervention. I’m not suggesting he quit drinking-
but if he is hooked on something harder and more dangerous- don’t let this guy end up like
Layne Stayley. Seriously.

The world loves a recovery story…pick up any issue of PEOPLE magazine and tell me I’m wrong. A Jani Lane recovery could be, you know, good for biz. That ought to motivate some people around him…

It’s never to late to help someone-
until it is….

Hopefully,
Mick Stingley
NYC

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Hi Jani Bon Neil,

I would like to speak my mind regarding Rikki Rockett’s email about the Warrant-Fasano issue…

Who the fuck does the guy think he is? He’s totally full of shit, man! What happened is an issue between Fasano and the Warrant boys… Not fuckin’ Poison! The reason he claimed he spoke up is well, becoz he’s a friend of Fasano… but so fuckin’ what?! It’s still none of the guy’s business! If this same thing were to happen to Mike Foster of Firehouse or Steve Riley of LAG, would he have done the same? I think NOT! It’s pretty well-known that he and Bret already had some issues with the older Warrant boys since back in the days, and he is just making use of this opportunity to sucker-punch Jani Lane and making him look bad! Throughout the freaking email, he was just calling Jani an asshole whenever he’s got the chance… Know what Rockett, it takes one to know one, so maybe you’re an asshole too!

“The offer still stands with Jani. Yep, even after all the B.S., I would still drive over and help the fuckin’ guy”… Yeah fuckin’ RIGHT! Not once in his 1st email did he mentioned about extending his help to Jani… What offer?! If he is really sincere in helping, he would have try to get hold of Jani personally instead of sending out the email in the 1st place. It was only after Joey Allen’s reply did he then turned Mr. Samaritan and talked about offering his help and how he hate feud and that they should “support each other instead of tearing each others throat apart”! Hypocrite! Who send out the email in the 1st place?! The guy is simply changing his tune now to make himself looks good… the frequency he changed his tune is as frequent as him changing his drum-tempos! No wonder he sucks as a drummer!

Tommy Lee was right about him being the worst rock n’ roll drummer… Think about this Rockett! The reason you’ve only been in Poison and never any other band is simply becoz you suck and nobody wants you in their bands! Even if you were to audition for fuckin’ Hanson, chances are they would rather use a cheap Casio drum machine than have you hitting the skins!

I’m out like Rikki’s out of time drum beats!
Damien

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Power to Rikki. I?m a fan of both Warrant and Poison. Never take sides, just listen to what everyone says. Rikki always impresses me though, he has some good stuff to say…great points and yet comes through all that and says hey, whatever….let?s get over it, move on. I?m here for the guy. Who does that? I mean he surely doesn?t need too, but does….Bravo Rikki.

Sludge, you guys are great, I love the site…..thanks for this venue of info!!!

~Some chick in Denver

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I was never a big fan of Warrant or Poison (so why the $#@! am I writing?!?) and I don’t know either of them aside from their contribution to all-that-is-Metal but this “dialog” between Joey and Rikki shows me that:

Joey: needs to kill the bitterness and personal attacks (although they DO provide a great source of entertainment!) and be thankful that some people may still care about extending his 15 minutes of fame a few seconds. Keep up the crap attitude and even they will abandon him…

Rikki: is a stand-up kinda guy and has a knack for
being tactfully honest, period.

Metal Sludge, you ROCK! m/@m/
Dave

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I agree with Rikki that Jani is an asshole, however, there is no way Jani could write songs like “Letter To A Friend,” “Stronger Now,” “April 2031,” “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” and so on. Jani’s lyrics are 500 times better than anything Bret ever wrote. Just listen to their solo albums. Bret is a better businessman though and keeps himself looking good, even if he does have a wig on his head. He still looks like the Bret Michaels we saw in 1990 and is just a smarter businessman. Jani on the other hand is a mess and is a horrible businessman. Rikki was making a good point but there was no reason to say that Jani isn’t a pimple on Bret’s ass because that’s far from accurate.

