thr33som3s Left to Focus on Podcast

More than 6 weeks. 27 rounds of nominations and voting. 18 Cardinali and 12470 Inserts commited to burn. All to elect a Pope with no arms or legs or genitals. You can't say the Grotto didn't get it right! Certainly not like that antipope, 30 hour nonsense the Vatican tried to pull last week. Hear ALL the details, the strategies, the dealings, and the drama behind the true Conclav3 with this week's long awaited episode.

Sw33t Sixt33n and 3lit3 3ight ------- with perhaps the most in-depth analytical breakdown of a scenario as ever heard on an episode of the pod. Can't miss!

Quite simply... this is the best time of the year in the Grotto. We're fresh off Season 11. Off of Val3ntin3s. The Conclav3 is in full effect. And, now we get to enjoy Madn3ss on top of all that!?!? This year looks back on nearly 4 years of a project that ends up being the only thing worth talking about in NFTs. So, why spend any time in criticism of something that doesn't really exist? Three brackets... three different approaches. And, Crouton and thr33s are here to deep dive into the first week. Enjoy.

Can you believe we're starting our fourth iteration of Grotto Madn3ss? Crouton and thr33s run a breakneck pace as they detail the three new brack3ts and all the ways to approach them. Powerpacked with info, it's a quick listen, but it's a requisite episode.

The Pope is gravely ill... so, all Cardinali are summoned from far and wide in case a new Pope must be chosen. thr33s and Crouton walk you through the ins and outs of the Grotto's newest 3v3nt.

Minutes after posting the winners of Games 010 and 011 to wrap up the regular season drops for the eleventh iteration, Crouton and thr33s have like reaction and analysis of on of the most challenging chases the Grotto has seen. This is a special episode if you like strategy. Hear from Crouton as he lays out his plays for the season and critiques and celebrates other approaches. Not one to be missed.

It's here. Just as the scriptures foretold. And, thr33s and Crouton are here for it. And, it is GLORIOUS.

fresh off a LOST recording, thr33s and Crouton deep dive into both ends of the Sx3 IV 3v3nt... from Props and Squar3s of Sup3r Sunday Sp3ctacular to the all new Gr33ting Cards style Val3ntin3s drop, their 4th Generation. The project is hitting its stride this week, and this episode brings you up to speed.

Thrilling finish to the first half S11 Chase, as Blu3 sneaks in at the buzzer with a mega pick up to keep the chase alive. Get some legit analysis and insight from Crouton and thr33s as you prep for the second half. Plus, thr33s has plenty of interesting news and anecdotes to get you excited about things to come.

With 99 Voters to choose from, the Grotto makes a Jury Pool of 25 Jurors. --- It's no wonder we have a podcast to explain what goes on in thr33som3s week to week. Plus, Crouton and thr33s wrap up the first half of Season 11, Candidates. This is going to be a busy year.

It's been so long since a new season with a new team dropped, thr33s couldn't even remember how long it's been. Wow! But, the 9th new team has arrived, The Candidates, and the first 3 drops took place in this momentous week. thr33s and Crouton are here to deep dive... art talk, wheel recaps, and strategy for the remaining 8 drops. This is one hell of an episode for one hell of a week.

Back from a winter break, thr33s drops the Season 11 Form. It's happening, the much anticipated new Season. A new Series and a new Team. Crouton joins thr33s to go over the mega form that handles the drop duties for the first half of an historic release. You won't want to submit your form without listening to this one.

Well, that was an 3v3nt, huh? Th3 3l3ction wrapped up on Sunday, and it was a doozy. thr33s and Crouton couldn't handle it on their own, and, so, Deano makes his first appearance as a special guest 3l3ction 3xp3rt. It's a fun one... get the inside scoop on the most important 3l3ction in Grotto history. --- Long live Old Grandma!

