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Speaker 1: Full Circle is an Iheartwoman's sports production in partnership with

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Speaker 1: Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on

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Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Speaker 1: Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of Full Circle. Lexi,

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Speaker 1: how you doing good?

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Speaker 2: I'm good?

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Speaker 1: You know I'm good.

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Speaker 2: How are you?

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Speaker 1: I'm good. Let's just get right into it, because y'all,

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Speaker 1: me and Lexi are and are trying to get straight

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Speaker 1: to the point era. So obviously there's been drama on

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Speaker 1: and off the court already this WBA season, but today

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Speaker 1: we're keeping it cute and focused on the actual basketball

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Speaker 1: being played on the court. The games have been good,

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Speaker 1: and I have a lot of people asking for some

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Speaker 1: of the storylines around the league, So I'll get to

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Speaker 1: those and let Lexi give her expert analysis and bts.

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Speaker 1: As always, Lexi, as someone who just came off the

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Speaker 1: court last night, how does it feel being back and

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Speaker 1: what is the energy around the league?

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Speaker 3: Well, first, I'll adjust the elephant in the room that

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Speaker 3: I did not actually get on the.

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Speaker 2: Court last night, and you know what it'd be like that.

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Speaker 3: Sometimes this is a veteran team. I'm on I got

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Speaker 3: added to the mix a little bit late when I

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Speaker 3: got traded and I can only show up and do

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Speaker 3: my job, which is what I've been doing every day.

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Speaker 3: So we go get that out the way, acknowledge it,

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Speaker 3: and guys, I'm healthy, i feel amazing, I'm in high spirits,

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Speaker 3: and I'm really still excited about being a part of

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Speaker 3: the Seattle Storm team. So yeah, I just wanted to

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Speaker 3: get that out the way. As far as the energy

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Speaker 3: of this season, it's been insane. Two road games to

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Speaker 3: start the year, two pretty much sold out crowds in

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Speaker 3: Phoenix and in Dallas, so the atmosphere's have been great.

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Speaker 3: Playing on a team's home opening night is always tough.

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Speaker 3: It's a lot of energy, it's a lot of jitters.

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Speaker 3: Their warm up and announcement and player intros took thirty minutes.

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Speaker 2: They got all hyped up about that.

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Speaker 3: And then we're just sitting there watching like, dang, when

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Speaker 3: the game gonna start thirty minutes?

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Speaker 2: It took forever.

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Speaker 1: I don't even know if it's delivered a long ring

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Speaker 1: ceremonial that.

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Speaker 3: It was so long, But shout out to Phoenix because

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Speaker 3: their player intros were fired.

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Speaker 2: They did a really good job.

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Speaker 3: But that was a rough game for us, but we

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Speaker 3: bounced back got the win in Dallas, which we'll talk

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Speaker 3: about later. But from watching on TV and being in

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Speaker 3: the arenas, like this season is already turned top like

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Speaker 3: first weekend and I'm like, oh, yeah, this season about

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Speaker 3: to be.

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Speaker 2: Special for sure.

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Speaker 1: Definitely, definitely. I want to get into kind of team

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Speaker 1: by team, not necessarily team, but like category of teams

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Speaker 1: by team, because there were some teams that performed the

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Speaker 1: way that we expected, some teams that performed better than expected,

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Speaker 1: all the things. But let's first talk about the teams

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Speaker 1: that did what they were supposed to do. Okay, the

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Speaker 1: Minnesota Links are looking real dangerous. So you got an

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Speaker 1: a Fisa Collier who had an MVP level start. She

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Speaker 1: led the league with fifty seven combined points, which we'll

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Speaker 1: get into their little trio that they have going on

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Speaker 1: because they had a lot of their team this week.

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Speaker 1: But I want to know Lexi, in your opinion, what

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Speaker 1: makes her so good and what sets her game apart.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, the thing about Fee is every year she adds

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Speaker 3: something to her game, and for someone that is so talented,

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Speaker 3: the fact that every year they can add something more

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Speaker 3: is always so impressive.

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Speaker 2: She was a rookie.

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Speaker 3: My second year, she got drafted to the Link, so

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Speaker 3: I was able to play with her her rookie season

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Speaker 3: and immediately knew that she was going to be special.

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Speaker 3: She's super high Q, as we saw during unrivaled.

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Speaker 2: Her one on one skill is unmatched.

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Speaker 3: She's probably one of the best two way players in

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Speaker 3: our league. One defensive Player of the Year last year

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Speaker 3: is in the conversation for MVP. Already came in second

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Speaker 3: place I think last year or third behind Angel Wilson.

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Speaker 3: So just watching her steady improvement season to season is

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Speaker 3: something that I've always respected and loved about her game.

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Speaker 3: She's in Minnesota, and if anybody knows anything about the Links,

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Speaker 3: like that's championship central for the WNBA. They know how

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Speaker 3: to build championship teams, and they decided to make Fee

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Speaker 3: the cornerstone of that. And we're finally seeing that come

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Speaker 3: to fruition. Y'all know how we feel about last year's finals.

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Speaker 3: So they coming back with a vengeance, and yeah, they

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Speaker 3: looked really good in their first two games.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, you mentioned her teammates and the Links knowing how

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Speaker 1: to build a championship roster and keep them because obviously

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Speaker 1: they kept their team together this year, but Jessica Shepherd

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Speaker 1: returning added some depth that they didn't have last year.

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Speaker 1: She led with eighteen rebounds, and then Courtney william Courtney

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Speaker 1: Williams led with nineteen assists. So we can expect to

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Speaker 1: see this trio leading in these categories a lot this season. LEXI,

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Speaker 1: as a team, what is so hard about guarding a

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Speaker 1: team that's this deep and shares the ball like that?

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean we watched them a little bit in

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Speaker 3: our film sessions when we were scouting for Dallas, and

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Speaker 3: we were able to watch their offense move and the

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Speaker 3: pace at which they play.

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Speaker 2: And I've talked about this when we went through our

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Speaker 2: preseason stuff.

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Speaker 3: They were not too high and act ual pace because

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Speaker 3: they take a lot of the shot clock to score,

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Speaker 3: but the way that they cut to the ball away

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Speaker 3: from the ball, the way they run to set screens,

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Speaker 3: the way they run to use screens, how they get

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Speaker 3: to the next action, it's something that is very hard

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Speaker 3: to defend. And this is like leading right into my

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Speaker 3: conversation that I've been having with the positionless basketball finally

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Speaker 3: making it to the WNBA. And if you guys don't

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Speaker 3: understand what positionless basketball means. It just means not confining

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Speaker 3: a player to their standard position. So like if you

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Speaker 3: are a six to six player, you're typically just going

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Speaker 3: to be labeled a center, But now you can step

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Speaker 3: out and play the three, the wing. We got point forwards,

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Speaker 3: power forwards, shooting guards, scoring point guards. Like there's not

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Speaker 3: really just five positions on the court anymore. And I

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Speaker 3: think the Links are one of the teams that are

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Speaker 3: utilizing that really well. Right now you have the four

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Speaker 3: players not only just bringing the ball up, their initiating offense.

