1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, It's Sophia. Welcome to Work in Progress. Hello friends, 2 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: and particularly today fellow sports fans, we have someone in 3 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 1: the hot seat at Work in Progress today that I 4 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: am so excited about. I am sitting down with ESPNS 5 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:31,000 Speaker 1: Malika Andrews. She made her debut as a sideline reporter 6 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 1: during the twenty nineteen and twenty twenty season, and in 7 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one, at just twenty six years old, she 8 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: became the youngest sports broadcaster to host the NBA Finals 9 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: trophy ceremony. She then made history again in twenty twenty 10 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: two as the first woman to ever host the NBA Draft. 11 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: She's won an Outstanding Personality Emerging on Air Talent Sports Emmy. 12 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: She's appeared across multiple platforms on the Disney family of networks, 13 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 1: from GMA to Sport Center to ESPN dot com and radio, 14 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: and prior to joining ESPN, she worked for both The 15 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: Chicago Tribune and The New York Times. I am so 16 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: jazzed to ask Malika all of my nerdy fellow journalist 17 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,960 Speaker 1: questions about how she studied, how she has achieved so 18 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: much at such a young age, and my most pressing question, perhaps, 19 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 1: which is can she watch basketball. Just for fun, let's 20 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 1: dive in with Melika Andrews. 21 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 2: Hello, Hello, how are you? 22 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: I'm well, thanks? 23 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 2: How are you? I am doing this signe? Are you 24 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 2: from LA? Originally I'm not. I'm from northern California. I'm 25 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: from Oakland. I was born and raised in Oakland. I 26 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 2: went to boarding school in Utah, but I was raised 27 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 2: in the Bay Area, and then I went to college 28 00:01:55,840 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 2: and Portland moved to New York Chicago, LA. So that 29 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 2: was my winding major metropolitan city road. I was in 30 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 2: Portland when my little sister, who is two and a 31 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 2: half years younger than me, called me and said, you know, 32 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 2: there's a fun little television show I think you should watch. 33 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 2: And that's when I was introduced. Brooke introduced us. Your 34 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 2: character introduced us, I guess. So my first experience with 35 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 2: you and your work was was her, and so watching 36 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 2: you there and seeing everything that you have done and 37 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 2: become since then has really been I told Kendra that 38 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:41,359 Speaker 2: I was going to do this today and she was like, Oh, 39 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 2: that's so cool. That's so cool. Life kind of comes 40 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 2: in these circles, and so I think that that's really 41 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 2: a very cool thing for me. 42 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: Oh that's so neat. Thank you so much for sharing that. 43 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,360 Speaker 1: And hello to Kendra. I love I love that nice 44 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: little connection. 45 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm so. 46 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 1: Curious what was it that made you want to go 47 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 1: into I mean journalism first and foremost, but sports journalism 48 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 1: because my my weird winding path. 49 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, we all have a weird winding. 50 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: I went to school for theater, and then the theater 51 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: department felt a little restrictive for me, and I wound 52 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: up studying journalism alongside theater, and that really, I think 53 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 1: activated me as a storyteller, as an activist, as a writer. 54 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: You know all these things, and I can see how 55 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,839 Speaker 1: it all connects now, and I wonder for you, where 56 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 1: where did the journalism passion come from? 57 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 2: So it's funny you say connects now because I think 58 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 2: the things that I'm going to say about how it 59 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 2: connected are not what I was thinking at all in 60 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 2: the at the time. I knew at the time, I 61 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 2: went to boarding school, and I felt like I had 62 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: missed out on high school because I went to and 63 00:03:56,360 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 2: I'm talking twenty kids going to individualized schooling where you 64 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 2: go and you are going to school in a classroom 65 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 2: and you work on your binder and you flip through it, 66 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 2: and you have to take three tests a week to 67 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 2: stay on track. And that sort of was the experience 68 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 2: of what it was. And so when I got to college, 69 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:20,039 Speaker 2: I really I wanted to do college. I wanted to 70 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:24,840 Speaker 2: really stop missing out. And I was someone who deeply, 71 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:30,479 Speaker 2: deeply feared fomo. I deeply feared missing out. I deeply 72 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 2: feared being left out. I deeply feared being different. And 73 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 2: now I kind of see all of that is I 74 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 2: was the only black girl in my class growing up 75 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 2: except for Amina Lukeman, and you know, the education that 76 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 2: I have, I always sort of felt like I didn't 77 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 2: quite fit in. But I then for me, it was 78 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 2: just this drive of I want to go to parties. 79 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 2: I never went to prom I want to make friends 80 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 2: because all of the friends that I had before I 81 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 2: left for boarding school, they didn't carry through with me 82 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 2: because I sort of just disappeared one day, didn't come back. 83 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:02,160 Speaker 2: And that feels like the end of the world when 84 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 2: you're fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen years old. Yes, so I was. 85 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 2: I went to college, I think with a loneliness that 86 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 2: I was looking to fill and I was really lucky 87 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 2: that I made a very good friend Claire Duffy in 88 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 2: my freshman dat's class that I was terrible at, and 89 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 2: she worked for the school paper. I always loved to write, 90 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 2: and that writing, though, was journaling for me when I 91 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 2: was in high school, and I'm so glad I did 92 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 2: to be able to sort of look back and see 93 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 2: what I was thinking at that time, because it was 94 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 2: so different than what so many people in our country 95 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:44,280 Speaker 2: how high school looks. But I knew I wanted to write. 96 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 2: I knew I was good at capturing feelings with written 97 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 2: words because I had the time to go over them 98 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: and probably the time to perfect them a little bit 99 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 2: before I shared them with people. But I had no 100 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 2: idea what I wanted that to be. I just knew. 101 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: I was told I was bad at math, and so 102 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 2: I believed that, and I felt I was good at writing, 103 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:11,359 Speaker 2: and so I kind of went with that. And because 104 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 2: I had a friend who worked with the school paper, 105 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 2: that's sort of the direction I went. And then at 106 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:21,360 Speaker 2: some point, I don't know if this makes any sense 107 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 2: at all, but if I was going to be the 108 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:25,919 Speaker 2: odd one out anyway, let me be the person to 109 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 2: decide it. And so in sports, I was so used 110 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 2: to being the first and the only that in that space, 111 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 2: I said, well, at least I know I'm walking to 112 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 2: it into this as that you know, there's only one 113 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 2: other black woman covered in basketball in the country, and 114 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 2: it was just at the time when newsrooms were starting 115 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 2: to see that as a problem. And it's like, well, 116 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,280 Speaker 2: this thing that has been a problem for me, you're 117 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 2: telling me that that's something that now people are saying, 118 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:58,040 Speaker 2: we need this. This is an asset. I don't even 119 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 2: know if that makes sense. That's about it. Now. 120 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: Wow, there's so much I relate to and what you're saying. 