1
00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,760
Speaker 1: The Indiana Fever will head down to Atlanta for a

2
00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:09,440
Speaker 1: decisive must win game number three against the Dream tomorrow night.

3
00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:12,080
Speaker 1: That because of their win last night seventy seven sixty

4
00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:16,040
Speaker 1: over Atlanta, their head coach is kind enough to am

5
00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,120
Speaker 1: sure during what is a very busy time, give us

6
00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:21,279
Speaker 1: a little bit of time today, and we are so

7
00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:23,440
Speaker 1: appreciative of it. We were actually willing to play justin

8
00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,040
Speaker 1: Timberlake by her request. By the way, Eddie right, that's right, okay.

9
00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:29,920
Speaker 1: Stephanie White joins us on the program. Coach, first off,

10
00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:32,200
Speaker 1: congratulations on the win last night.

11
00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,519
Speaker 2: Thanks, it was a good one. We you know, we

12
00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:39,519
Speaker 2: enjoyed playing in front of our home crowd certainly, but

13
00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,640
Speaker 2: our team came out and you know, backs against the

14
00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:44,560
Speaker 2: wall and we're able to come away with a win.

15
00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,720
Speaker 1: I wanted to get to this. You and I talked,

16
00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:49,960
Speaker 1: I don't know, and I was asking you just about

17
00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,880
Speaker 1: offenses and offensive sets, and you kind of laughed and said,

18
00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:55,480
Speaker 1: you know that you're kind of old school there, Jake,

19
00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:57,640
Speaker 1: because things are a little bit more free flow now

20
00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,120
Speaker 1: within the game and the way that we do things.

21
00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,640
Speaker 1: When you look at your offensive efficiency last night, and

22
00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,680
Speaker 1: notably I thought you shot the wall better from the outside.

23
00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,759
Speaker 1: How much of that is designed off of making tweaks

24
00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:12,960
Speaker 1: to a scheme and how much of that is Jake,

25
00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,440
Speaker 1: We don't make any tweaks at all. It just happens

26
00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:17,520
Speaker 1: within the flow and it was a matter of just

27
00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,720
Speaker 1: making sure that we were taking advantage of open opportunity.

28
00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:25,959
Speaker 2: I think some of adjusting to coverages and how atlantacts

29
00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,280
Speaker 2: to play and spacing. I think the other piece is

30
00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,600
Speaker 2: the willing to get to the next action, right, the second, third,

31
00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,000
Speaker 2: fourth actions on the floor. You know, they're the number

32
00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,120
Speaker 2: two defensive team in the WNBA for a reason, and

33
00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:40,640
Speaker 2: so we have to have a willingness to do it.

34
00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:42,600
Speaker 2: And at the end of the day, we got to

35
00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:43,440
Speaker 2: make shots.

36
00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:47,840
Speaker 1: Is this coach and you've been around basketball a long time,

37
00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:51,520
Speaker 1: whether it's a player at the college level, the professional level,

38
00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:56,640
Speaker 1: coaching for different franchises, does this team have as much

39
00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,720
Speaker 1: resilience as any that you've been around it?

40
00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,200
Speaker 2: Does? I mean, this is a group that has continued

41
00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:08,720
Speaker 2: to be able to be flexible, be resilient, have toughness,

42
00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:14,520
Speaker 2: and the amount of situations that we've been through throughout

43
00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:18,240
Speaker 2: the course of the year, the amount of different personnel

44
00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:20,960
Speaker 2: that this group has had to adjust to. I think

45
00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:22,959
Speaker 2: it just speaks volume. And and you know, when you

46
00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:25,120
Speaker 2: when you when you go through the things that we've

47
00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,640
Speaker 2: gone through, you build strong cultural roots and and I

48
00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:32,320
Speaker 2: think you know, regardless of of of what comes of

49
00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:34,280
Speaker 2: how far we're going to to be able to go

50
00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,040
Speaker 2: this season, the roots that we've grown and the ability

51
00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,040
Speaker 2: that we've had to be able to get through multiple

52
00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:42,000
Speaker 2: situations is going to continue to pay dividends for our franchise.