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Speaker 3: That's something that we haven't seen in our league yet

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Speaker 3: and I think it's really impressive. And I want to

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Speaker 3: shout out Courtney Williams too, because in college and her

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Speaker 3: first few years in the season, like she was a

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Speaker 3: bucket getter and she still very much is a bucket getter,

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Speaker 3: but her transition from just worrying about buckets to now

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Speaker 3: assisting the ball as well, and how as efficiently as

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Speaker 3: she's doing it, it's something that people are not really

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Speaker 3: talking about that much because she makes it look so

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Speaker 3: easy and she's made the transition so seamlessly. So I

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Speaker 3: want to give a shout out to Courtney Williams because

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Speaker 3: the way that she took that role that she probably

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Speaker 3: didn't want at first because she's like, I'm a bucket getter.

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Speaker 2: But the way that.

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Speaker 3: She's made it her own and still is able to

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Speaker 3: get buckets and distribute the ball, the Links are a

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Speaker 3: dangerous team and they're not even they don't even have

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Speaker 3: Caleb McBride yet.

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Speaker 2: She hasn't even played yet.

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Speaker 1: I want to know how difficult this is. I was

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Speaker 1: going to get this later in the episode, but what

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Speaker 1: you just said made me think of it. Being able

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Speaker 1: to move the ball like that and taking up the

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Speaker 1: shot clock in the WNBA is so hard because it

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Speaker 1: is so physical. Yeah, I know a lot of people

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Speaker 1: who are you to watching are shocked by the physicality.

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Speaker 1: But watching, I mean, the refs really let y'all out.

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Speaker 1: To be honest, they do, and y'all play defense. Lexi

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Speaker 1: talks about it all the time. So being able to

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Speaker 1: move the ball like that in the WNBA, it's not

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Speaker 1: no walk in the park because they're for real trying

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Speaker 1: to stop you.

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Speaker 3: There's a beauty in being able to execute. And some

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Speaker 3: people might think it's boring or they like to see

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Speaker 3: fast offense, but yeah, there's a time and place for that,

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Speaker 3: and I think that at the end of the day,

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Speaker 3: the teams that know how to execute down the stretch are.

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Speaker 2: The most successful.

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Speaker 3: And it's just so heartbreaking when you have a you

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Speaker 3: have a really good defensive possession and it gets to

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Speaker 3: like the last three seconds and like they just run

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Speaker 3: at action.

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Speaker 2: You're like, damn it, and then they score.

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Speaker 3: Like that's like more demoralizing than someone dribbling down and

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Speaker 3: throwing up like a random three in transition, Like you're like, damn, okay, she.

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Speaker 2: Got that one.

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Speaker 3: But when they like out execute your defensive scheme, that

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Speaker 3: shit is so frustrating to the team, to a bench,

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Speaker 3: to the coaching stuff. It's like, damn, we did everything

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Speaker 3: right and they still out executed our plans. So I

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Speaker 3: think that's something that sets the Links apart. It sets

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Speaker 3: Celeberty apart Vegas when they're at their best. I think

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Speaker 3: we can get to that point as well. But there's

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Speaker 3: a lot of teams, you know, with a lot of

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Speaker 3: change going on, and I think at some point it

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Speaker 3: gets to like the out execution. We're seeing that in

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Speaker 3: the NBA playoffs. It turns into a chess match, But

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Speaker 3: our entire season is a chess match, Like we don't

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Speaker 3: just wait till the playoffs to turn games into two

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Speaker 3: chess matches. So that's something that I've always really appreciated

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Speaker 3: about the women's game.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, the urgency is obvious throughout the whole league. I

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Speaker 1: watched y'alls game last night, you know that, and like

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Speaker 1: even like the way that Skyler was playing. I'm like

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Speaker 1: the urgency, y'all. But yeah, well we'll talk about that

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Speaker 1: a little later. You mentioned the Liberty. Okay, let's talk

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Speaker 1: about this because I was actually at the Liberty's home opener.

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Speaker 2: What outfit did you wear?

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Speaker 1: Okay? So I was gonna wear I can tell y'all

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Speaker 1: this on full circle. This is I didn't talk about

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Speaker 1: this takes, but I was gonna wear the Liberty jersey

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Speaker 1: that everyone in the comments told me told me to wear.

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Speaker 1: But I actually was on the trip with a brand,

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Speaker 1: y'all all gotta see. I was there for night and

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Speaker 1: they told me that there was like issues and I

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Speaker 1: couldn't wear the jersey.

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Speaker 2: Any of the jerseys, or just the Liberty jersey.

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Speaker 1: The jersey period. Okay, Okay, So I wore the same

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Speaker 1: outfit that I was gonna wear with the jersey, just

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Speaker 1: with a black tank top, but I was very sad

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Speaker 1: about it. But at least you guys got to see

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Speaker 1: the outfit.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, my vote was for the Liberty jersey. If you care.

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Speaker 1: People offended in the comments, they're like, don't try to

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Speaker 1: play villain like it's their ringing ceremony. I was like, I.

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Speaker 2: Just I just want to look cute at the game. Goddamn.

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Speaker 1: I just like the jersey, like the I liked how

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Speaker 1: the Asia jersey had the little like v neck. I

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Speaker 1: thought that was cute, but.

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Speaker 2: It is not that deep.

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Speaker 1: But I do want to say that Men's Woman's draw

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Speaker 1: whatever was one of the most like positive and fun

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Speaker 1: basketball environments I've ever been in my life. When I

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Speaker 1: say it was so loud. Their fans do not play

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Speaker 1: about the liberty at all. And this isn't a new

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Speaker 1: thing for them either, not an empty seat in the house.

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Speaker 1: Nobody is like trying to be cute and like quiet,

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Speaker 1: like everybody's yelling, everybody's excited. Granted it was their ring nights,

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Speaker 1: so spirits were very high, but that environment was insane.

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Speaker 1: And you would think with a powerhouse like celebrity wise

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Speaker 1: like Asia, when like Steph Curry goes to a game

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Speaker 1: it's like half the people are there to see staff

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Speaker 1: and then half the people are there to see the

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Speaker 1: actual team. Oh no, no, no no, this is liberty, like

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Speaker 1: thank god.

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Speaker 3: No. Fans are very they're very loyal to the home team.