121 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: I went to an all girls school of fifty five 122 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: girls in my graduating class. It's why I wanted to 123 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: go to USC. It's why I wanted to experience Greek life, 124 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: It's why I went to the games on Saturdays, the 125 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: whole experience, and it was why, in a weird way, 126 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: going and shooting my show was it was my first 127 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:24,560 Speaker 1: high school experience. I'd never had one. 128 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I know. 129 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 1: How much in my bones I feel what you're saying, 130 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: the intensity of the fomo I had at that stage, 131 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: at that age in my life, all of it, and 132 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: I still just experienced that as a girl who didn't 133 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: have what I thought was the normal experience. I wasn't 134 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:48,239 Speaker 1: experiencing it as the only black girl in my class 135 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: or my boarding school or my you know, like, I 136 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: know how hard it was for me to get over 137 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: that loneliness, and I was still. 138 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 2: Not as. 139 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: Isolated in my identity as you're explaining. So it's like 140 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: I feel it so deeply I could cry, And I'm 141 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: also like, I know how hard it was for me, 142 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: and it wasn't nearly as hard for me as as 143 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: it was for you, and my God, like, it's it's it's. 144 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 2: Just your you know, the loneliness that you used to experience, 145 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 2: can you. It was only recently that I started to 146 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 2: feel good about not even wanting to be alone, but 147 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:40,239 Speaker 2: wanting to do what I enjoy doing, which isn't necessarily 148 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 2: the hobbies that are expected of me or the things 149 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 2: that are expected of me, and being okay with that 150 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 2: of being like that being something, I'm like, what are 151 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 2: your what are your quirky hobbies? I'm dying to know 152 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 2: for sback riding. I have been an avid a questry 153 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:59,120 Speaker 2: in my entire life, and that's another space where there's 154 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 2: just not a lot of people who look like me 155 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 2: that do it, and I've found pockets right, Like there's 156 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 2: the Compton Cowboys here in Los Angeles that are really 157 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,079 Speaker 2: really cool and awesome, and I am not that cool 158 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 2: and not that awesome, but horseback riding and skiing and like, 159 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 2: that's what my family did and enjoyed doing. But I 160 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 2: just didn't see that as a an option to live 161 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:28,959 Speaker 2: out loud without judgment, which sounds so silly. I recognized, 162 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 2: like how silly that sounds, But that's how it felt 163 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:39,679 Speaker 2: to me, because that sport was reserved for an affluence 164 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 2: that my family didn't have. My dad just so happened 165 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 2: to be a ski patrolman like that. It wasn't it 166 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 2: wasn't an There was assumptions that were made based on 167 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 2: that that I didn't I didn't feel comfortable with because 168 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 2: I already felt so different. And so I think that 169 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 2: only only very recently, and still sometimes I find myself asking, 170 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 2: you know, do people really want to know this about you? 171 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 2: Or just because you don't post it, it doesn't mean 172 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 2: it's not something that is a huge part of your 173 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 2: life and existence. You know all of this stuff, of. 174 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 1: Course, absolutely, And look, I think and we're all guilty 175 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 1: of it right. We assume that because so much is online, 176 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: so much is in our faces, that we know so 177 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 1: much and we know so little. Oh, we have no 178 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: idea what's going on in people's lives. We have no 179 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 1: idea what people's days actually look like. You know, we 180 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: just have no idea. When I think about how little 181 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:50,440 Speaker 1: the world really knows versus how full and complex and 182 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 1: beautiful and tragic and all of the things my life is. 183 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 1: I know that's true for all of us. But I 184 00:10:56,559 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: do think it's so special when you when you start 185 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: to listen to what your soul wants. And you know, 186 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: it's interesting you say that because my best friend has 187 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,679 Speaker 1: been getting back to a barn that she rides at 188 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,959 Speaker 1: in Detroit, and it's something I really want to get 189 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 1: back to doing too. And you know, very similarly to you, 190 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: it comes with this sort of assumption. And you know, 191 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: I didn't grow up in like a fancy riding world 192 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 1: by any means, but I grew up for a portion 193 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: of my life around horses, and the sort of like 194 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: normalcy and the cowboy culture is so great is something 195 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: that you know, I think it's okay to say I 196 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: want to do that more than I want to do 197 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: this other thing that everyone wants to do. But I 198 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:53,600 Speaker 1: know what it's like to want to do the thing 199 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: everyone's doing when you haven't had it, and I certainly did. 200 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: It was why I chose such a big college. It 201 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:05,440 Speaker 1: was why, you know, I think in some ways I 202 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: was able to play a high school kid when I 203 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 1: would have been graduating college because I was that naive, 204 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 1: because I'd never heard the experience. 205 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,679 Speaker 2: Right, you know, when you're tapping into that that thing. 206 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:22,840 Speaker 2: And I still, you know, honestly, up until maybe in 207 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,560 Speaker 2: the last five to seven years, when people asked me 208 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 2: where did you go to high school? I had to 209 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 2: fight the instinct to want to lie because it's something 210 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:35,680 Speaker 2: that's very basic. You know, you said, where did you 211 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 2: where'd you grow up? I grew up in Oakland, Oh. 212 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 2: I grew up in the Barrier too. Where'd you go 213 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,200 Speaker 2: to high school? It's the natural next question that somebody 214 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 2: else were speaking for community, right, no ill intent, but 215 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 2: looking for community and something to bond over. And for me, 216 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 2: that opened up a whole new chapter of my life 217 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 2: that I wasn't always sure how I felt about. And 218 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 2: when I talk about college sometimes even I went to 219 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 2: the University of Portland. I went to the university. Why 220 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 2: did you choose the University of Portland. I went to 221 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 2: the University of Portland because I had class sizes of 222 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:15,360 Speaker 2: six people and I hadn't taken the SATs, and so 223 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 2: coming off of that experience, small class sizes and something 224 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:21,559 Speaker 2: that felt like I could reassimilate and take white sizes 225 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,079 Speaker 2: of was really important. And when I went to the university, 226 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,520 Speaker 2: it was beautiful, and the professors were interesting, and all 227 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:30,199 Speaker 2: of those things existed. But I didn't even allow myself 228 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 2: to think about what a bigger school could look like 229 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 2: because I was scared. I was scared that I was 230 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 2: going to be outed as someone who didn't come through 231 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,719 Speaker 2: the same path as everybody else, and therefore I was 232 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 2: weird and the last thing I wanted, after being different 233 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 2: for so long, was to be the weird girl. And 234 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 2: so that sort of narrowed my focus very very quickly. 