The last few days of campaign season were WILD, to say the least. 70 ads ran in the last 48 hours, setting the tone for an 3l3ction that could go any number of ways. thr33s and Crouton play with all the different possible scenarios and walk you through the ins and outs of Voting in the truly MOST IMPORTANT 3L3CTION OF OUR LIVES,

These are the last days... and the ads are flowing. The Grotto saw a doubling of the amount of ads run in the third week. And, that's without the full reveal of ad utility. So, thr33s and Crouton discuss the ad campaigns while thr33s drops the final bit of ad based alpha.

This is episode is hyper focused -- advertising. thr33s and Crouton dive into they whys and hows of Campaign Advertising. Narrative building much??? Plus, there's some time spent looking at the 12 Candidates' platforms, a nice get-to-know-them section.

Black Friday 2024 will go down as a memorable one. 13 new sketches are dropped in the bundles which will become the very same Jurors who will determine the fate of Ivan de Jesus. Will there be Justice for Shayna? A bombshell drop with many facets. thr33s and Crouton walk through the drop and lay out the mechanics at play for Trials in this week's episode.

12 Candidates made their intentions official this week, and thr33s and Crouton are giddy with anticipation. Walk through the diversity of candidates and get some explanation and strategy about Participation in Ad Campaigns and Voting in this week's episode.

Now that the window to announce Candidates is open, thr33s and Crouton thought an episode that explains the Form and the thinking behind it would be best. This is such a unique chance to have a hand in the creation of a narrative piece and a brand new series, everyone should have an opportunity to particpate.

thr33s was so busy on the road working through 99 portraits for the Voters series, he didn't have time to check in with Crouton. But, he's back in Brooklyn, 99 finished paintings under his belt. Crouton asks about a few of his favorites and thr33s has plenty of insight from the trip. But, the real star of this episode is thr33s' announcement of Th3 3l3ction, a new Grotto 3v3nt that may outdo all previous 3v3nts. A fun listen... it's good to be back.

Sometimes the road calls your name. thr33s finds himself on a great American roadtrip, and, this time, he's brought the tiny paintbrushes. Full details on the most ambitious project the Project has seen follow as Crouton and thr33s break down The Voters.

As US election season heats up, thr33s and Crouton spend some time talking through Voting inserts. Reds and Blues and Purples... it's fitting that through mechanics the same colors that divide so much of the world can unite the Grotto. While voting in the Grotto isn't without its nuance, it's proven to be one of the more prophetic mechanical element of the project. Will this November prove any differently? Brush up on your Voting Inserts and get ready.

All of us are reeling from the unexpected loss this week of our dear friend @texanjuventino. The Grotto was but one of many social orbits for the celestial being we knew simply as Tex, but his presence in the project, and in so many of our lives, was substantial and unmatched. A collector from (truly) the first minute of the project, he was the first Grotto member to arrive at an IRL 3v3nt and was the most recent visitor to the Studio. In between, he set the standard for what was possible in this thing that is so much more than collecting paintings of baseball players. --- Crouton and thr33s sit down to tell the story of Tex and the Grotto. In many ways, it's the story of the Grotto. It's also a look at the sort of connections that can be made in a project like thr33som3s. You are already missed, Tex.

Okay, the title is a bit much. But, seriously. We're well into our fourth year of thr33som3s, and we're on the cusp of a new season and all that has been made possible to get us here. Crouton and thr33s... ok, mainly thr33s (yep, he's in LFG monologue form on this one)... speak directly to Migration and Season 11 being just around the corner. Are you ready? What do you need to do get there?

You may not realize it today. A month from now, it still might seem like a good idea. Hell, 6 months from now, you might be living your life in a haze of misinformation and partisan rhetoric, thinking you know all there is to know about Orange Silhouettes. But, THERE WILL COME A TIME, oh, buddy, there will come a time when you come running back to relisten to this episode... 2, maybe 3 times. And, you can thank Crouton and thr33s at that moment. And, we won't even say we told you so.