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Speaker 3: Oh loyal except for the La fans, but everywhere else right,

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Speaker 3: very loyal. But yeah, La they were fans very finicky

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Speaker 3: out there, but everywhere else like that. But that's for

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Speaker 3: every Yeah, La fans. Sports fans are just so like

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Speaker 3: la la la la la whatever.

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Speaker 1: Atlanta sports fans can be like that too, but here

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Speaker 1: to get.

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Speaker 3: Off dream games. Beat times on Thursday, who do they

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Speaker 3: play the Fever? Oh yeah, that's gonna be tard to. Yeah.

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Speaker 2: Oh is that the big arena? Oh yeah, that's that's

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Speaker 2: maybe lit in Atlanta.

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Speaker 1: I'm so excited. Yeah, and then I'm I'm working on

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Speaker 1: going to I need to get my tickets. But going

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Speaker 1: on Saturday when they play the Wings too.

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Speaker 3: Make sure y'all if y'all are in a WNBA city,

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Speaker 3: make sure y'all pull up to a game. Like they're

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Speaker 3: really fun and everything. A new person to go to

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Speaker 3: a game, they always have a great time.

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Speaker 1: They're so fun. Their energy is unlike anything else and

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Speaker 1: the Liberty Game. Would I say Ellie the Elephant did

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Speaker 1: a thirteen minute halftime performance to Nicki minaj Pe.

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Speaker 3: I need to find out who was inside of that

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Speaker 3: mascot outfit.

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Speaker 1: All of the creators were debating if we think that

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Speaker 1: it's actually a girl or if it's a gay man.

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Speaker 1: And I think that it's a gay man because it's

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Speaker 1: giving like cheerlead.

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Speaker 3: I feel like there's not there's just not one person

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Speaker 3: in there. Oh, I feel like there's like an Ellie

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Speaker 3: the Elephant group And they wrote that's too many. She

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Speaker 3: could be on the move too much. There's no way

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Speaker 3: one person could do all of this or they can.

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Speaker 1: I mean, y'all do the players do?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, but no, we don't. I couldn't do what Ellie

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Speaker 2: Elephant does. I'm sorry.

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Speaker 1: She's an influencer, a dancer, one of the cheerleaders. But anyways,

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Speaker 1: besides that, let's talk about how they absolutely dominated the

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Speaker 1: aces in their season open air.

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Speaker 2: Again.

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Speaker 1: The atmosphere was incredible, but the champs were doing champ things.

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Speaker 1: I do want to note that their championship rings LEXI

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Speaker 1: first WNBA championship rings or I guess championship rings. Ever,

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Speaker 1: that open up and become that. I saw they were

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Speaker 1: designed by black sisters from Brettfire.

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Speaker 2: That's amazing.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I saw it on TikTok, the Jason of Beverly Hills.

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Speaker 3: TikTok I said, oh wow, I looked at my championship

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Speaker 3: ring and said, oh.

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Speaker 1: I looked at my championship ring flaky and shine. I

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Speaker 1: don't want that lex about us.

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Speaker 3: Those rings were gorgeous and looks something about that sea

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Speaker 3: foam color like it just makes everything just seems so

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Speaker 3: like elite. I don't know, that's like such a like

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Speaker 3: a cute different color that you don't ever really see anywhere.

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Speaker 1: Really, Yeah, it's and it was all up and through

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Speaker 1: the arena, it was beautiful. But on the court, I

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Speaker 1: want to talk about Natasha Cloud because she really stuck

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Speaker 1: out to me. My manager actually called her what she

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Speaker 1: call her like a pit bowl or like that kind

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Speaker 1: of energy, like you could tell that she really has

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Speaker 1: a chip on her shoulder from she was upset that

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Speaker 1: she wasn't on the ballot for Defensive Failure of the

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Speaker 1: Year last year, and she obviously was upset by her

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Speaker 1: trade situation, but to be in New York with that

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Speaker 1: fan base that was totally behind her and to have

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Speaker 1: a little bit of her hand on everything on both

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Speaker 1: sides of the floor. She definitely made an impact in

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Speaker 1: her first game.

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Speaker 3: I think the thing about Tash that is very underrated

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Speaker 3: is her adaptability to different situations. I have never seen

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Speaker 3: her on a team where she doesn't immediately become the

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Speaker 3: vocal leader, the presence, and the commander in chief of

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Speaker 3: that team. And she doesn't do it in like a star.

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Speaker 3: This my shit now, like I'm here, I'm taking it.

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Speaker 3: It's like she plays a certain way and she demands

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Speaker 3: a certain type of energy from everybody around her, and

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Speaker 3: everyone just like gravitates towards her. So I feel like

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Speaker 3: she like took the Liberty, who are always already an

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Speaker 3: excellent team, and brought them up to a whole new level.

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Speaker 3: Tash is going to be a Hall of Famer. I'm

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Speaker 3: pretty sure she will be. She's a WNBA champion. I

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Speaker 3: got to play with her and athletes unlimited. I love

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Speaker 3: being on the court with her. This whole moment this

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Speaker 3: season for her, I think is so special because she

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Speaker 3: deserves it and she earns it. And I can't remember

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Speaker 3: what year it was, but when she played the Liberty

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Speaker 3: and the playoffs and almost willed her team to beating

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Speaker 3: the Liberty by herself.

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Speaker 2: She gain the respect from that organization.

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Speaker 3: So for her, and I'll be part of that organization,

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Speaker 3: I know that has given her like a whole extra

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Speaker 3: ounce of energy that she didn't even really need. But

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Speaker 3: Natasha Cloud with a battery in her back is a terrifying,

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Speaker 3: scary Natasha Cloud. But I'm so happy for her that

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Speaker 3: she's in that situation and she played well and she

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Speaker 3: fit right in, and I think that's something that everybody

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Speaker 3: obviously had questions about. It is like, how is she

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Speaker 3: going to fit in with this group that's already won

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Speaker 3: a championship very easily clearly, So shout out to the Liberty.

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Speaker 2: Steuwie had a great game. JJ had a great.

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Speaker 1: Stewie dropped twenty five on ten or fourteen sears.

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Speaker 3: All three of them, I think two of them had

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Speaker 3: almost double doubles, and then someone.

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Speaker 2: Actually had a double double.

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Speaker 1: So I don't know what.

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00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:46,520
Speaker 3: The stat is on that when the last time three

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00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:49,640
Speaker 3: players on a team had double doubles. But if that's

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Speaker 3: the type of energy the Liberty are playing with, then

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Speaker 3: everyone else needs to tighten up and get ready. To

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Speaker 3: rebound and get ready to defend, because that's also something

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Speaker 3: that we talked about with the Liberty was, you know,

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Speaker 3: defensively they kind of like, we're just gonna outscore you.

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Speaker 3: But now they have that edge on defense now, so

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Speaker 3: this is a dangerous team as well.