235 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 2: And I am so glad that I went to UP 236 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 2: and that I joined the school paper, and then I 237 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 2: became a sports writer and I love what I do. 238 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 2: But it's interesting the stories we tell ourselves and we've 239 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:11,080 Speaker 2: repeated so very often about our journey sort of just 240 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 2: become your go to truth, and every once in a 241 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:17,239 Speaker 2: while sometimes you have to pause and maybe re examine 242 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 2: are those the stories that have just been coming out 243 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 2: for so long or is there something else there? And 244 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 2: for me, it's probably a little bit about. 245 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: Well and not a lot of people choose their university 246 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: perhaps because they're healing from something that's true. But you're 247 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 1: talking about your healing journey, and I think one of 248 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: the things that doesn't get talked about a lot is 249 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: that healing can also be really painful, and it's important 250 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 1: and it's beautiful. I mean, my god, I've been through 251 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: such a period of this in the last couple of 252 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 1: years in my own life. And you know, I'm forty, 253 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 1: I'm in my forties. I'm an adult, and I'm still 254 00:14:55,880 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: working on things. And I I think when you when 255 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: you find yourself wanting to maybe tell that bigger truth 256 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 1: to say the things, oh, these these things I was 257 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 1: processing at the time were influencing my decision, I think 258 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 1: that's kind of a mark of healing. I think that's 259 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: a mark of like self acceptance and a kindness to 260 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 1: yourself and how special that this thing that you were 261 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: working on processing not wanting to feel weird not wanting to, 262 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: you know, jump into too big of a pool at 263 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: the time, is exactly what led you to find your 264 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: voice and find your writing, and find sport and find 265 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: all these things. Like the thing that you that you 266 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: might have looked at as a self protective decision actually 267 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:44,480 Speaker 1: opened the doors to your whole life in a way. 268 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 2: So how cool the beautiful trips of life, right Like, 269 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 2: that's that's sort of the things when you're lucky, and 270 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:57,400 Speaker 2: I'm I am so very lucky, you know, that's that's 271 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 2: one of the things that that I get to have happened. 272 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, and now a word from our sponsors who make 273 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: this show possible. Well, and it's crazy too to hear 274 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: about some of those things and then think about where 275 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 1: you are today. You know, the list of accolades that 276 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 1: we can read that you know, we do in the 277 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: intro for every guest who comes on the show, and 278 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: it's like, I think about what I'm learning about you 279 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: as a person, and then also the fact that you're 280 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 1: a literal history maker. I mean, you're the first woman 281 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: who's ever hosted the NBA Draft And if I know 282 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: anything about women, you know, knocking down doors and breaking 283 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 1: glass ceilings, it's that no one's trying to give us 284 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: any power. It's always something we have to fight for. 285 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 1: It's always something we have to, you know, be twice 286 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 1: as good as the men to get and yet you 287 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 1: managed to do it. You cracked it. How as the 288 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 1: sports journalist you are today, how did you overcome whatever 289 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,359 Speaker 1: obstacles were like laid in the minefield in front of 290 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 1: you to get there? What was it like to find 291 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:17,639 Speaker 1: out that you were going to do this? Because this 292 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 1: was just in twenty twenty two, you know, it's like 293 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 1: it's essentially yesterday. 294 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's funny how time works. How did I do it? 295 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:30,160 Speaker 2: I stood on the shoulders of the women who came 296 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 2: before me. I mean, truly, I find that no one 297 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:43,439 Speaker 2: is able to History is long and it's winding, and 298 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 2: no one makes it alone. You may be the one 299 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:50,880 Speaker 2: who is the person who is the faith of the change, 300 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:58,120 Speaker 2: But it's because of Doris Burke who was able, who 301 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 2: became the first woman to recall the NBA finals and 302 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:07,520 Speaker 2: was already on that trajectory. It's because of all of 303 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,439 Speaker 2: the women who had put in that work that I 304 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:13,479 Speaker 2: was then able to sort of be the beneficiary of 305 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 2: It's also working really hard and being good. And I 306 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:23,479 Speaker 2: think that it sometimes amazes me the ease in which 307 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 2: I love when a player tells me like they're the best, 308 00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:29,800 Speaker 2: I'm the best at what I do, because it comes 309 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,359 Speaker 2: out with such an ease that I actually like, I genuinely, 310 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 2: that's admirable that oftentimes in the sports world, like saying 311 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 2: out loud, well, because I'm the best and I expect 312 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:45,440 Speaker 2: the best of me, that's something that I don't do 313 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:48,479 Speaker 2: and we as women, are not conditioned to do. But 314 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 2: sports is Sports is about beating your chest, and sports 315 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:54,000 Speaker 2: is about who is the best, and there are winners 316 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 2: and there are losers, and that may make some people uncomfortable, 317 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 2: and so I always admire there was an ease in 318 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 2: which athletes say that. Now there's a conversation to be 319 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,880 Speaker 2: had about when women athletes say that, you know what 320 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 2: the response has been, which is silly, But I think 321 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 2: that that's it. It's like, you don't, I don't. You 322 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:19,679 Speaker 2: don't do these things alone. But what was it? Like? 323 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:24,159 Speaker 2: It was really cool. I was proud of myself, you know. 324 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 2: I think that being able to put my messes into 325 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 2: a neat package that I could put a bow on 326 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 2: and say here, look what I did that felt really 327 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 2: good and to my perfectionist self who needs a reason 328 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 2: for everything for so many years right when I was 329 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 2: going through stuff. And by the way, this isn't I've 330 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 2: said this before. This isn't like a before and after story. Sure, 331 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 2: tough days, you know now, I think we all do. 332 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:02,359 Speaker 2: But I was asked so many times what's wrong? And 333 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 2: I didn't have an answer. A lot of the time 334 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 2: it was just like, I just feel this thing that's 335 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 2: too big to put a name on, to be able 336 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:13,359 Speaker 2: to have a name to all of it right, to 337 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 2: put it in a neat package of Well, I went 338 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 2: to boarding school and I overcame these things, and here 339 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 2: I am doing this for someone who needs things to 340 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 2: be neat and needs things to come out right and 341 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 2: to do the right thing that in itself felt a 342 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 2: little bit like a bomb that then allowed me to 343 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 2: go back and re explore some things that I hadn't already. 