53
00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:45,639
Speaker 1: I was mentioning this earlier Stephanie White, our guest, the

54
00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:49,800
Speaker 1: head coach of the Fever. I don't know that I've

55
00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,960
Speaker 1: seen a team that I've you know, followed over the

56
00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,160
Speaker 1: course of a year that has had to deal with

57
00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,359
Speaker 1: the personnel changes like this one as you just talked about,

58
00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:02,400
Speaker 1: and key players going down and then for that matter,

59
00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,840
Speaker 1: replacement replacement. Am using in air quotes, but but you know,

60
00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,160
Speaker 1: other players going down in just a constant rotation. So

61
00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,000
Speaker 1: what my question is is this, do you have because

62
00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,440
Speaker 1: of the fact that you have players that are giving

63
00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,200
Speaker 1: you minutes right now that did not start out on

64
00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:23,520
Speaker 1: your roster and were players that probably at the beginning

65
00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,639
Speaker 1: of the WNBA season wondered if their career was even

66
00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:28,920
Speaker 1: going to take them into the WNBA this year, and

67
00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:32,440
Speaker 1: now they're in a situation like that. Has that allowed

68
00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,440
Speaker 1: coach for a resiliency to seep in because you have

69
00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,800
Speaker 1: players on the roster that are able to say to themselves,

70
00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,400
Speaker 1: this isn't even the worst thing that I faced this season.

71
00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,560
Speaker 1: I had to dip the you know, dig deep down

72
00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,360
Speaker 1: as a player just to get back into a roster.

73
00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,680
Speaker 1: So therefore this is all gravy to me. Has that

74
00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:55,960
Speaker 1: mentality seeped into those players that you began with, you know,

75
00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:56,560
Speaker 1: I don't know.

76
00:03:56,480 --> 00:04:02,000
Speaker 2: If it's if it's that mentality necessarily or the mentality

77
00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,640
Speaker 2: of of just the opportunity that's in that's in front

78
00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:09,120
Speaker 2: of them. You know, yes, it's that there have been variants,

79
00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,280
Speaker 2: journeys uh to get to this point, and certainly when

80
00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:14,880
Speaker 2: you have not been in the league, there is a

81
00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:19,360
Speaker 2: hunger and a desire to prove yourself and and and

82
00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,760
Speaker 2: so that that that helps certainly from a competitive standpoint,

83
00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,200
Speaker 2: you know, certainly, I would imagine with every player in

84
00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:28,680
Speaker 2: our league right now, there is a desire to prove

85
00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,800
Speaker 2: yourself with a new CBA and expansion teams coming, you know,

86
00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,279
Speaker 2: day in and day out. But I don't get the

87
00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,440
Speaker 2: sense that collectively with this group, that that that's it

88
00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,800
Speaker 2: right now. I think the the sense that I get

89
00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:43,000
Speaker 2: is that this group really enjoys one another. This group

90
00:04:43,080 --> 00:04:46,479
Speaker 2: really wants to do it for one another. You know,

91
00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:51,159
Speaker 2: certainly ego is uh and is a part of everybody's journey.

92
00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:52,880
Speaker 2: That's why they're the best in the world.

93
00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:58,200
Speaker 1: Now, did this definitely just go through a tunnel? Etty?

94
00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,599
Speaker 3: I don't know, and just said, Nope, you're done.

95
00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:05,520
Speaker 1: She was talking about journey and then the call dropped.

96
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,560
Speaker 1: Do you think the journey actually took her? I'd like

97
00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:10,520
Speaker 1: to know. Is she made you ever driven? Like in

98
00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:12,200
Speaker 1: West Virginia, you're driving, all of a sudden you just

99
00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:14,440
Speaker 1: you go through a tunnel in one of those hills.

100
00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:17,880
Speaker 1: But that sounded like it was on our end, actually,

101
00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:22,200
Speaker 1: But I believe speaking of journeys, we're speaking of journeys, coach,

102
00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:24,320
Speaker 1: We're gonna continue the journey right where we were. So

103
00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,359
Speaker 1: you were just talking about the overall resiliency and the

104
00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:29,000
Speaker 1: collection of resiliency within the team.

105
00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:30,920
Speaker 2: Yeah, And I just think that this is a group

106
00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:33,799
Speaker 2: that really pulls for one another, that there that they've

107
00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:37,080
Speaker 2: come together and and and they've they've seen different circumstances

108
00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:39,440
Speaker 2: and they just pull for one another. And right now

109
00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,360
Speaker 2: they're playing for a bigger purpose, something bigger than themselves.