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Speaker 2: But we knew that already.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, and it was a lot of obviously I believe

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Speaker 1: it was Stewie. Was it Stuwie or Sabrina that came

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Speaker 1: out and said that they would consider their rivals to

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Speaker 1: be the Aces.

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Speaker 3: I don't know who said that, but that's about somebody

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Speaker 3: said that today.

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Speaker 2: That sounds about right.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, that somebody said that today. They were asked who

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Speaker 1: do you think your rivals are in league and they

355
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Speaker 1: said the Aces. It was either Stuwiet or Sabrina. But

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Speaker 1: my point in saying that is.

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Speaker 3: Great because Minnesota over there like day what about.

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Speaker 1: Thank you for ye Anyway, there was obviously people take

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Speaker 1: I don't know if it's because y'all are women or

360
00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:44,480
Speaker 1: whatever it is, but take that sort of fire between

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Speaker 1: two teams as almost oh they don't like each other.

362
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Speaker 1: But being there, it just felt it was so competitive.

363
00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:52,520
Speaker 1: It was like on the court. It was something that

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Speaker 1: we criticize the men's side a little bit for now, like,

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Speaker 1: oh okay, we don't want to see all on podcasts

366
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Speaker 1: and kumbaya and everything when you're on the court. Y'all

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Speaker 1: can do that later. And it was so funny because

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Speaker 1: it was like as soon as the game tipped off,

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Speaker 1: it was like, I'm ready to rip your head off,

370
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Speaker 1: Like the physicality is insane. I've never watched that close

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Speaker 1: besides like All Star the All Star Game, and you

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Speaker 1: don't get to see the true physicality in an All

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Speaker 1: Star game. But I was sitting right behind the Aces

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Speaker 1: bench and to just see the way, like it gets

375
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Speaker 1: so physical, the way that they're talking to each other.

376
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Speaker 1: I don't think Tosh stopped chirping at the Aces from

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Speaker 1: the time the game began to win the Fat Lady second.

378
00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:35,440
Speaker 2: That sounds about the entire time.

379
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Speaker 3: But it's crazy because people are being super critical about

380
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Speaker 3: the physicality and the super competitiveness of our game. But

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00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:47,560
Speaker 3: like being a part of this league for eight years,

382
00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:51,880
Speaker 3: like there's so much love and respect between players inside

383
00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:55,800
Speaker 3: those lines, and I think that's why we're able to

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Speaker 3: compete and be physical at such a high level because

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Speaker 3: there is that respect level. I have to give you

386
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Speaker 3: my best are you gonna whoop my ass?

387
00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:03,040
Speaker 2: And vice versa.

388
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Speaker 3: So I think that's something that's so special that that

389
00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:08,359
Speaker 3: needs to be celebrated more and it doesn't need to

390
00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:12,000
Speaker 3: result in multiple think pieces or oh, she doesn't like

391
00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:14,000
Speaker 3: this one, she doesn't like that one. No, not everybody

392
00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,800
Speaker 3: is besties, but this is a competition at the end

393
00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:19,680
Speaker 3: of the day, like everyone's trying to win at the

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Speaker 3: end of the day. Like I said, the energy from

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00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:24,359
Speaker 3: this season, and I think people I need people to

396
00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:28,240
Speaker 3: be reminded that almost the entire league are free agents

397
00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:33,800
Speaker 3: next year, so almost everybody playing for a new contract.

398
00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:36,080
Speaker 1: Wow, that's a great point.

399
00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:38,280
Speaker 2: So this season is something different.

400
00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:39,879
Speaker 1: You're not only trying to rip the hat off of

401
00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:42,080
Speaker 1: your opponent, but you're also low key trying to impress their.

402
00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,800
Speaker 3: Your front office, their front office, the team over an

403
00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:48,000
Speaker 3: air in office.

404
00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:51,439
Speaker 2: Like I will say, I am not one of those players.

405
00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:54,000
Speaker 3: I am under a contract for next year, so this

406
00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,359
Speaker 3: that doesn't apply to me. That doesn't mean I'm going

407
00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:00,440
Speaker 3: to play any less harder than everybody else. But right

408
00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:03,000
Speaker 3: that's like the reality of the situation is like a

409
00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:04,840
Speaker 3: lot of these players, you know, you got.

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Speaker 1: To say that, because otherwise all the comments going to

411
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Speaker 1: be like, oh.

412
00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,560
Speaker 3: Yeah, I want to have a big I want to

413
00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:14,640
Speaker 3: see that new money too, but I won't be able

414
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Speaker 3: to see it until after next year.

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00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:26,280
Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, it is what it is. Let's move on

416
00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:27,960
Speaker 2: to the game.

417
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Speaker 1: As far as people watching, I believe it was what

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00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,439
Speaker 1: it was the most watched w NBA game on ESPN

419
00:19:33,480 --> 00:19:35,560
Speaker 1: platforms ever, which is crazy. There was like two point

420
00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:36,639
Speaker 1: two million people watching it.

421
00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,640
Speaker 3: Shout out to that game though. That's an amazing that's

422
00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,960
Speaker 3: an amazing viewership number. So let's keep that in mind too.

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Speaker 2: How as far as the positive things from this.

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00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:49,720
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, obviously we've already discussed that. We're now Yeah,

425
00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:52,479
Speaker 1: but that is incredible, and I mean they play each

426
00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:54,399
Speaker 1: other four more times, so I'm sure the next one

427
00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:58,280
Speaker 1: will beat it. But anyway, yeah, I'm sure the next

428
00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:01,399
Speaker 1: one will be that. But the Indiana Fever played the

429
00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:05,280
Speaker 1: Chicago Sky and their season opener, Caitlyn Clark had at

430
00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:08,639
Speaker 1: triple double twenty ten to ten. LEXI I'm curious. We

431
00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:11,040
Speaker 1: talked a little bit about this in our season preview episode.

432
00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,119
Speaker 1: Will Caitlyn Clark lead the league and assists again?

433
00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:16,879
Speaker 3: I think so, And I think The next person that

434
00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:22,560
Speaker 3: could probably catch her or be close is surprisingly Alyssa Thomas.

435
00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,560
Speaker 3: Not surprisingly, she was third last year, but her being

436
00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:27,760
Speaker 3: on a new team and getting used to new teammates

437
00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:30,240
Speaker 3: might make that number be a little bit lower or

438
00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:32,400
Speaker 3: it can be a lot higher. I think if we're

439
00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:34,760
Speaker 3: talking about who can lead the league and assists, it's

440
00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,600
Speaker 3: Caitlin Clark is at the top of that list for sure.

441
00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,879
Speaker 3: Her vision, I don't think it could get any better

442
00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:44,400
Speaker 3: from last season, and now she has players that are

443
00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:48,679
Speaker 3: like excellent cutters, movers are always in the right spot.