9 months worth of 2024 3v3nts are behind us, and it's all been to put you in a position to play Season 11. What you should you be thinking about ahead of the season to get yourself in a good mindset to play? Well, thr33s and Crouton have you covered. Consider this episode a recap of all the elements of the Season drops from 2 to 10. A cheat sheet. Grab a blank spreadsheet and a diet Dr Pepper, and get yourself in season shape!

Can't talk about this episode without mentioning how excited thr33s is about the coming weeks. Hot on the tails of an amazing Grottolympics and major participation in Metals for M3dals, Crouton and thr33s turn their attention to Orange Silhouettes and all the planning that goes into their distribution. A must listen.

With the Official Grottolympics Results announced, it's time for thr33s and crouton to focus on an in-depth exploration of approaches to Orange Silhouettes and how best to assign your new Oranges. Plus, Crouton had a week to think thorough the new Metal M3dals... let's see what he has to say about them.

thr33s and Crouton go as in depth as they can on approaches to delegation of Oranges onto Silhouettes and all the possibilities for Metal M3dals.

Sixteen days at 329 M3dal 3v3nts deserve a celebration. So, thr33s and Crouton sit down to highlight and relive some of the highlights. But, all of that is little more than fifth business to the major star of this episode.... a new mechanic is revealed, and those who have played in the Grottolympics have already done all they'll need to do to qualify for the new pieces. Introducing Metal M3dals in Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Listen in to lean all about them!

With 166 of the 329 Grottolympics M3dal 3v3nts in the books, thr33s and Crouton get together to make sense of the international sport Madn3ss simultaneously unfolding in the Grotto and Paris. Hear Crouton walk through some of his strategy. And, thr33s comes through with the 3v3nt's twist: yes, there is future utility in M3dals... of course there is.

Nearly 10 hours of spins, 120 hours of painting, 10 hours of form building... and, that just gets us to the first day of M3dal 3v3nts. Join thr33s and Crouton for a wrap-up show for a wild Grotto week. 206 Countries and 329 3v3nts and thousands and thousands of Oranges all for one kickass 3v3nt.

One last episode before the pageantry of the Grottolympics takes center stage for all the world to see. thr33s and Crouton walk you through the actual gameplay involved in the Grottolympics 3v3nt, and thr33s drops some major alpha ahead of next week's reveal.

thr33s and Crouton are back --- with a small Deano cameo --- to breakdown the importance of the Grottolympics drop. Not only is this your first chance in 2.5 years to get bulk Oranges, it's your only chance for the next 4 years to pick up Oranges en masse. They discuss the similarities with the 2022 W3rld Cup and the original Orange drop from 2021. A fun listen as we get ready for the marquis 3v3nt of 2024.

This one is a lot of thr33s... it's one of those big announcement episodes, a whole new mechanic, a whole new drop. Crouton lends some credence to the proceedings. But, this is one of those episodes where thr33s just thr33s. It's one helluva way to announce the new Orange Insert Bulk Drop and the whole fantastic spectacle of sport and chaos that lays ahead. Dust off those Qatar LE Flags and get ready for the Grottolympics.

This is a fun episode where we play a full 80min interview thr33s did ahead of Season 10 and ahead of thr33zi3s Gen3 and ahead of Vellum... interesting to hear how he speaks about the project with a total outsider. Crouton and thr33s are joined by arts writer Vittoria Benzine to live listen to the interview and interject delightful tidbits throughout. What makes this episode even more exciting, the release date is the one year anniversary of thr33s and Vittoria starting to date. A really great listen!

One of the highlights of the project, thr33zi3s, the world's first completely hand-painted generative art pieces, are revealed in their third iteration. Gen 3's were unveiled in a special Father's Day LFG, and, now that the metadata has refreshed and wallets are full of hundreds of new traits, thr33s and Crouton spend their time this week going over some favorites along with all the process that goes into making the crown jewels of the thr33som3s world.