110
00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:46,279
Speaker 1: You know, you mentioned this when you look at and

111
00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:50,279
Speaker 1: I know we've talked about this, but the well, it

112
00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,000
Speaker 1: feels like we're on the precipice right now. And a

113
00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,880
Speaker 1: big part of this has to do with some aspects

114
00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:58,200
Speaker 1: of your roster, But it feels like we're on the

115
00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:02,320
Speaker 1: precipice of this kind of break through within like the

116
00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:06,479
Speaker 1: collective bargaining agreement and new television contracts and revenue and

117
00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,599
Speaker 1: obviously that was a big topic of discussion at the

118
00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:12,960
Speaker 1: beginning of the year. You yourself being somebody who was

119
00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,400
Speaker 1: a player, who was a champion of women's sports, how

120
00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:21,680
Speaker 1: do you balance the necessity and the understanding of all

121
00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:25,000
Speaker 1: of the players individually trying to grow that brand while

122
00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,240
Speaker 1: at the same time keeping focus on the team aspect

123
00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,080
Speaker 1: of what the goal is in mind.

124
00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:32,720
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think for us, we talked about

125
00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,760
Speaker 2: this at the beginning of this year. You know, how

126
00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:38,560
Speaker 2: how do we how do we use because every every

127
00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,200
Speaker 2: single one of us who is who is competitive and uh,

128
00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,320
Speaker 2: who wants to be the best at what we do.

129
00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,800
Speaker 2: Every single one of us has an ego. You know,

130
00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:50,440
Speaker 2: how do you use that ego to fuel your individual success,

131
00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:52,560
Speaker 2: but also how do you shelve that ego for the

132
00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:54,960
Speaker 2: betterment of a team. And you know, not everybody can

133
00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,040
Speaker 2: do it. That's why it's important to get the right

134
00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:00,440
Speaker 2: group around them. But in terms of the big picture

135
00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:02,240
Speaker 2: of the league, yeah, I mean I was a part

136
00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:04,479
Speaker 2: of the very first collective bargaining agreement in the w

137
00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:06,320
Speaker 2: n b A as a player, where all we wanted

138
00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:09,880
Speaker 2: was insurance for for the entire year and not just

139
00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,480
Speaker 2: not just for the season, Uh, to where they are

140
00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,000
Speaker 2: now and and and you know, certainly fighting for for

141
00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:17,760
Speaker 2: higher salaries and and and and other things as well.

142
00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:18,160
Speaker 1: Uh.

143
00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,080
Speaker 2: You know, it's it's really important to have great leadership

144
00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:24,640
Speaker 2: that understands, you know, where you are and what you deserve,

145
00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:28,520
Speaker 2: but also understands, you know, how you're setting this league

146
00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,400
Speaker 2: up for success and the longevity of the league. And

147
00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,440
Speaker 2: there were plenty of players who had to sacrifice early

148
00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:36,800
Speaker 2: in their careers who aren't playing anymore for the league

149
00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:38,840
Speaker 2: to get to where it is. Just like these players

150
00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,360
Speaker 2: will be sacrificing something for the league to continue to

151
00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:43,960
Speaker 2: propel and move themselves forward. I think there's a lot

152
00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:47,440
Speaker 2: of information and and there are a lot of great resources,

153
00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:50,840
Speaker 2: and and and both sides certainly understand the pivotal moment

154
00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:51,320
Speaker 2: that we're in.

155
00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:53,760
Speaker 1: I thought you guys did a really good job last night,

156
00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,480
Speaker 1: coach of kind of limiting or keeping in check Atlanta's

157
00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:00,520
Speaker 1: perimeter play and notably they're outside shooting. Did you make

158
00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:01,720
Speaker 1: adjustments in that area?

159
00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,080
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think our attention to detail was better.

160
00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:07,960
Speaker 2: You know, we did a good job of limiting their

161
00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:09,960
Speaker 2: opportunities from the three point line at their place. We

162
00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:11,480
Speaker 2: just put them on the free throw line too much.

163
00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,040
Speaker 2: You know. The keys for us in our success against

164
00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,239
Speaker 2: Atlanta in particular, they got to hit under eight threes

165
00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:18,600
Speaker 2: and they got to stay off the free throw line

166
00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,240
Speaker 2: less than fifteen free throw attempts. We did both of those.