444
00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:51,040
Speaker 3: She even said it, I think they said it on

445
00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:54,600
Speaker 3: the telecast, like she'll be playing with Natasha Howard and

446
00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:56,000
Speaker 3: then all of a sudden, she gonna look up and

447
00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:57,879
Speaker 3: she's like, dang, when does she get fourteen points? Once

448
00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:00,400
Speaker 3: does she get fifteen points? And that's how to toacha

449
00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:03,000
Speaker 3: how it is always played. She's like a silent assassin.

450
00:21:03,119 --> 00:21:05,159
Speaker 3: She could definitely lead the league and assists. You probably

451
00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:08,000
Speaker 3: can even average more assists this year than last year,

452
00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:10,840
Speaker 3: which would be incredible, But it is definitely possible with

453
00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:11,320
Speaker 3: this team.

454
00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:14,200
Speaker 1: I want to talk about their defense. I have a

455
00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:16,520
Speaker 1: question for you, because you know better than I do.

456
00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,920
Speaker 1: Looking based on the eye test, their defense held Chicago

457
00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:23,840
Speaker 1: to twenty nine percent shooting. Right me, watching, I felt

458
00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:28,720
Speaker 1: like the Chicago Sky's offense really didn't look great at

459
00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:31,600
Speaker 1: any point. But I don't know if that's due to

460
00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:35,200
Speaker 1: the Indiana fever and they have players now that are

461
00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:38,600
Speaker 1: all impacting both ends of the floor, or if this

462
00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:41,040
Speaker 1: is more of an issue with the Chicago skuy Obviously

463
00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:43,720
Speaker 1: they're adjusting to a new coaching staff and everything, but

464
00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:46,240
Speaker 1: if that's more of an issue with something that the

465
00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:49,359
Speaker 1: Chicago Sky need to address going forward, I.

466
00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:53,800
Speaker 3: Think that Indiana added more defensive pieces to their team.

467
00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,119
Speaker 2: Team defense is key.

468
00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,440
Speaker 3: You can have really good individual one on one defenders,

469
00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:04,320
Speaker 3: but if your team isn't synchronized as far as playing

470
00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:06,920
Speaker 3: team defense, and it doesn't matter how good of your

471
00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:10,800
Speaker 3: individual defenders are. With Chicago, it's just one game. I

472
00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:14,080
Speaker 3: don't think anybody needs to overreact. This is a completely

473
00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:18,479
Speaker 3: new roster, new coaching staff, and again, home openers on

474
00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:22,520
Speaker 3: the road are so hard to play in and I

475
00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:25,520
Speaker 3: can't even like the environment, and an Indiana fever home

476
00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:27,760
Speaker 3: opener is probably it was insane.

477
00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:28,320
Speaker 2: We saw it.

478
00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:32,240
Speaker 3: I don't even want to say anything about the Chicago

479
00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,960
Speaker 3: offense or anything like that because it's one game, right

480
00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,840
Speaker 3: and a relatively young team. Yeah, and it's just like

481
00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:42,679
Speaker 3: a lot of new pieces. I mean, I'll bring our

482
00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:46,000
Speaker 3: game up. We lost by thirty two in our first game,

483
00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,120
Speaker 3: and then the next game it was like a completely

484
00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:52,800
Speaker 3: different team emerged. So it just sometimes happens that way.

485
00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:54,560
Speaker 3: You got to get the kings out. You don't really

486
00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:58,360
Speaker 3: know how everyone is going to respond or react, and

487
00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:01,120
Speaker 3: like when the lights are on, not saying that anybody

488
00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:03,720
Speaker 3: responded in a bad way, but it's like a just

489
00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:06,920
Speaker 3: a different energy to different environment. The stakes are high now,

490
00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:11,560
Speaker 3: so I wouldn't overreact to the Chicago offense of woes.

491
00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:15,480
Speaker 3: We had a very similar issue in our whole our first.

492
00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:17,040
Speaker 2: Game of the year, and came back and bounced back

493
00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:17,560
Speaker 2: just fine.

494
00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:19,720
Speaker 3: I think it's more of a credit to the Indiana

495
00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:23,880
Speaker 3: Fever and the team that they put together, because they

496
00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:26,919
Speaker 3: put together a contending team and I think everybody saw that.

497
00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:30,159
Speaker 3: But again, first game of the year, so it's just

498
00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:32,640
Speaker 3: like you can have, you know, think what you want,

499
00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:36,720
Speaker 3: feel what you want, but nothing to really even formulate

500
00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:39,040
Speaker 3: a true opinion on because it's so early in the year.

501
00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:43,119
Speaker 1: Like you said perfectly. The Indiana Fever ar championship contender

502
00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:46,000
Speaker 1: now with two back to back number one picks, which

503
00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:48,040
Speaker 1: I want to get into a Leah Boston's impact in

504
00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:52,240
Speaker 1: a second, but I just feel like going into a champion,

505
00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:56,560
Speaker 1: a new league championship contending rosters arena on opening night,

506
00:23:57,240 --> 00:23:59,920
Speaker 1: especially with a player like Caitlin Clark with the select

507
00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:03,359
Speaker 1: that she has and all the buzz surrounding her, it

508
00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:06,720
Speaker 1: would be hard for any team, especially a team that's

509
00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:08,879
Speaker 1: in more of a rebuilding sort of mode with the

510
00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:12,080
Speaker 1: new coaching staff and trying out new things. Like we

511
00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,960
Speaker 1: talked about this in our preseason video, like talking about

512
00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,000
Speaker 1: what to look forward to for every single team. So

513
00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:22,280
Speaker 1: they're just adjusting. Lexi said, let's not overreact. I do

514
00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:26,360
Speaker 1: want to ask, because obviously Caitlyn is that girl and

515
00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:29,320
Speaker 1: triple double probably will lead the league in a sayes

516
00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:33,040
Speaker 1: as you said, but Aliah Boston, they had a number

517
00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:35,960
Speaker 1: one pick the year before Caitlyn. If y'all don't know,

518
00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:40,040
Speaker 1: which is crazy. Aliah Boston, if you could explain to

519
00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:43,879
Speaker 1: our audience, what is a Leah Boston's impact on the

520
00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:44,639
Speaker 1: Indiana Fever.

521
00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:49,720
Speaker 3: I think she just brings just an energy in the paint,

522
00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,880
Speaker 3: but she's not super paint dominant anymore. We saw her

523
00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:57,200
Speaker 3: picking and popping, we saw her hitting threes. She's catching

524
00:24:57,240 --> 00:24:59,879
Speaker 3: those passes that she was getting used to from last season.