344 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:42,239 Speaker 1: Wow, that's really cool. So it's interesting because I mean, 345 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 1: you're talking about processing in real time, how certain achievements 346 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 1: in your career allow you to go back and kind 347 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: of reshift how things feel in your life and in 348 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: your past, which again speaks to me on such a 349 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:58,640 Speaker 1: deep level where I go, oh, now, I get that, right, 350 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,159 Speaker 1: I get that phase, get what I put up with 351 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 1: at that time. I get what I was seeking at 352 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:08,160 Speaker 1: that time, whatever it might have been. You know, there 353 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 1: is there is such an added layer of pressure in 354 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 1: any version of a public career. So as you're processing 355 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 1: your very personal life, you're also doing it publicly as 356 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: an on air personality. 357 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 2: How do you. 358 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: How do you handle the pressure that comes with the 359 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:35,119 Speaker 1: forward facing parts of the job while you're both moving 360 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: up the ranks in your career and also like reaching 361 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:43,440 Speaker 1: back for these passed versions of yourself that you're you know, reparenting, 362 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: recaring for, re experiencing with, Like, how do you how 363 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 1: do you handle all of that? 364 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:52,640 Speaker 2: Some days I don't, But cool, cool me neither. 365 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:53,439 Speaker 1: Glad it's not just me. 366 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, Like some days I don't, But I know I 367 00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 2: I think that for me, it's I have therapy at 368 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 2: seven o'clock every Monday, and it's a little bit late, 369 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 2: and I always feel like I need but I need 370 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,879 Speaker 2: to make sure that I can fit it in. I 371 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:17,679 Speaker 2: don't have a neat answer to this. I'm like searching 372 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 2: for the way to describe this and the best that 373 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:24,360 Speaker 2: I can do it is saying that every day it's 374 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 2: kind of looks a little bit different. I'm in a 375 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:31,240 Speaker 2: really good stretch right now. I feel really lucky to 376 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 2: get the do the job that I do with the 377 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:35,959 Speaker 2: people that I do it, particularly with everything going on 378 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 2: in Los Angeles right now. Anytime something like that happens, 379 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 2: it sort of recenters you on what's important. I have 380 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 2: the most incredible support system of work, wives, of best friends, 381 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 2: of the sweetest, kindest, funniest don't tell them I said 382 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 2: that most supportive husband in the entire world. And like, 383 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:06,640 Speaker 2: I have this army of people that I can turn 384 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 2: to that when I don't feel like I can, they 385 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 2: remind me how. Yeah, and that looks a little different 386 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 2: every day. But finding those places in between, I am 387 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 2: I'm not the hour that I spend on TV every day. 388 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 2: I'm sure, Like, I'm curious how this is for you, 389 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 2: Because when people have a not only a perception of you, 390 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 2: but also perceptions of a character you play, or maybe 391 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 2: they don't even know, they call you the name of 392 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 2: somebody that you've portrayed, how do you decide? I have 393 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 2: been put into this box. I want to let people 394 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 2: know me because I think I'm liking who I've become. 395 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 2: But I'm almost afraid to put that version out because 396 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:57,679 Speaker 2: what if other people don't like it? Yeah, And I 397 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,360 Speaker 2: think that that's something that everybody sort of even more 398 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 2: in like a social media world, has to contend with. 399 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 2: And that's sort of what I've I've asked myself really 400 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 2: hard questions. I've looked at the mistakes that I've made. 401 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:13,960 Speaker 2: I try to be better. Not all of that work 402 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:17,320 Speaker 2: is out loud, but it is loud in my own 403 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,360 Speaker 2: head and the space that I kind of take up 404 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:25,640 Speaker 2: and giving yourself permission to make those mistakes, to get 405 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 2: back up, to have a bad day, to come back better, 406 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,879 Speaker 2: to say I'm sorry, to say you know what I 407 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 2: did pretty good? Like all of those things are a 408 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 2: radical act of self love that I didn't have in 409 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:39,960 Speaker 2: my toolbox even a couple of years ago. And I 410 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 2: think the thing about having to look at yourself, for 411 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 2: me having to look at myself so intensely at such 412 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:52,199 Speaker 2: a young age going to therapeutic boarding school, not just 413 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 2: any boarding school, but being in sort of this group 414 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 2: therapy environment, I wondered if I was the best version 415 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 2: I could be. I did so much work on myself, 416 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 2: and yet all of these things I still would like 417 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:08,399 Speaker 2: to improve. But maybe I just am this is as 418 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 2: good as I'm going to get because I did all 419 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:12,400 Speaker 2: this work and I had to retune that to say, well, 420 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 2: just because you worked really hard in like an intense 421 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:18,679 Speaker 2: environment for a concentrated amount of time doesn't mean you 422 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,640 Speaker 2: don't deserve to get to go back and do it again. 423 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 2: But I was afraid going back meant that I wouldn't 424 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:26,359 Speaker 2: be able to have normalcy. So I don't even know 425 00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 2: if I answered your question. But that's the pinball machine 426 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,719 Speaker 2: that sort of is when I'm trying to figure all 427 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:34,440 Speaker 2: of this out. No, I totally can not trip when 428 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 2: I do it because if you trip, people say ha ha, 429 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:37,920 Speaker 2: you tripped. 430 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:40,640 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, they're waiting for you to trip. 431 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:42,719 Speaker 2: And so then I'm also trying not to be the person, 432 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 2: and I'm trying to not be the person when somebody 433 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 2: trips to say ha ha, like. 434 00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, I think it's really important. And look, 435 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: I think anyone who's been through anything knows what it 436 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: is to keep up appearances while you're trying to figure 437 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:00,560 Speaker 1: out your life. I think one of the great sort 438 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:04,920 Speaker 1: of moments for me of coming to terms with trying 439 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:08,400 Speaker 1: to do everything right and being so unhappy. Was not 440 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:11,879 Speaker 1: only having the wherewithal to admit that to myself, but 441 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 1: really I think I was saved, as you said, by 442 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:19,560 Speaker 1: my community of women, because as it was happening to me, 443 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: it was happening to a bunch of friends around me. 444 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:26,199 Speaker 1: And when I realized we were all in versions of 445 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:30,119 Speaker 1: the same boat, and we were all in similar pain, 446 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:33,680 Speaker 1: and we all had made it look so good and 447 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:38,640 Speaker 1: it wasn't, it was in a weird way, it gave 448 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:42,159 Speaker 1: me permission, Like when my best friend called me. You know, 449 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 1: my best friend who is my sister, She is my family, 450 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: her son is my godson, like she is my person. 