167
00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:24,280
Speaker 2: We were much more disciplined defensively. When they were driving

168
00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:26,560
Speaker 2: to the rim, they do a really good job of

169
00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:29,240
Speaker 2: initiating contact, and I thought we did a really good

170
00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:31,840
Speaker 2: job of staying disciplined and not fouling and not giving

171
00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,120
Speaker 2: into that contact. You know, So we were much more

172
00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:37,960
Speaker 2: disciplined at the point of our ball screen coverages of

173
00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:41,520
Speaker 2: our off ball coverages. We were disruptive. They're a good team,

174
00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,080
Speaker 2: and we know we're not gonna limit everything, but those

175
00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,480
Speaker 2: two in particular have to continue to be a point

176
00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:47,079
Speaker 2: of emphasis.

177
00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,840
Speaker 1: Can there be benefit from getting technical files?

178
00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:53,120
Speaker 2: I mean, I guess if it causes momentum changes in

179
00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:54,559
Speaker 2: your way, there could be benefits.

180
00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:56,240
Speaker 1: Have you ever intentionally gotten one?

181
00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,400
Speaker 2: I wouldn't say intentionally. I say that there are times

182
00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:05,080
Speaker 2: where I sense that momentum could be could be gained

183
00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:08,800
Speaker 2: from it. You know, there are times where where I

184
00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,439
Speaker 2: just you know, I go a little too far. But no,

185
00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:15,240
Speaker 2: I wouldn't say that. I'm like planned most of the

186
00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:16,760
Speaker 2: time to get to get technical foul.

187
00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:18,520
Speaker 1: Do you have a magic phrase that you know will

188
00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:20,200
Speaker 1: get you one? Likes?

189
00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:22,120
Speaker 2: We're definitely.

190
00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:28,240
Speaker 1: Every time, or just like not every time.

191
00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:32,560
Speaker 2: If it happens over and over and over again, bysically,

192
00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:34,360
Speaker 2: that's that's resulting in one.

193
00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:37,000
Speaker 1: Okay, fair enough, Well that's kind of you know that.

194
00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:38,320
Speaker 1: I don't know if you know this or not. That

195
00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:40,360
Speaker 1: happens in my line of work. Also, like if I

196
00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:41,360
Speaker 1: use it, I get in trouble.

197
00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:43,600
Speaker 2: Also, right, do you get signed as well?

198
00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:46,480
Speaker 1: You know that's a good question. I'd rather not find out.

199
00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,000
Speaker 1: You know what's funny. I don't know if you were

200
00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,440
Speaker 1: like this growing up. What's what's funny to me is

201
00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:55,040
Speaker 1: when I was growing up, And this is kind of

202
00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:56,560
Speaker 1: what it's like being on the radio. You know this.

203
00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:58,640
Speaker 1: You've done a lot of media work, Stephanie. But like,

204
00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:03,320
Speaker 1: I'm around my buddies and I mean, it's you're like sailors, right,

205
00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:04,800
Speaker 1: It's just like when you were in high school. When

206
00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:06,360
Speaker 1: I was in high school, I'd be around my buddies

207
00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,320
Speaker 1: playing pick up basketball, doing whatever, and I mean every

208
00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:11,400
Speaker 1: other word we're swearing. And then you get home and

209
00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,360
Speaker 1: you sit in front of your parents and it doesn't

210
00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,160
Speaker 1: even enter into your imagination, right, it's no party, And

211
00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:19,080
Speaker 1: the same happens kind of when you're on the radio.

212
00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:24,240
Speaker 1: I have no idea how I honestly, I don't know

213
00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,520
Speaker 1: how it doesn't slip into it. I'm knock on wood, right,

214
00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:29,160
Speaker 1: So I don't know if I'd get fined or not.

215
00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:31,240
Speaker 1: I think I could. I don't want to find out.

216
00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:33,839
Speaker 2: No, Yeah, it's the same way. It's like. And when

217
00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,120
Speaker 2: I'm in in you know, sport, in practice in season,

218
00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:41,360
Speaker 2: they's much more frequently flying around it very rarely happens

219
00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:42,239
Speaker 2: out of season.