525
00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,000
Speaker 3: Her growth from last year this year already has been

526
00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,200
Speaker 3: super impressive, and she looks like she's having a lot

527
00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:08,080
Speaker 3: of fun out there, and I think that's also really important.

528
00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:10,760
Speaker 3: They brought some veterans in to probably take a little

529
00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:13,440
Speaker 3: bit of that load off of her leadership wise, because

530
00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,680
Speaker 3: she is absolutely a leader of that team. But when

531
00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:19,399
Speaker 3: you bring in veterans like Dewanna Bonner and Natasha Howard

532
00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,119
Speaker 3: and Sophie Cunningham who know what it's like to be

533
00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:25,040
Speaker 3: on winning teams and make deep playoff runs, I think

534
00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:28,480
Speaker 3: it makes Eliah's job a lot easier. This team is

535
00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:31,560
Speaker 3: like following the trajectory of the Vegas team that was

536
00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,080
Speaker 3: able to get a few number one picks back to back,

537
00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:37,840
Speaker 3: add some pieces in free agency, and then decide to

538
00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:40,840
Speaker 3: whoop up on the entire league for a few years.

539
00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:45,040
Speaker 3: So some being fun exactly, and it just seems like

540
00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:46,760
Speaker 3: that might be the formula.

541
00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:48,159
Speaker 2: I think you can't.

542
00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:53,439
Speaker 3: Yes, you can buy super teams, you can buy talented teams,

543
00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:55,720
Speaker 3: but sometimes they can in fact be built, and I

544
00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:57,879
Speaker 3: think that's what the Aces showed us. The Fever are

545
00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,520
Speaker 3: showing this right now. And then also we have to

546
00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:02,960
Speaker 3: shout out de Wanna Bonner now that we've mentioned her

547
00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:08,160
Speaker 3: on becoming third all time leading score in WNBA history,

548
00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:12,200
Speaker 3: which is amazing, just just third behind Tina Charles and

549
00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:15,119
Speaker 3: Diana Tarassi. So we want to give dB her flowers

550
00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:18,120
Speaker 3: because that is not an easy feat. That's a lot

551
00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:20,560
Speaker 3: of buckets, that's a lot of points, and she's a

552
00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:24,000
Speaker 3: two time champion, six time All Star, three times six woman,

553
00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:29,040
Speaker 3: multiple All wnbas and almost had seventy five.

554
00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:30,120
Speaker 2: Hundred career points.

555
00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,520
Speaker 3: So shout out to Dewanna Bonner because that's something that

556
00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:35,880
Speaker 3: shouldn't be glazed over at all.

557
00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:38,560
Speaker 2: That's such an amazing achievement.

558
00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:40,240
Speaker 3: And the way the Fever went out of their way

559
00:26:40,240 --> 00:26:44,920
Speaker 3: to make sure she got that number on opening night.

560
00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,800
Speaker 2: That's people. Oh they was stat chasing that. No, that's

561
00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:48,800
Speaker 2: a team.

562
00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:52,200
Speaker 1: Having a player like that on your roster, That impact

563
00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:56,280
Speaker 1: goes far beyond the stat sheet and to have that

564
00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:58,879
Speaker 1: for your two number one picks. Back and back, you

565
00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:01,480
Speaker 1: mentioned Ali Kit taking on that role of a leader,

566
00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:04,560
Speaker 1: that could have been a little harder for her last year.

567
00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:08,399
Speaker 1: Anybody going from being the leader in college and being

568
00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,640
Speaker 1: like top dog to coming into the w where it's

569
00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:13,879
Speaker 1: already new for you and your number one pick and

570
00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,400
Speaker 1: you're the rookie beer also expected to lead. I remember

571
00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:18,440
Speaker 1: Earlia talking about last year she had to get off

572
00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:21,919
Speaker 1: social media and she had to refocus. And so to

573
00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:24,359
Speaker 1: see her smiling and laughing even about something it's funny,

574
00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:26,719
Speaker 1: is like getting that tech in the post game, like

575
00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,320
Speaker 1: is so incredible. So to see her shining and to

576
00:27:29,359 --> 00:27:31,679
Speaker 1: see like this team chemistry, I feel like it's going

577
00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:32,399
Speaker 1: to be really fun.

578
00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:36,760
Speaker 3: Also, yeah, it's starting early, but again long season, but

579
00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:37,680
Speaker 3: the Fever look good.

580
00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:39,320
Speaker 2: They look good and dangerous.

581
00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:43,800
Speaker 1: Let's talk about some early overachievers because I already know

582
00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:46,240
Speaker 1: that people are gonna come for us as the season goes.

583
00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:49,280
Speaker 1: Like Lexie said, it's still early, so let's not overreact

584
00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:50,639
Speaker 1: to the first couple of games. But we got to

585
00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:54,719
Speaker 1: give credit where credited. Stack the Washington Mistick. Yep, they

586
00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:57,240
Speaker 1: were projected to be at the bottom of the league

587
00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:59,680
Speaker 1: and are starting off undefeated two and zero at the

588
00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:03,359
Speaker 1: time of us filming this on Tuesday, Brittany sykeses in

589
00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:07,639
Speaker 1: her bag combined forty two points and twelve assists. In

590
00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:12,520
Speaker 1: shout at Kiki Eria Fenn and Sonya starting and producing.

591
00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:15,040
Speaker 1: That's two rookies on their starting line out that are

592
00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:17,960
Speaker 1: not only just starting in the WNBA for the first

593
00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:19,840
Speaker 1: time I've heard, which is crazy.

594
00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:23,919
Speaker 3: Yeah, I want to shout out to a lot of

595
00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:26,679
Speaker 3: the rookies in this league right now because a lot

596
00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:30,160
Speaker 3: of them are coming into these teams and playing very

597
00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:34,040
Speaker 3: important parts in their teams, winning their team's offenses, their defenses.

598
00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:34,639
Speaker 2: So I want to.

599
00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:37,880
Speaker 3: Shout out to this rookie class because they're doing their thing.

600
00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:40,600
Speaker 3: And yes, Sonya and Kiki the way they've come out,

601
00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:43,560
Speaker 3: but like we said, like they came out like sometimes

602
00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:45,760
Speaker 3: the best way to start a season is like with

603
00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:49,280
Speaker 3: no expectations and you get to play more free and

604
00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:51,560
Speaker 3: lean on each other. And we said that the veterans

605
00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:53,000
Speaker 3: are going to have to step up and show what

606
00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:55,760
Speaker 3: they can do. And I'm not surprised Brittany Sykes came

607
00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:57,880
Speaker 3: out hooping like she's been hooping. She's been a hooper

608
00:28:58,000 --> 00:28:59,720
Speaker 3: since I've known her, and I've known her for a

609
00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:03,880
Speaker 3: long time time, so I'm not surprised by Sykes coming

610
00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:07,160
Speaker 3: out playing the way she's playing. I think Sonya was

611
00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:10,240
Speaker 3: one of the most underrated players in college basketball the

612
00:29:10,280 --> 00:29:15,040
Speaker 3: last few seasons. She's so smart, she's so efficient, she's

613
00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:19,360
Speaker 3: deceivingly athletic as hell. And then Kiki, I think, you know,

614
00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:21,880
Speaker 3: sometimes you play in college and sometimes your game is

615
00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,280
Speaker 3: pro ready, and you can't really see that in the

616
00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:25,240
Speaker 3: college atmosphere.