In the final installment of the sweeping bulk insert retrospective series, thr33s and Crouton break down the lessons learned by collectors big and small about life with inserts. This is that episode that really ties the room together. Even as a stand alone listen, this frank conversation about the project, where we are 10 Seasons deep and how we got here, makes for a really fascinating listen. You are not going to want to skip this one. Oh! and, add on some Fathers Day alpha.... this week is a BANGER!

For the 4th episode in the series Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Inserts, thr33s and Crouton let loose with some bit by bit breakdowns of two of the more complex Insert drops of the first three years. Speaking of three years, it's time to celebrate the THIRD ANNIVERSARY of DotPigeon #001's arrival in the Univ3rs3. A fun one!

An hour spent looking back at the first Val3ntin3s Pinks... Crouton and thr33s chop it up while explaining the Gen1 Pinks and all that went into the wildest 24hr period the Grotto ever saw.

The evolution from Decorative Gourd Season to Oranges merits its own episode... so, Crouton and thr33s do just that. In depth and detailed, this is the second in a series of historical takes on bulk inserts.

2024 is getting down to the nitty gritty as the Grotto preps for a busy summer and beyond. Continuing the historical tour of all the pieces that make up the thr33som3s Universe, Crouton and thr33s offer the first in a series of deep dives into Inserts and all that comes with them. This episode highlights the very first insert drops from Red and Blue Molotovs and Carbones up through the first Decorative Gourd Season and the birth of Orange Gourds. Bring a notebook and pen.

Here's the bonkers breakdown of the Coders Season 8 Drop and the insane pace of those first 6 months. Toss in the mega changes to drop mechanics and timelines that we saw going into Season 9 and the Elephant Men, and you have one banger of a wrap on the seminal first 8 Seasons. And, Crouton and thr33s are giddy to talk about it. A fun one for the books.

The third episode in this historical memory lane series finds thr33s and Crouton exploring all the nuances of Cat Moms and Cardinali drops... but, more importantly, we get a sense of major mechanics (painting/Marlenes/Quads) and the introduction of 3v3nts... major evolutions of the project that seem commonplace today.

thr33s and crouton follow up the first in depth look back at the early series with this banger of an history lesson for Series 4 and 5, Exes and Subs. A great episode to learn those details that have escaped you about a time before most of you joined the project.

In the first of a 4 part series, Crouton joins thr33s for a detailed explainer of the first two series, NFTs and Monsters and their accompanying insert drops. Each week, another pair of Series will be broken down as the Grotto prepares for Season 11.

We say goodbye to the third iteration of Madn3ss and fete Crouton as the 2024 champion. A recap of the tournament's exciting final week sets up talk of the Grotto future, and that means Migration.

thr33s checks in from the Dallas Art Fair and Crouton anxiously waits for word from Zach Edey's mom about her appearance on the pod. But, the main focus of this episode is Rattro on the cusp of gr3atn3ss. All the makings of a dyantasy decision classic play out in the final three games of the 2024 Grotto Madn3ss 3v3nt. Crouton adds some strategic appproaches to holding or burning s33ds for Coll3g3 Y3ars, and thr33s feels himself with another banger 3v3nt drop.

Kicking off Season 3... thr33s joins Crouton at his Lair for an in-person breakdown of the Sw33t Sixt33n and 3lit3 3ight rounds. Strategy going forward and a look at what happened with Rounds 1 and 2 make for a fun one.

Kicking off Season 3... thr33s joins Crouton live and in person from Crouton's Lair. In depth discussion of the first two rounds, Coll3g3 Y3ars, and some strategy talk as this weekend plays out with Sw33t Sixt33n and 3lit3 3ight wrapping up. A fun one.

Crouton and thr33s talk more basketball --- move over JJ Reddick and Bill Simmons -- as it's all about Madn3ss and the new Mints. Reveal of the original paintings everyone is playing for in the 3rd installment of the fan favorite 3v3nt. Plus, some real talk on strategy for this Madn3ss and the ones to come.