220
00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:47,280
Speaker 3: Steph last night, Aliah Boston has the lay up, less

221
00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:50,199
Speaker 3: intense exico third quarter, you get the steal, and then

222
00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:52,160
Speaker 3: Lexi hits the big three in the crowd just goes

223
00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,200
Speaker 3: absolutely nuts. A moment like that wouldn't have happened, you know,

224
00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:57,280
Speaker 3: in previous years because of the way that the format

225
00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:00,520
Speaker 3: was for the w NBA playoffs. What did you think

226
00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:02,680
Speaker 3: of that moment last night as somebody who's been a

227
00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:04,520
Speaker 3: part of this state for so long, and seeing the

228
00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:06,360
Speaker 3: crowd get as lively as it was there at the

229
00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:07,520
Speaker 3: end of the third quarter going.

230
00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:09,960
Speaker 2: Into the fourth, it was incredible. You know, I think

231
00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:15,320
Speaker 2: it felt very much like it did in twenty fifteen

232
00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:17,760
Speaker 2: when we were playing I believe it was New York

233
00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:21,400
Speaker 2: in the semi finals, you know, to go to the finals.

234
00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:25,800
Speaker 2: So we had a possession where Breon January took a

235
00:11:25,920 --> 00:11:27,679
Speaker 2: charge right in front of our bench and it was

236
00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:31,080
Speaker 2: a momentum changing possession and the crowd erupted, and it

237
00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:34,079
Speaker 2: just it felt very much like that. It was incredible.

238
00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:36,600
Speaker 2: I mean, I'm so you know, thankful that our fans

239
00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,040
Speaker 2: got an opportunity to get get that playoff game. It's

240
00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:41,840
Speaker 2: been a long time coming. You know, our players delivered.

241
00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:44,079
Speaker 2: We certainly want to have an opportunity to play some more,

242
00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:46,000
Speaker 2: but that was a really special moment.

243
00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:50,120
Speaker 1: I think it's really cool as well to see the

244
00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:54,440
Speaker 1: reciprocal support. And I see it even you know, during

245
00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:58,040
Speaker 1: when the Pacers, like at Thanksgiving time, when they do

246
00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:01,240
Speaker 1: the you know our House me Ill for the less

247
00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:04,280
Speaker 1: Fortunate at Gamebridge, and you see both the Pacers and

248
00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:06,920
Speaker 1: Fever players that are there, the Fever players that are

249
00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,720
Speaker 1: in town at that time, and you know, seeing Tyrese

250
00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,959
Speaker 1: Haliburton at the game yesterday and then obviously always seeing

251
00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:16,440
Speaker 1: Caitlin Clark in different Fever player at Pacers games. Do

252
00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,000
Speaker 1: you think that's common for most of the franchises that

253
00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:22,319
Speaker 1: crossover not just support and respect but friendship.

254
00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:25,920
Speaker 2: I think it's starting to become common. You know, there

255
00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:28,520
Speaker 2: are a lot of these players from a young age

256
00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,160
Speaker 2: have interacted with one another where whether it's through USA

257
00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:35,240
Speaker 2: Basketball clubs for you know, there's much more integration of

258
00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,240
Speaker 2: where these tournaments are, where these where these these players

259
00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:42,800
Speaker 2: connect from the high school level to the college level

260
00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:45,280
Speaker 2: and then at the pro level. So I do think

261
00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:49,360
Speaker 2: that it's it's continuing to become more common. They've they've

262
00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:52,240
Speaker 2: had relationships, they're continuing to build relationships. There's such a

263
00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:56,160
Speaker 2: mutual respect for what one another does at the highest

264
00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:58,560
Speaker 2: level every single day and how you have to prepare

265
00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,760
Speaker 2: and and it is a very small community of professional athletes,

266
00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:05,520
Speaker 2: and so I think it's it's always been sporadic, but

267
00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,520
Speaker 2: now it's becoming much more, much more common in mainstay.

268
00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:12,080
Speaker 1: Hey, I'm curious of this as a as a basketball

269
00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:17,440
Speaker 1: coach who also has done radio and television basketball media,

270
00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:20,880
Speaker 1: do you find that you more often when you are

271
00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,280
Speaker 1: doing the media side of it, that you are critically

272
00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,120
Speaker 1: analyzing the coaching because you wear that hat as well.

273
00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:29,640
Speaker 1: Or do you find that when you are a coach

274
00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:32,480
Speaker 1: doing media like this that you are more critically wearing

275
00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:34,840
Speaker 1: the hat of the media person because you do that also.