617
00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:26,520
Speaker 2: You know, the spacing's different.

618
00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:28,880
Speaker 3: You know, you have a lot more stars, like she's

619
00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:32,320
Speaker 3: playing next to Juju Watkins like you probably. And then

620
00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:35,200
Speaker 3: every time Juju was having an off game or after

621
00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:38,360
Speaker 3: even she got injured, Keke picked up all that slack,

622
00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:41,680
Speaker 3: so she showed glimpses of her ability to score the

623
00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,440
Speaker 3: ball and rebound the ball throughout her college career. So, yes,

624
00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:48,600
Speaker 3: it's they are overachieving, for sure, but we always say

625
00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:50,800
Speaker 3: everybody's in this league for a reason. Those are two

626
00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:55,560
Speaker 3: first round picks, so I'm not completely surprised at their start, but.

627
00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:57,480
Speaker 2: They'll see if they can keep it going.

628
00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:00,400
Speaker 3: But now you get these first two games are kind

629
00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:03,920
Speaker 3: of like a fake thing because no one has your offense,

630
00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:06,920
Speaker 3: no one knows your defenses. You're like, not no one

631
00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,640
Speaker 3: has scouted you, really yet so when we get into

632
00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:12,760
Speaker 3: like the ten fifteen game mark, that's.

633
00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:14,800
Speaker 2: When everybody's gonna have multiple games played.

634
00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:18,520
Speaker 3: Offensive calls are going to be scouted, you know, And

635
00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:21,680
Speaker 3: that's when teams start to separate themselves, when it becomes

636
00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:24,280
Speaker 3: the chess match that we was talking about. But shout

637
00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:26,720
Speaker 3: out to the mystics. It's always nice to prove people

638
00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:29,200
Speaker 3: wrong and that's always fun. So I know that they're

639
00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:30,440
Speaker 3: having a good time doing that.

640
00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:36,400
Speaker 1: Let's talk about the Los Angeles sparks. Okay, Kelsey Plumb,

641
00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:39,560
Speaker 1: Now I do want to mention when I saw her

642
00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:42,080
Speaker 1: roll up in that suit, I should have known something

643
00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:46,840
Speaker 1: was about to go down. But thirty seven points, granted,

644
00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:48,320
Speaker 1: I just want to set the scene for y'all for

645
00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:50,360
Speaker 1: one second, because Lexi, you know I'm dramatic and I

646
00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:54,440
Speaker 1: love storyline. This is the Valkyrie's first game ever. Ever,

647
00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:56,680
Speaker 1: this was supposed to be about very much about that,

648
00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:00,920
Speaker 1: and that's already history in and of itself inaugural game.

649
00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:04,200
Speaker 1: But for Kelsey Plum to walk in first game with

650
00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:07,840
Speaker 1: a new team, put up thirty seven points in her debut,

651
00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,320
Speaker 1: and it'd be the most points scored ever in a

652
00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:13,720
Speaker 1: WNBA opener is in.

653
00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:15,560
Speaker 2: Shout out Kelsey Plum.

654
00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:19,360
Speaker 3: If y'all watched her in college at all, this version

655
00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:21,560
Speaker 3: of her is what you're used to seeing.

656
00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:24,240
Speaker 2: I think that credit to her.

657
00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:28,280
Speaker 3: For stepping into a role to win championships, and sometimes

658
00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:31,480
Speaker 3: you're like, okay, like that was fun. I won championships.

659
00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:33,440
Speaker 3: You know, I built my resume, I learned a lot.

660
00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:36,520
Speaker 3: But now I want to go maybe win some championships

661
00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:37,840
Speaker 3: over here a different way.

662
00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:40,920
Speaker 2: So, you know, shout out to her for standing on business.

663
00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:43,760
Speaker 3: Essentially, first game of the year, she coming in saying

664
00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:48,080
Speaker 3: this is a new Sparks era starring me Kelsey Plum.

665
00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:49,400
Speaker 1: I love that.

666
00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:52,640
Speaker 3: But again, like you saw glimpses of this scoring in

667
00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:55,520
Speaker 3: Vegas when she had the opportunity. She's someone that likes

668
00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:57,040
Speaker 3: to have the ball in her hands. She's such a

669
00:31:57,080 --> 00:31:59,160
Speaker 3: really good she's a really good ball handler, she's a

670
00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:02,600
Speaker 3: great finisher, and she's lefty. So there's always like some

671
00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:05,560
Speaker 3: special about them lefties. I wish I was left handed

672
00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,880
Speaker 3: because the way they play basketball is like a little unorthodox,

673
00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:12,160
Speaker 3: and it's always like it just looks sexier to me

674
00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:13,160
Speaker 3: left handed player.

675
00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:15,080
Speaker 2: Really, Yeah, like I always love.

676
00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:18,080
Speaker 3: Watching lefties play basketball because it's like it's just so

677
00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:21,240
Speaker 3: different and because usually they're probably being taught by a

678
00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:23,720
Speaker 3: right handed person. But yeah, if you ask anybody about

679
00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:25,760
Speaker 3: left handed players, like one of the first things people say,

680
00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:28,640
Speaker 3: it's always like always a little unorthodox looking, but like

681
00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:30,600
Speaker 3: that's like one of my favorite parts about left handed

682
00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:37,440
Speaker 3: players is that it's just different and they're different from them, Like, yeah, exactly.

683
00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:40,160
Speaker 1: I'm like right and watching anybody do anything with their

684
00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:41,120
Speaker 1: left handed like.

685
00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:41,800
Speaker 2: Yeah exactly.

686
00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:43,680
Speaker 3: So like even when they do things, like even when

687
00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:47,040
Speaker 3: I'm like watching Skyler do some stuff left handed, it

688
00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:49,720
Speaker 3: still looks even though that's her dominant hand, it still

689
00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:52,760
Speaker 3: looks cooler because it's her left hand, even though that's

690
00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:54,720
Speaker 3: her dominant hand. So like I'm like, damn, I wish

691
00:32:54,800 --> 00:32:56,600
Speaker 3: I was left handed, and maybe everything.

692
00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:57,360
Speaker 2: I would do look cooler.