451 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: And when she was like, I can't do this life 452 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: I built anymore, and I was like I can't either. 453 00:26:57,520 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 1: And then another friend called, and another friend called in, 454 00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:02,520 Speaker 1: another friend called and everybody was I was like, wait 455 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: a second, I'm not failing. I'm just having to admit 456 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,199 Speaker 1: that I'm not happy. And weirdly, the way that I 457 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:15,800 Speaker 1: wanted to love my people through their unhappiness made me 458 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 1: realize I deserved to be loved through mine as well. 459 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 2: But isn't it interesting when you see your stuff reflected 460 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:28,399 Speaker 2: in somebody else. Your response, anyone's response is usually compassion, 461 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:30,240 Speaker 2: but to yourself. 462 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: It's judgment because you look at your own, you know, 463 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:38,879 Speaker 1: quote shortcomings, it's like, oh, I'm failing. But when a 464 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:41,399 Speaker 1: friend is in pain or a friend is struggling, you're like, 465 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,119 Speaker 1: oh my god, you're struggling. I'll do anything I can 466 00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:47,639 Speaker 1: to help you. And so it is really interesting. And 467 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:52,600 Speaker 1: I think for me, figuring out how to help my 468 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,719 Speaker 1: people made me help myself. 469 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 2: In a better way. 470 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: And what it really did as well, it forced me 471 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:06,439 Speaker 1: to say, why do I care what anyone else thinks 472 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: of me? All these people were cheering for me when 473 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 1: I was miserable, And if they're not going to cheer 474 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 1: for me getting free or getting happy, what does the 475 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:21,879 Speaker 1: cheering mean? And so I think, I don't know. I 476 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:26,640 Speaker 1: think when you have things to you heal from or process, 477 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:30,120 Speaker 1: which really we both do, and I actually think everybody does. 478 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:35,000 Speaker 1: I think we are we are fortunate. Our generation has 479 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 1: has access to the language and the tools about mental 480 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: health in ways that prior generations haven't. But it also 481 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:45,240 Speaker 1: means it's kind of our task to shift the way 482 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 1: we live and relate to ourselves and to others, and 483 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:52,920 Speaker 1: it's a big one. I think we're really lucky to 484 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 1: kind of all be in it together. But it is tricky, 485 00:28:55,240 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 1: and I think it's especially tricky when your job requires 486 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 1: public presence in public life, because you don't you don't 487 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 1: get to take a sick day, you don't get to 488 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:08,920 Speaker 1: have a day a day off. 489 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 2: You don't. 490 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 1: You don't get to have a bad day. And I 491 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:16,760 Speaker 1: think maybe because so many people are worried that they're 492 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 1: the only ones having bad days, that's where that haha 493 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:22,800 Speaker 1: comes from when people trip. Yeah, And it's the thing 494 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:27,680 Speaker 1: I think we need to ditch immediately, and before I 495 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:29,360 Speaker 1: forget to say this, because I wanted to say this 496 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:33,440 Speaker 1: to you three times in the last four minutes. I'm 497 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: having an AHA moment talking to you like this, even 498 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: in the ways, by the way that I perceive you 499 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 1: and what you do, I'm going, Oh, now, I understand 500 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 1: why you're so good at striking this balance as a 501 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:54,240 Speaker 1: journalist between covering who these athletes are and their personal 502 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 1: stories with their performance on the court, Like duh. Of 503 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:00,840 Speaker 1: course it's because you are doing the same in your 504 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 1: own life. And of course it. 505 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 2: Is I appreciate you saying that it really really means 506 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 2: the world to me. There is no compliment that I 507 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 2: take more than when a woman I admires who's had 508 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:19,320 Speaker 2: to walk through a fire tells me that they see 509 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:22,240 Speaker 2: mine both what I the fire I've walked through and 510 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 2: the fire that's within me Like that. There's nothing that 511 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:29,360 Speaker 2: means more to me than that. When I was listening 512 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 2: to you talk about that kindness and how it's judgment 513 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:35,560 Speaker 2: for yourself, but a kindness towards other people. You know 514 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 2: that phrase, treat others the way you want to be treated. Yes, 515 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 2: I just just as you were talking, I said to myself, 516 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 2: maybe I need to treat myself the way that I 517 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 2: strive to treat others. Yes, Because my goodness, are we 518 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 2: so tough on ourselves? And I do think that what's 519 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:05,080 Speaker 2: the balance between perfectionism being something that drives you and 520 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 2: something that also is like a little bit debilitating you 521 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 2: need to shake in order to be happy. Right, Because 522 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 2: when I moved to Los Angeles, I told myself this 523 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:24,680 Speaker 2: story that all I had time for was work, and 524 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 2: it requires this singular focus and it does. The athletes 525 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:33,480 Speaker 2: that I cover are the best in the world, and 526 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 2: so I do believe that you need to match their 527 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:39,959 Speaker 2: dedication to the sport with how you cover them. That 528 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:42,680 Speaker 2: doesn't mean that you don't make mistakes. That doesn't mean 529 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 2: that there aren't stories that twenty two year old Melika 530 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:50,360 Speaker 2: I would cover differently than thirty year old Malika. But 531 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:56,040 Speaker 2: these breaks that I had in the day, I would 532 00:31:56,200 --> 00:32:00,920 Speaker 2: just sit and work and wait for games to come on, 533 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:04,200 Speaker 2: versus those two or three hours using them to do 534 00:32:04,240 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 2: something I really enjoyed outside of work. Because I do 535 00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:11,360 Speaker 2: think everything is a balance, right and balance. Like when 536 00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 2: I say balance, I don't mean work life balance, because 537 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:16,000 Speaker 2: I sort of think we need to get away from that. 538 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:18,840 Speaker 2: Everything is sacrificing at all times. There is no balance 539 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:22,800 Speaker 2: purely for women. But what I mean is finding a 540 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:26,720 Speaker 2: recipe that works for you, that allows you to be 541 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 2: the best and happiest version of yourself at work. And 542 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:33,840 Speaker 2: so for me, those ingredients were my husband, horseback riding, 543 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:38,640 Speaker 2: and reading. That combined with work is my recipe for success. 544 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:43,960 Speaker 2: I'm not happy if I don't feel fulfilled in my 545 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 2: job and that I feel like I'm doing my best there. 