276
00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:38,320
Speaker 2: No, I don't think so. I think what I try

277
00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:42,600
Speaker 2: to do is really dive into to what the coach

278
00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:44,960
Speaker 2: would be thinking if I'm calling a game, like, what

279
00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,280
Speaker 2: would they be thinking from a game plan standpoint, from

280
00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:52,040
Speaker 2: an adjustment standpoint, it's time and score situation standpoint. And

281
00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:55,079
Speaker 2: then when I'm on this side, you know, empathizing sometimes

282
00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:58,400
Speaker 2: with with you know, as coaches, sometimes it's like, oh gosh,

283
00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,320
Speaker 2: that's why why are we asking that question? But then

284
00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,840
Speaker 2: empathizing with with hey, like, listen, this is just because

285
00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,199
Speaker 2: I know the information. Doesn't mean everybody else does, right,

286
00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:09,360
Speaker 2: somebody's hearing it for the first time, and so just

287
00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:13,240
Speaker 2: having the two perspectives, you know, hopefully allows me to

288
00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:16,560
Speaker 2: look at it from from that viewpoint, so that we

289
00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:19,120
Speaker 2: no matter what, we can give the viewer, the audience,

290
00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:24,080
Speaker 2: the team, whomever it might be, give them, you know,

291
00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:26,400
Speaker 2: what we're looking for, and give them a unique perspective.

292
00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:28,800
Speaker 1: What percent of the time when we're when you're on

293
00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:30,640
Speaker 1: this show, do you think to yourself, Oh gosh, why

294
00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:31,600
Speaker 1: are we asking that question?

295
00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:34,560
Speaker 2: I'm thinking, oh gosh, what's going to come out of

296
00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:35,840
Speaker 2: Jake's mouth? Like what are we asked?

297
00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,160
Speaker 1: Fifteen fifty? Is it going to be? Is it fifty

298
00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:38,600
Speaker 1: to fifty?

299
00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:40,880
Speaker 2: I mean, like I was anticipating a little bit when

300
00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:42,560
Speaker 2: you were talking about the Journey that we were going

301
00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:43,880
Speaker 2: to go into eighties rock again.

302
00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:46,600
Speaker 1: And did you like Journey by.

303
00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:48,480
Speaker 2: The way, I did like Journey, Yeah, that.

304
00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,040
Speaker 1: Journeys pretty cool. Journey was cool. Listen. I mean you

305
00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:53,920
Speaker 1: threw me for a curve ball with Steve Miller though,

306
00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:55,600
Speaker 1: because that you know what I mean, Like, I just

307
00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:00,520
Speaker 1: I just anticipate you being strictly nothing in high school

308
00:15:00,520 --> 00:15:03,120
Speaker 1: but a country music fan. So I was impressed when

309
00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:04,280
Speaker 1: you threw Steve Miller out.

310
00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:07,040
Speaker 2: There, and just I mean with an athlete. I was

311
00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,560
Speaker 2: an athlete, so you know I wasn't just growing up

312
00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:11,880
Speaker 2: on the farm listening to country music. Right.

313
00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:13,480
Speaker 1: Well, but I think you're.

314
00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:15,000
Speaker 2: Limiting You're limiting my experience.

315
00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:17,240
Speaker 1: Now. Listen, I'll be honest with you when I when

316
00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:19,080
Speaker 1: I think about you, like getting ready for a big

317
00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:21,360
Speaker 1: game at secret high school as an athlete, I think

318
00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:23,480
Speaker 1: of you as being like Rocky Balboa, like you were like,

319
00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:25,440
Speaker 1: you know, climbing up like you know what I mean,

320
00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:28,640
Speaker 1: Like you were doing I had a tiger Yeah, I mean,

321
00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:30,760
Speaker 1: like pulling a plow, you know what I mean. I mean,

322
00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:34,760
Speaker 1: like those sorts of things like I think like you

323
00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:36,480
Speaker 1: were basically an Amish athlete, is.

324
00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:38,440
Speaker 2: The way I look at it, right, Yeah, I see that.

325
00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:41,800
Speaker 1: I mean, let's be honest, it's not like you were

326
00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:46,560
Speaker 1: on Michigan Aute right school. Yeah yeah, I mean it's

327
00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:48,760
Speaker 1: a little bit different than Indianapolis North Central, but not

328
00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:50,480
Speaker 1: I mean, you were a hell of them not a lot,

329
00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:53,200
Speaker 1: but a lot better player than I was. That's for sure,

330
00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:57,080
Speaker 1: no question about it, all right, coach. Lastly, you know

331
00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:59,920
Speaker 1: the obvious here, and that is I know that you

332
00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:02,800
Speaker 1: want to win this game, and I know that at

333
00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:06,320
Speaker 1: this point it's kind of like you know, Norman Dale

334
00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:09,040
Speaker 1: says in Hoosiers, like we've gone over everything at this point.