Thank you.

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Just wanted to throw this out there because, well that’s what this site is all about no? Rikki is 100% right about his comment about Bret and Jani. Joey’s argument is like his music employment, OUT OF IT! Jani does hit some damn good notes, better than Bret, yes, but he was also better than Cobain, Lennon, Morrison and Jagger. So if Joey ever decides to pull his head out Jani’s ass he might see his point is absolutley null! Mark Slaughter and Michael Sweet are better singers than Jani so what does that mean Joey? If you had a point, you should probably lube it up so it don’t sting when you have to put it in its rightful place.

Does Joey Allen honestly think that when people go to see a show that the paying fan gives a crap what song Jani wrote or what Bret wrote or what Cecil wrote? Do Bon Jovi fans feel slighted because Desmond Child helped write their biggest hits. Maybe that’s why Joey sits home with his only job being that he still rides Jani’s nuts! He just doesn’t get what it takes to maintain.

If I had to pick to see a show between a guy who still gives it 100% in front of thousands of people or a fat washed up crackhead alcoholic with a mohawk, who blasts the songs that made him, playing rooms with ceilings that are lower than his blood alcohol, guess who I’m choosing? Get a job Joey!

Sabu Kufyasi

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Ok…. I know both Jani and Bret and let me say this, they BOTH have “issues”. They can BOTH be assholes, but please….. saying Bret is a better singer/songwriter than Lane????? Don’t get me wrong… Bret is good at what he does… he is good “eye candy”…. as long as he stays in shape he will sell concert tickets. Jani on the other hand may not be pleasant to look and
maybe he has “problems” but Lane is a real MUSICIAN. Are you telling me Bret Michaels could write or perform an album like “Dog Eat Dog”??? I THINK NOT… an album by the way written almost entirely by Lane single handedly.

Rikki, you and the rest of Poison kick ass… and I love your music, but you can’t touch Jani’s talent with a ten foot can of hair spray.

I am out like Bret’s hair!

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Hey Sludge-

I gotta check-in on Rikki?s April 10th response to Joey Allen. Bottom line is that Rikki said it best towards the end of his reply: ?How about we spend our time making music or being creative in some way and support each other instead of tearing each others throats out??

Let?s all face it ? the music scene sucks today and has sucked since the early to mid 90s for the most part. The bands most of us grew up loving are seeing moderate success today ? if that. I credit that resurgence largely to Poison. Please listen before you decide to bash me. I never really appreciated Poison in the 80s and never bought any of their music at the time. The 90s came along and the musical scene became depressing and still is somewhat. I?m talking in particular about going to concerts and being entertained. Then in ?99 Poison came back on the scene with L.A. Guns minus Lewis, Great White, and the real Ratt. A few of my buds decided to go because it would be interesting to see and besides the ticket prices were very reasonable. I was absolutely blown away by the turnout and more importantly the show itself ? particularly Poison?s show. This band put a lot of time, energy and money into making this a kick-ass show. The next 4 years, including this one, they will be on the road again tearing it up. And although I think this year?s line-up is very weak I will still support them and the other bands ? even the bloated Vince Neil. To Rikki?s point ? life is too short and why should bands or bandmates such as Joey, Jani, Bret and Rikki go against each other when they can more importantly support each and work to make each other and the rock scene stronger. It needs it. There is no reason Warrant, Poison, Quiet Riot, ect. can?t enjoy some commercial success again. Even if they don?t reach the success they had in the 80s some is better than none. It?s idiotic to pit the fans of one band against another when it?s from the same genre. I will support Warrant, I will support Poison, and I will support any band from the 80s Rock genre because I enjoy that music and I enjoy that style of entertainment. I suggest the bands and band members do the same.

Outta here like a spent dick,

Pickle

There you have it. Some for Joey, some for Rikki, but they both have Super Balls!

By the way, we’ve finally created the Super Balls Award Archive where you can see all the past winners. You can view the list Right Here!