546 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 2: But I'm also not happy when my time with my 547 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:53,040 Speaker 2: husband continues to suffer or I don't get out to 548 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:55,840 Speaker 2: the barn, or I haven't read a book this week, 549 00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:59,960 Speaker 2: like there is a darn you lights, but there is 550 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 2: they sort of like there is a there's a recipe 551 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:04,400 Speaker 2: to all of that. And I think that that's sort 552 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 2: of what I'm I'm working to find, Like that's that's 553 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:11,719 Speaker 2: what it is, is just working to find that. And 554 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:13,800 Speaker 2: that's a lot a weakness. Like that's the other thing 555 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:18,200 Speaker 2: is like needing that I think is something that like 556 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 2: you said, we're finally it's finally encouraged and okay, yeah, 557 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:24,800 Speaker 2: but it doesn't mean figuring it out and hard. 558 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 1: No, it's very hard. And I mean for me, you know, 559 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 1: growing up, I spent the entire decade of my twenties 560 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:34,760 Speaker 1: on a show. And you know, when you're filming a 561 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 1: show and you're at work fifteen, sixteen, sometimes seventeen hours 562 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:48,280 Speaker 1: a day, you get trained to work yourself in a 563 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: way that is not sustainable. And even now I have 564 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:57,520 Speaker 1: to work on getting outside, taking a break, going for 565 00:33:57,600 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 1: a walk, like just stopping because I will do the 566 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:02,880 Speaker 1: same thing. I will sit and I will read, and 567 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:05,240 Speaker 1: I will work and work and work and work all day. 568 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:11,359 Speaker 1: And that's not really a life, and so finding you know, 569 00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:15,000 Speaker 1: to your point, not the balance, but making sure that 570 00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:17,800 Speaker 1: there's not just one ingredient. 571 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:19,920 Speaker 2: In the recipe is so important. 572 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:24,160 Speaker 1: And I won't tell him about all the praise we'll 573 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:28,640 Speaker 1: hire this episode from him, But and now a word 574 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:39,839 Speaker 1: from our sponsors. It's not lost on me the way 575 00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 1: you talk about your husband and the way you light 576 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:44,960 Speaker 1: up when you speak about him. It sounds like you 577 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:47,840 Speaker 1: have such a great partner. 578 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:51,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, who helps. 579 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:56,480 Speaker 1: You claim you know, your joy outside of work, who 580 00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: also happens to be a sports journalist, so I would 581 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:02,520 Speaker 1: imagine has a great purview into what work takes for you. 582 00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:08,840 Speaker 1: How do you, guys keep your personal and professional separate 583 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:12,879 Speaker 1: or do you have like a I need to ask 584 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:15,239 Speaker 1: you a work question right now and then like put 585 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:17,680 Speaker 1: your work on, put your husband on, Like what is. 586 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:20,520 Speaker 2: How do you do it? Yeah, we definitely definitely have 587 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:24,359 Speaker 2: the I have a work question. I think that there's 588 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 2: a definitly there's a Dave is a sports journalist, and 589 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:29,799 Speaker 2: so I think there's a baseline of understanding that comes 590 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:33,040 Speaker 2: with the irregular hours that we both have to work. 591 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:36,239 Speaker 2: And I think that that speaking the same language is very, 592 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:38,680 Speaker 2: very important, But it also can make it so that 593 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:44,840 Speaker 2: if you're not intentional, you can fall into constantly talking 594 00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:48,520 Speaker 2: about basketball. Now, basketball is always on at our house 595 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:52,279 Speaker 2: because we genuinely enjoy it and we love it, and 596 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:57,840 Speaker 2: we try to be very specific about Okay, now we 597 00:35:57,920 --> 00:36:02,920 Speaker 2: are going to turn this off. Okay, when he is 598 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:05,719 Speaker 2: talking on the phone to somebody that I know that 599 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:09,320 Speaker 2: is a work call for him. His sources are separate 600 00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:12,319 Speaker 2: than mine, Like those are very We're very specific about 601 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:17,600 Speaker 2: making those separate. But I think whatever the common language 602 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:22,719 Speaker 2: that you have with a partner is, that's that's I 603 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:25,080 Speaker 2: think that's the secret sauce, right, Like, that's the thing 604 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:31,680 Speaker 2: that's really really important. And you know, Dave, going back 605 00:36:31,719 --> 00:36:34,719 Speaker 2: to the writing piece of it, I think that's one 606 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:40,759 Speaker 2: thing that I've always best communicated, writing things down. And 607 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:44,960 Speaker 2: he is a beautiful writer. And every time he goes 608 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:46,799 Speaker 2: on a road trip, he'll leave me a note and 609 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:49,960 Speaker 2: I get to read it, and that's reminiscent for me 610 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:53,239 Speaker 2: of you know, my when I was younger, you know, 611 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:55,120 Speaker 2: that was something that my family did for each other. 612 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:58,279 Speaker 2: We would leave each other notes. And now to have 613 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:01,160 Speaker 2: that whenever he goes on a road trip, because we 614 00:37:01,239 --> 00:37:03,359 Speaker 2: talk every day and we have all the you know, 615 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:05,839 Speaker 2: everyone is texting all the time now and we talk 616 00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:07,919 Speaker 2: on the phone and all the stuff. But he does 617 00:37:07,960 --> 00:37:14,840 Speaker 2: travel for significant portions of the of the year. I 618 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:19,520 Speaker 2: think having separate hobbies. He likes to play pickup, I 619 00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:22,280 Speaker 2: like to ride horses, and then coming together with something, 620 00:37:22,520 --> 00:37:24,279 Speaker 2: everything is still new to talk about at the end 621 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:26,800 Speaker 2: of the day, even if you watch the same basketball games. 622 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:31,840 Speaker 2: So he's a very very special person. He is very kind. 623 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:35,360 Speaker 2: He has more friends than anyone I know, and I 624 00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:38,600 Speaker 2: think that's because so many people see how special he is. 625 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:45,279 Speaker 2: He had twelve groomsmen in our wedding. Yeah, we've made 626 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,160 Speaker 2: no cuts, and that was actually act we did make cuts. 627 00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:49,360 Speaker 2: That was down from sixteen. He wanted sixteen and we 628 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:52,440 Speaker 2: went with twelve. So the man has a lot of friends, 629 00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 2: and I think that's because he just has this like 630 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:59,480 Speaker 2: light to him that's really wonderful. But I don't talk 631 00:37:59,480 --> 00:38:02,680 Speaker 2: about him because I also want to protect if there's 632 00:38:02,719 --> 00:38:06,759 Speaker 2: a protection there, and I think that sometimes folks, you 633 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:14,200 Speaker 2: can it's easy to confuse not posting something with not 634 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:19,960 Speaker 2: really and truly feeling deeply about something. So yeah, you know, 635 00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:21,480 Speaker 2: I think that's what it is too. With him. 636 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:25,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I think it's so important to keep 637 00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:30,240 Speaker 1: aspects of your life, for you to keep those things, 638 00:38:30,960 --> 00:38:33,920 Speaker 1: you know, kind of sacred. I mean, to your point, 639 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:37,399 Speaker 1: things get so picked apart in general, it's like, how 640 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:39,719 Speaker 1: much do you really want to open for more of that? 641 00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:43,960 Speaker 1: And again, even people who seem super open, like some 642 00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:46,440 Speaker 1: people think I'm really private and some people think I'm 643 00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:48,800 Speaker 1: really open, and I'm like, I'm. 644 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:50,240 Speaker 2: I means you're doing something right. 645 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:53,400 Speaker 1: I vacillate. Yeah, there's so much of my life you 646 00:38:53,440 --> 00:38:58,000 Speaker 1: know nothing about, and I like it. And you know, listen, 647 00:38:58,000 --> 00:39:00,839 Speaker 1: we're women in media, and I know this to be true. 648 00:39:00,840 --> 00:39:03,239 Speaker 1: And I also know you've talked about this a little bit, 649 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:07,239 Speaker 1: that that being picked apart as a woman in these 650 00:39:07,239 --> 00:39:11,799 Speaker 1: public spaces is really hard, and particularly for you to 651 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:14,839 Speaker 1: be one of the women in such a historically male 652 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:20,960 Speaker 1: dominated field. How how do you kind of protect your 653 00:39:21,000 --> 00:39:24,200 Speaker 1: piece Because you protect your peace with your marriage by 654 00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:26,800 Speaker 1: making sure a lot of your private life is private, 655 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:29,560 Speaker 1: how do you protect your peace with the requirement to 656 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:33,000 Speaker 1: be online and on camera. Do you have like a 657 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:34,760 Speaker 1: I don't read the comment section rule? 658 00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:37,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, that is a very important role, do not I 659 00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:39,840 Speaker 2: do not read the comment section. Comment sections are trash. 