335
00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:11,800
Speaker 1: But when you do go into a game that you know,

336
00:16:12,240 --> 00:16:15,720
Speaker 1: if it doesn't go your way, that then this group

337
00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:18,760
Speaker 1: may never be together in its totality again, et cetera.

338
00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:21,840
Speaker 1: What is the mindset going in? How do you keep

339
00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,080
Speaker 1: a group focused on the job at hand and not

340
00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,440
Speaker 1: looking beyond the stakes of it.

341
00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:30,160
Speaker 2: Well, look, most of the players in our locker room

342
00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:33,880
Speaker 2: have been through that part of it before. It's it's

343
00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:36,880
Speaker 2: nearly never the same group, no matter what you know,

344
00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:39,760
Speaker 2: at the beginning, the ending of a season, the beginning

345
00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,040
Speaker 2: of the next season. You know, I think for this

346
00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:45,240
Speaker 2: group in particular, we have been our best when our

347
00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:49,160
Speaker 2: back is up against the wall, and this group has

348
00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:52,440
Speaker 2: just is just focused on doing the job at hand.

349
00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,000
Speaker 2: And you know, I think for me, when I think

350
00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:57,320
Speaker 2: about the opportunity that we have in front of us,

351
00:16:57,320 --> 00:16:59,120
Speaker 2: I mean, the pressure is not on us, right, you know,

352
00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:02,040
Speaker 2: we're the lower seat. We force a Game three. We

353
00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:03,840
Speaker 2: know what we have to do in order to take

354
00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,479
Speaker 2: the next step and to get to another series and

355
00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:09,880
Speaker 2: to continue our quest for a championship. And we want

356
00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:13,040
Speaker 2: to embrace every moment that we have because this has

357
00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:15,440
Speaker 2: been such a special question group, because we do know

358
00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:19,359
Speaker 2: how to fight and call and scrape and scrap for

359
00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:22,439
Speaker 2: one another, and because we've enjoyed the moments together.

360
00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:28,119
Speaker 1: By the way, Eddie, coach White coached in Nashville, lives

361
00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,160
Speaker 1: and spends a lot of time in Nashville. Coach Eddie

362
00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:33,280
Speaker 1: has come up with what he believes to be the

363
00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:36,399
Speaker 1: masterful impersonation of the sound of every bachelorette party on

364
00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:38,800
Speaker 1: the back of a bus going down Broadway. Go ahead, Eddie,

365
00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,960
Speaker 1: hit it. Okay? Does that sound about right?

366
00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:43,880
Speaker 2: Is that's accurate?

367
00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:46,480
Speaker 1: That's basically the ambient noise of Nashville, Tennessee.

368
00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,080
Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, it sure is. And you have to hear

369
00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:52,120
Speaker 2: it over the loud speakers and the singing the karaoke

370
00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:53,560
Speaker 2: Oh yes, totally all right.

371
00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,760
Speaker 1: Lastly, next musical request would.

372
00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:00,520
Speaker 2: Be who oh wow. Let's see you know I went

373
00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:03,000
Speaker 2: JT and I did used to be a big in

374
00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:05,080
Speaker 2: sync fan, So maybe we'll have to go back to

375
00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:06,080
Speaker 2: nineties boy bands.

376
00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:09,480
Speaker 1: Okay, we could do Backstreet Boys in sync. You know,

377
00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:10,600
Speaker 1: you name it right.

378
00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:11,760
Speaker 2: Yeah.

379
00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,520
Speaker 1: But here's the thing. The reason I the reason I asked,

380
00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:16,360
Speaker 1: is because I'm putting you on the hook for next

381
00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:17,800
Speaker 1: week because you guys are going to win and you're

382
00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:20,360
Speaker 1: going to continue to have games to talk about. That's right,

383
00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:22,720
Speaker 1: Let's go, all right, appreciate it, coach, best of luck,

384
00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,119
Speaker 1: all right, all right. Stephanie White joining us from the

385
00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:25,840
Speaker 1: Indiana Fever