660 00:39:40,120 --> 00:39:43,280 Speaker 2: Comment sections are closed because I you know it. Actually, 661 00:39:43,800 --> 00:39:48,280 Speaker 2: I advice that I got from a colleague of mine 662 00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:54,160 Speaker 2: was you have all of the people around you that 663 00:39:54,280 --> 00:39:59,239 Speaker 2: can tell you to your face with the intention of 664 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:03,440 Speaker 2: helping you to be better, both when you've succeeded and 665 00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:07,719 Speaker 2: both when you have left something to be desired. There 666 00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:11,800 Speaker 2: are stories that I come away from that I think, wow, 667 00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:15,120 Speaker 2: I really really feel and I hope that the subject 668 00:40:15,200 --> 00:40:19,520 Speaker 2: felt that we did them justice, and I hope that 669 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:23,440 Speaker 2: the audience felt entertained or moved, or I really think 670 00:40:23,480 --> 00:40:26,120 Speaker 2: the production staff came together and did a fantastic job there. 671 00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:29,399 Speaker 2: And then there are other stories that I walk away 672 00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:32,880 Speaker 2: and I think, you know what, that wasn't the right angle, 673 00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:36,320 Speaker 2: That detail wasn't necessary. I'm not sure that was fair. 674 00:40:37,239 --> 00:40:42,640 Speaker 2: And I try to I always I tell players, I 675 00:40:42,719 --> 00:40:46,319 Speaker 2: make sure that I show up to these games. I 676 00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:49,400 Speaker 2: show up when you know. Johannis and I had a 677 00:40:49,400 --> 00:40:51,680 Speaker 2: conversation about this recently, where he was talking about on 678 00:40:51,719 --> 00:40:53,800 Speaker 2: a podcast how he had walked out on me in 679 00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:56,080 Speaker 2: a press conference, and he and I had a converence. 680 00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:58,320 Speaker 2: He messaged me and apologized later, and he and I 681 00:40:58,400 --> 00:40:59,960 Speaker 2: had a conversation about it, and I said, you know, 682 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:02,880 Speaker 2: I wanted to ask you a question that press conference 683 00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:05,640 Speaker 2: just for you to see that I was there and 684 00:41:05,719 --> 00:41:10,600 Speaker 2: I do want to show up even when things aren't peachy. 685 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:14,120 Speaker 2: And Roses and we had a really good conversation about that, 686 00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:16,960 Speaker 2: the two of us. Did I know both of those 687 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:19,400 Speaker 2: things have happened, that both I have done well and 688 00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:22,080 Speaker 2: both that I need to be better and that the 689 00:41:22,120 --> 00:41:26,839 Speaker 2: subject deserved better. And I have the real life producers, 690 00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:30,479 Speaker 2: the real life people, the real life friends, the real 691 00:41:30,520 --> 00:41:35,240 Speaker 2: life family to say you crush that and girl that 692 00:41:35,239 --> 00:41:37,360 Speaker 2: that no, we need to walk from that next time. 693 00:41:38,360 --> 00:41:42,120 Speaker 2: What I was looking for in the comment section was 694 00:41:42,160 --> 00:41:48,239 Speaker 2: for my worst fears to be echoed. If I thought 695 00:41:48,280 --> 00:41:51,040 Speaker 2: I looked bad and addressed that one day didn't matter. 696 00:41:51,120 --> 00:41:53,720 Speaker 2: If twenty people told me I look great, the one 697 00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:55,920 Speaker 2: person who told me I didn't, I was like, I 698 00:41:56,040 --> 00:42:00,360 Speaker 2: knew it. Thank you zero zero zero no pro file 699 00:42:00,400 --> 00:42:03,759 Speaker 2: picture you know like that, thank you. That's what I 700 00:42:03,800 --> 00:42:07,239 Speaker 2: was looking for, and that that you don't need have 701 00:42:07,280 --> 00:42:10,320 Speaker 2: a circle that can echo back to you the good 702 00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:13,719 Speaker 2: and put up the red flag and say you need 703 00:42:13,760 --> 00:42:16,319 Speaker 2: to be better, because that's what I was looking for 704 00:42:16,360 --> 00:42:17,160 Speaker 2: in those comments. 705 00:42:17,520 --> 00:42:20,719 Speaker 1: Yeah, it is really weird how it doesn't matter how 706 00:42:20,760 --> 00:42:23,440 Speaker 1: much of it's good, it's it's the one that's bad. 707 00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:27,319 Speaker 1: It's it's like the worst kind of confirmation bias a 708 00:42:27,360 --> 00:42:30,520 Speaker 1: person can have, and because it's pain and it's cruelty, 709 00:42:30,680 --> 00:42:33,560 Speaker 1: and it's like sometimes I'm like, what are we doing 710 00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:36,360 Speaker 1: with the internet? But you know, it's also part of 711 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:40,480 Speaker 1: our job. You mentioned your you know, your kind of work, 712 00:42:40,520 --> 00:42:43,279 Speaker 1: wives and your circle of women. Who do you lean 713 00:42:43,320 --> 00:42:46,520 Speaker 1: on for support when you exactly when you say these 714 00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:50,080 Speaker 1: things like yes, comment section closed, goodbye, we're done with you. 715 00:42:50,520 --> 00:42:54,919 Speaker 1: But when you want feedback, when you want encouragement, when 716 00:42:54,920 --> 00:42:58,719 Speaker 1: you want someone to give you constructive criticism, you know 717 00:42:58,760 --> 00:43:00,239 Speaker 1: who do you turn to first. 718 00:43:01,040 --> 00:43:04,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm really lucky, And I've said that. I realized 719 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:06,279 Speaker 2: how many times I've said that on this podcast, But 720 00:43:06,360 --> 00:43:08,919 Speaker 2: I really truly believe it. I believe when we're talking 721 00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:11,960 Speaker 2: about recipes, which that's now what I'm going to say, 722 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:16,680 Speaker 2: work life balance is out. A recipe for happiness is 723 00:43:17,280 --> 00:43:20,000 Speaker 2: in for my vernacular because I just don't think that 724 00:43:20,080 --> 00:43:23,480 Speaker 2: balance can exist. I think that a recipe and happiness 725 00:43:23,480 --> 00:43:27,440 Speaker 2: can My coordinating producer of the show is a woman, 726 00:43:27,760 --> 00:43:31,320 Speaker 2: Hillary Guy and one of the main analysts on our show, 727 00:43:31,640 --> 00:43:36,160 Speaker 2: Shane Boom Mackay, is also a woman. And they are 728 00:43:37,000 --> 00:43:39,960 Speaker 2: my two angels. I don't have a devil. I get 729 00:43:39,960 --> 00:43:43,160 Speaker 2: an angel on each shoulder that whenever there is something 730 00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:48,320 Speaker 2: I know, I can turn to them. And when Gail 731 00:43:48,480 --> 00:43:52,279 Speaker 2: King and Oprah for Gail's birthday, I think they were 732 00:43:52,280 --> 00:43:55,520 Speaker 2: doing a podcast maybe with Melinda Gates and Oprah had 733 00:43:55,520 --> 00:43:59,080 Speaker 2: said something to the effect of a friend there can't 734 00:43:59,120 --> 00:44:06,320 Speaker 2: be jealousy. There just has to be this unbridled cheering 735 00:44:06,520 --> 00:44:11,719 Speaker 2: and support. There can be good spirited competition, but jealousy 736 00:44:11,800 --> 00:44:16,160 Speaker 2: cannot be a factor in a true and meaningful friendship. 737 00:44:16,760 --> 00:44:21,480 Speaker 2: And you know, Claire and I my friend that got 738 00:44:21,520 --> 00:44:23,600 Speaker 2: into the paper with me still one of my best friends. 739 00:44:23,760 --> 00:44:25,799 Speaker 2: We went up for the same editor in chief job 740 00:44:25,840 --> 00:44:28,719 Speaker 2: of the college paper. One of us got it, one 741 00:44:28,719 --> 00:44:33,359 Speaker 2: of us didn't, and it's continued without any jealousy and 742 00:44:33,680 --> 00:44:40,799 Speaker 2: just palm palms out and support system on Shane Hillary Like, 743 00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:44,480 Speaker 2: I really feel like I have that. Yeah, And that's 744 00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:49,080 Speaker 2: not something that's always there. I think that just like 745 00:44:49,160 --> 00:44:53,440 Speaker 2: any one, there's always different circles of people who provide 746 00:44:53,480 --> 00:44:57,359 Speaker 2: different things. But I'm really lucky to have that because 747 00:44:57,360 --> 00:44:59,080 Speaker 2: I do think that's true. I think that there has 748 00:44:59,160 --> 00:45:05,120 Speaker 2: to just be a sturdy, strong, unbridled backing. And that's 749 00:45:05,160 --> 00:45:07,879 Speaker 2: that's my circle of women. I love that. 750 00:45:08,960 --> 00:45:20,160 Speaker 1: And now a word from our wonderful sponsors. Do you 751 00:45:20,560 --> 00:45:24,520 Speaker 1: still or can you? Or is it maybe like a 752 00:45:24,680 --> 00:45:27,200 Speaker 1: like a work hat and a home hat thing? Can 753 00:45:27,239 --> 00:45:28,959 Speaker 1: you watch basketball just for fun? 754 00:45:29,880 --> 00:45:33,600 Speaker 2: No? I mean, da, that's not true. I can watch 755 00:45:34,080 --> 00:45:39,000 Speaker 2: non NBA basketball just however, when I'm sitting in the 756 00:45:39,040 --> 00:45:43,040 Speaker 2: stands and you know, a big play happens and I'm 757 00:45:43,040 --> 00:45:46,080 Speaker 2: there just I'm not working, I'm sitting in the stands. 758 00:45:46,640 --> 00:45:49,200 Speaker 2: I feel like I've forgotten how to clap because you 759 00:45:49,239 --> 00:45:51,279 Speaker 2: can't clap on press row. And I feel like when 760 00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:53,919 Speaker 2: I clap, I like move my hands like I don't 761 00:45:53,960 --> 00:45:55,879 Speaker 2: because I don't clap. I don't clap at sporting events 762 00:45:55,880 --> 00:45:58,279 Speaker 2: when you're on press row, you're on press prow. When 763 00:45:58,280 --> 00:46:01,880 Speaker 2: I clap, I feel like I'm mashing my hands together 764 00:46:01,920 --> 00:46:04,120 Speaker 2: in a way that I don't even Why can't I 765 00:46:04,160 --> 00:46:07,160 Speaker 2: figure out how to clap? Like? And I overthink clapping 766 00:46:07,200 --> 00:46:10,520 Speaker 2: whenever I'm sitting in a game because I can't. I'm 767 00:46:10,520 --> 00:46:14,160 Speaker 2: so not used to This sounds so ridiculous. But when 768 00:46:14,160 --> 00:46:15,880 Speaker 2: I go to like a musical or something, I'm totally 769 00:46:15,960 --> 00:46:19,440 Speaker 2: fine clapping, But a sporting event, I'm like, these claws 770 00:46:19,560 --> 00:46:21,319 Speaker 2: don't mesh together. 771 00:46:21,239 --> 00:46:23,840 Speaker 1: Well, because I bet with every clap you feel like 772 00:46:23,880 --> 00:46:24,960 Speaker 1: you're breaking the rules. 773 00:46:25,080 --> 00:46:28,359 Speaker 2: I'm like, what am I doing here? But it's yeah, 774 00:46:28,400 --> 00:46:32,640 Speaker 2: watching the NBA specifically, I will never lose the like 775 00:46:33,160 --> 00:46:38,880 Speaker 2: childlike joy of seeing literal superheroes because most human beings 776 00:46:38,920 --> 00:46:41,759 Speaker 2: cannot do physically what these folks do with these men 777 00:46:41,800 --> 00:46:45,040 Speaker 2: and women do. But yeah, it's it's a little hard 778 00:46:45,080 --> 00:46:48,839 Speaker 2: to fully remove, especially because people say, well, who are 779 00:46:48,840 --> 00:46:50,160 Speaker 2: you a fan of It's like, well, I'm a fan 780 00:46:50,200 --> 00:46:53,480 Speaker 2: of the people now because I know them. You root 781 00:46:53,520 --> 00:46:56,400 Speaker 2: for good people, and there are the NBA is just 782 00:46:56,400 --> 00:46:59,799 Speaker 2: like chok full of good guys. Wmba's chock full of 783 00:47:00,200 --> 00:47:03,640 Speaker 2: Tactically like, you root for good people to succeed, and 784 00:47:03,680 --> 00:47:06,760 Speaker 2: so it's always a little bit you know, there's always 785 00:47:06,760 --> 00:47:08,120 Speaker 2: a winner and a loser. But it's like, dang, I 786 00:47:08,239 --> 00:47:10,680 Speaker 2: like this this player. Oh man, I love that player. 787 00:47:10,680 --> 00:47:12,360 Speaker 2: I didn't want to see him. So you know, that's 788 00:47:12,480 --> 00:47:13,759 Speaker 2: uh what I'll work on. 789 00:47:13,800 --> 00:47:17,640 Speaker 1: Mine got the w NBA Finals last year. 790 00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:23,000 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, we get seven, We get seven games 791 00:47:23,040 --> 00:47:28,600 Speaker 2: of this beautiful, delightful, torturelessly close games, and it's going 792 00:47:28,680 --> 00:47:31,160 Speaker 2: to be it's going to be incredible. My little sister 793 00:47:31,200 --> 00:47:33,719 Speaker 2: covers women's basketball too, so it's sort of fun to 794 00:47:34,320 --> 00:47:35,320 Speaker 2: it gets exciting. 795 00:47:36,600 --> 00:47:39,360 Speaker 1: I'm a die hard Liberty fan, and god, that was 796 00:47:39,960 --> 00:47:42,560 Speaker 1: that was right, a nail bier for for us. Yeah, 797 00:47:42,600 --> 00:47:45,279 Speaker 1: I was. Ironically you mentioned road trips. I was on 798 00:47:45,320 --> 00:47:49,839 Speaker 1: a on a drive literally the night of the last game. 799 00:47:49,960 --> 00:47:52,000 Speaker 1: I planned this trip months before. There was like no 800 00:47:52,080 --> 00:47:54,759 Speaker 1: way I could change the timing and we had to 801 00:47:54,840 --> 00:47:58,040 Speaker 1: use my hot spot and like get online to watch, 802 00:47:58,280 --> 00:48:02,880 Speaker 1: you know, And it was just so stressful but so exciting. 803 00:48:03,400 --> 00:48:05,400 Speaker 1: And there was a moment where, you know, out in 804 00:48:05,400 --> 00:48:07,920 Speaker 1: the middle of nowhere in the desert, I was like, 805 00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:11,319 Speaker 1: this is commitment, Like we've got this game on, like 806 00:48:11,440 --> 00:48:14,120 Speaker 1: pulled over on a highway. That's because there is no 807 00:48:14,320 --> 00:48:14,879 Speaker 1: missing it. 808 00:48:14,960 --> 00:48:15,480 Speaker 2: And it was. 809 00:48:15,600 --> 00:48:17,360 Speaker 1: It was very funny to me, It was. It was 810 00:48:17,400 --> 00:48:17,960 Speaker 1: a fun time. 811 00:48:18,880 --> 00:48:20,840 Speaker 2: I love that. That's the best kind of There's so 812 00:48:21,040 --> 00:48:24,520 Speaker 2: few things in the world though, to walk into an arena, 813 00:48:24,800 --> 00:48:29,399 Speaker 2: to look around to see grown ups screaming their heads off, 814 00:48:29,760 --> 00:48:33,480 Speaker 2: jumping up and down. Nowhere else and no other sector 815 00:48:33,520 --> 00:48:35,799 Speaker 2: of life do you get that than in sports. And 816 00:48:35,840 --> 00:48:38,120 Speaker 2: so that's kind of what's so cool is it just 817 00:48:38,200 --> 00:48:42,400 Speaker 2: brings this joy for people. That's what sports is in 818 00:48:42,440 --> 00:48:44,000 Speaker 2: it's best. That's what I love about it. There is 819 00:48:44,080 --> 00:48:46,759 Speaker 2: nothing like a playoff game. There is nothing like a 820 00:48:46,800 --> 00:48:50,759 Speaker 2: finals game. Yeah, there's nothing like a Game seven where 821 00:48:50,800 --> 00:48:52,480 Speaker 2: it's all on the line down to one thing, or 822 00:48:52,520 --> 00:48:55,799 Speaker 2: a game five. There's nothing like it. There's nothing like it. 823 00:48:55,800 --> 00:48:59,120 Speaker 2: It's the coolest thing in the world. And you know, 824 00:48:59,160 --> 00:49:02,160 Speaker 2: to be able to to not to sound cheesy, but 825 00:49:02,200 --> 00:49:06,440 Speaker 2: like every time. I remember one time I walked onto set. 826 00:49:06,960 --> 00:49:10,600 Speaker 2: I've grown up on ESPN. Right, I came to ESPN, 827 00:49:10,719 --> 00:49:18,120 Speaker 2: I was anyone, maybe barely twenty two, wow, And I 828 00:49:18,160 --> 00:49:20,279 Speaker 2: started as a writer. I worked my way up as 829 00:49:20,280 --> 00:49:25,800 Speaker 2: a writer. I covered the coronavirus. I eventually was given 830 00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:30,680 Speaker 2: MBA today. And I remember walking to the studio one 831 00:49:30,719 --> 00:49:32,880 Speaker 2: day because I forgot my laptop charger because I forget 832 00:49:32,880 --> 00:49:35,920 Speaker 2: my laptop charger every day, and all the lights were 833 00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:38,759 Speaker 2: out and it's this huge studio and you know, television 834 00:49:38,760 --> 00:49:44,879 Speaker 2: sets is these massive pieces of awesome equipment, and we're 835 00:49:44,920 --> 00:49:48,880 Speaker 2: the only show that comes out of our studio, Studio 836 00:49:49,040 --> 00:49:52,920 Speaker 2: H in Los Angeles, and I remember walking in it's quiet, 837 00:49:52,960 --> 00:49:55,000 Speaker 2: and the desk looks really little at the center of 838 00:49:55,040 --> 00:50:00,560 Speaker 2: this enormous studio and thinking, oh my goodness, every single 839 00:50:00,680 --> 00:50:05,520 Speaker 2: every piece of equipment, this desk, this chair, all of 840 00:50:05,560 --> 00:50:09,759 Speaker 2: this is for me. It's for us, It's for the 841 00:50:09,800 --> 00:50:12,440 Speaker 2: show that we create and the producers and everyone. But yeah, 842 00:50:12,640 --> 00:50:15,960 Speaker 2: little me, that that girl that didn't feel like she 843 00:50:16,160 --> 00:50:19,960 Speaker 2: belonged or wasn't sure where things were going or if 844 00:50:20,000 --> 00:50:24,200 Speaker 2: she was good enough to have in that moment of quiet, like, 845 00:50:24,280 --> 00:50:27,960 Speaker 2: oh wow, this is for me, which is such a 846 00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:32,759 Speaker 2: responsibility and also so much fun. It was just a 847 00:50:32,880 --> 00:50:36,319 Speaker 2: very very cool thing to be reminded of. I think 848 00:50:36,800 --> 00:50:38,719 Speaker 2: sometimes we just remind ourselves of that when you walk 849 00:50:38,760 --> 00:50:40,520 Speaker 2: into a place and you say, yo, yeah, this is 850 00:50:40,960 --> 00:50:44,280 Speaker 2: for me and because of the work I did to set. 851 00:50:44,040 --> 00:50:48,120 Speaker 1: It up and set myself up, and yeah, you get 852 00:50:48,120 --> 00:50:50,560 Speaker 1: to remind yourself that you've arrived in a place that 853 00:50:50,680 --> 00:50:51,480 Speaker 1: used to be a dream. 854 00:50:52,080 --> 00:50:55,520 Speaker 2: You know, when you hear the you know, remember when 855 00:50:55,520 --> 00:50:57,879 Speaker 2: you dreamed about what you have now. I think that's very, 856 00:50:57,960 --> 00:51:01,239 Speaker 2: very true and I try to ground myself at constantly 857 00:51:01,320 --> 00:51:04,080 Speaker 2: because it's so easy to look toward the next or 858 00:51:04,120 --> 00:51:07,440 Speaker 2: tomorrow or the what abouts. But I think if you 859 00:51:07,480 --> 00:51:10,360 Speaker 2: can just sit in that for a little bit, it's 860 00:51:10,840 --> 00:51:14,880 Speaker 2: it's pretty cool. It's it's pretty cool. At leads me 861 00:51:14,880 --> 00:51:15,560 Speaker 2: to get to talk to you. 862 00:51:16,080 --> 00:51:20,560 Speaker 1: It's amazing from this place, from from sitting in that 863 00:51:20,840 --> 00:51:23,520 Speaker 1: place where you get to really let it land and 864 00:51:24,280 --> 00:51:28,960 Speaker 1: feel that kind of joy. What what feels like? You're 865 00:51:29,000 --> 00:51:31,720 Speaker 1: work in progress this year? What's ahead? 866 00:51:32,600 --> 00:51:40,799 Speaker 2: That's a good question. I am really content with continuing 867 00:51:40,920 --> 00:51:44,920 Speaker 2: to sort of get better at what I'm doing. I 868 00:51:45,000 --> 00:51:52,840 Speaker 2: really am excited about hosting the NBA Finals, which is 869 00:51:52,880 --> 00:51:57,320 Speaker 2: something that just like, I get a little bit giggly 870 00:51:57,480 --> 00:52:02,160 Speaker 2: even just saying that, I'm really really excited for hosting 871 00:52:02,239 --> 00:52:06,520 Speaker 2: the NBA Finals and the Draft back to back. That 872 00:52:06,680 --> 00:52:09,520 Speaker 2: just feels like it goes from the pinnacle of sport 873 00:52:09,960 --> 00:52:15,040 Speaker 2: to literally getting to capture people's childhood dreams coming true 874 00:52:15,239 --> 00:52:20,440 Speaker 2: and achieving generational wealth and upward mobility for a lot 875 00:52:20,440 --> 00:52:24,080 Speaker 2: of families that otherwise wouldn't be able to like that 876 00:52:25,000 --> 00:52:28,960 Speaker 2: to me is like the coolest month of my year, 877 00:52:29,719 --> 00:52:34,319 Speaker 2: and I really am looking forward to getting to do that. 878 00:52:35,600 --> 00:52:38,600 Speaker 2: Last year was the first year that I was sitting 879 00:52:38,680 --> 00:52:41,400 Speaker 2: in that seat, and so I'm really looking forward to 880 00:52:41,480 --> 00:52:44,279 Speaker 2: doing what I hope is an even better job this year. 881 00:52:44,360 --> 00:52:46,120 Speaker 2: That's something I really look forward to. 882 00:52:47,080 --> 00:52:48,200 Speaker 1: Oh that's so exciting. 883 00:52:48,280 --> 00:52:51,920 Speaker 2: Congratulations, Thank you. I appreciate that. 884 00:52:51,880 --> 00:52:55,439 Speaker 1: And thank you for today. It's really just been such 885 00:52:55,480 --> 00:53:00,000 Speaker 1: an absolute pleasure. I've loved learning even more about your 886 00:53:00,120 --> 00:53:03,120 Speaker 1: story than what I got to read about of our interview. 887 00:53:03,920 --> 00:53:08,640 Speaker 2: Well, thank you. I appreciate you making the time and 888 00:53:08,680 --> 00:53:11,520 Speaker 2: the space. And I would I would do the little 889 00:53:11,560 --> 00:53:15,919 Speaker 2: hole the finger thing if I yeah, I love it. 890 00:53:18,760 --> 00:53:20,560 Speaker 1: Well, we'll have to go like get a bite to 891 00:53:20,600 --> 00:53:22,640 Speaker 1: eat and hang with your sister or something soon. It 892 00:53:22,680 --> 00:53:23,480 Speaker 1: would be so fun. 893 00:53:24,320 --> 00:53:26,480 Speaker 2: Yes, I would love to. I would love to. I 894 00:53:26,520 --> 00:53:30,520 Speaker 2: would love to. And if you're if your friend in 895 00:53:30,520 --> 00:53:33,520 Speaker 2: Detroit is never this way and needs horses, ride, oh 896 00:53:33,560 --> 00:53:34,960 Speaker 2: my god, I have got grace. 897 00:53:35,640 --> 00:53:37,040 Speaker 1: We will take you up on it. 898 00:53:38,840 --> 00:53:43,520 Speaker 2: Charlie is my horse is okay? So he's I thought 899 00:53:43,560 --> 00:53:45,759 Speaker 2: my husband date thought it would be funny to name 900 00:53:45,800 --> 00:53:50,760 Speaker 2: a horse horse tracks. Yeah, so we went. 901 00:53:51,640 --> 00:53:54,760 Speaker 1: Great, he's got dad jokes we love. 902 00:53:57,800 --> 00:54:00,400 Speaker 2: But yeah, awesome, Thank you so much, Thank. 903 00:54:00,239 --> 00:54:02,160 Speaker 1: You have an amazing rest of your day. 904 00:54:02,200 --> 00:54:12,440 Speaker 2: Beautiful to your day. Bye bye ye m m m 905 00:54:19,440 --> 00:54:19,520 Speaker 2: hm