693
00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:00,000
Speaker 3: But the sparks they you can tell that Kelsey's gonn

694
00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:02,959
Speaker 3: be the focal point of that team. Just two games

695
00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:05,000
Speaker 3: one and one, So that's a great way to start

696
00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:07,480
Speaker 3: the season, especially stealing one on the road.

697
00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:08,680
Speaker 2: That's always a positive.

698
00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:11,920
Speaker 3: So I'm looking forward to seeing if maybe she gonna

699
00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:14,320
Speaker 3: leave the league is scoring, Like I think that's something that's.

700
00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:15,120
Speaker 2: Very doable for her.

701
00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:17,680
Speaker 3: But I know that winning is everything to her, so

702
00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:19,760
Speaker 3: she's gonna do everything she can help that team win.

703
00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:24,320
Speaker 3: So shoutout Kelsey Plumb because thirty seven and your wnbadab

704
00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:26,920
Speaker 3: what a new team is super impressive.

705
00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:30,080
Speaker 1: And going from being somewhere that's that's Asia Wilson's team.

706
00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:30,360
Speaker 3: Yeah.

707
00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:35,000
Speaker 1: Period. If somebody asked me, I got interviewed before the

708
00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:37,560
Speaker 1: opener for the Liberty and they asked me, what's another

709
00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,720
Speaker 1: team that I could see Ajeon and I said that

710
00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:41,600
Speaker 1: they need to change the name to the a Apostrophe

711
00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:43,440
Speaker 1: ce Yes because that's her team.

712
00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:47,600
Speaker 3: Yeah, like that's she that's stamped, Like why would she

713
00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:50,480
Speaker 3: go somewhere else? But shit, we thought that about Lebron

714
00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:52,760
Speaker 3: and Cleveland and we saw happen there.

715
00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:53,920
Speaker 1: So yeah, but that's Cleveland.

716
00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:57,040
Speaker 2: You never know, I don't see different. That's not just

717
00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:59,840
Speaker 2: her team, that's her city, like right.

718
00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:03,240
Speaker 1: But my point in bringing that up is like Kelsey,

719
00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:05,840
Speaker 1: like you said, fit into a certain role that she

720
00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:09,840
Speaker 1: needed to win. But it feels like her reminding everybody.

721
00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:12,920
Speaker 1: It felt like her conditioning her energy. Everything felt different,

722
00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:15,040
Speaker 1: and it felt like her stepping into this new era

723
00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:17,360
Speaker 1: and being like this is my ship, you know what

724
00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:27,600
Speaker 1: I mean? Like this is me. Let's get into the

725
00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:30,040
Speaker 1: Dallas Wings because you had a close and personal look

726
00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:31,799
Speaker 1: at them. I'm sure you guys were scouting them, as

727
00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:34,239
Speaker 1: you said, and got to know this team a lot

728
00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:36,440
Speaker 1: better than any of our listeners probably know. So it's

729
00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:40,360
Speaker 1: going to be really interesting to hear your perspective pagebackers.

730
00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:43,000
Speaker 1: First of all, I do want to say, yeah, she

731
00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:44,920
Speaker 1: had a great game. Listening to the broadcast, though, it's

732
00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:49,399
Speaker 1: so funny because the whole broadcast is like page, Oh

733
00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:52,520
Speaker 1: my god, Page passes, Oh my god, Page, Oh my god,

734
00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:54,680
Speaker 1: Page is running to the left. The whole thing. They're

735
00:34:54,680 --> 00:34:55,920
Speaker 1: watching her the whole time.

736
00:34:56,760 --> 00:35:06,279
Speaker 3: At baby, like everybody Auntie. Everybody is Auntie and she's

737
00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:07,280
Speaker 3: Auntie's baby.

738
00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:10,560
Speaker 2: That's literally. Sure, she had a really good game, but

739
00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:11,239
Speaker 2: I love this for her.

740
00:35:11,239 --> 00:35:14,400
Speaker 1: She had a really good game nineteen and eight in

741
00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:17,399
Speaker 1: her second game. She had some growing pains in her

742
00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:19,480
Speaker 1: first game, but there's a clear upside to her that

743
00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:22,319
Speaker 1: we got to see against Seattle, whether or not it

744
00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:25,680
Speaker 1: ended in a win. She's a rookie getting out the kinks,

745
00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:28,239
Speaker 1: learning a new system, getting used to the physicality of

746
00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:31,480
Speaker 1: the w especially as a focal point of any offense.

747
00:35:31,560 --> 00:35:34,160
Speaker 1: As being paigebackers. What did you see from Page when

748
00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:35,320
Speaker 1: you played them again?

749
00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:36,080
Speaker 2: Rookie?

750
00:35:36,239 --> 00:35:40,000
Speaker 3: She doing some rookie things as expected, but she has

751
00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:44,360
Speaker 3: really good poise. For the most part, we had Gabby

752
00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:47,360
Speaker 3: defending her. Gabby is probably considered one of the better

753
00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:51,040
Speaker 3: defenders in the league. So to even have that as

754
00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:54,040
Speaker 3: your matchup your first season in the league speaks volumes

755
00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:56,000
Speaker 3: to what we all think of Page as a player.

756
00:35:56,760 --> 00:35:59,880
Speaker 3: I think that she plays basketball the right way and

757
00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:03,360
Speaker 3: she's going to be very special in this league. The

758
00:36:03,520 --> 00:36:07,799
Speaker 3: one thing about Dallas is their chemistry, and I think

759
00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:12,320
Speaker 3: that's the only thing. They have three returners from last season,

760
00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:15,759
Speaker 3: I want to say, and then an entire new, entire

761
00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:20,720
Speaker 3: new coaching stuff adding to this chemistry piece. I counted,

762
00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:23,319
Speaker 3: and if I counted correctly, I counted multiple times, but

763
00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:26,279
Speaker 3: I might be off by a few. There are almost

764
00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:30,400
Speaker 3: one hundred players that are either new to the w

765
00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:33,719
Speaker 3: this season or on a new team this season, and

766
00:36:33,800 --> 00:36:38,560
Speaker 3: the Holy Yes, So that's including players that are signed

767
00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:42,319
Speaker 3: that weren't on a team last year, rookies, and then

768
00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:43,760
Speaker 3: people who moved around.

769
00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:46,560
Speaker 2: Over one hundred and there's like almost players.

770
00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:50,560
Speaker 3: Yes, So if y'all are thinking about how crazy that is.

771
00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:54,920
Speaker 3: As far as building chemistry, almost every team except for

772
00:36:54,960 --> 00:37:02,720
Speaker 3: the Liberty and the Links are feeling that chemistry building piece.

773
00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:06,080
Speaker 3: So Dallas is one of the teams that is feeling

774
00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:10,840
Speaker 3: it the most. You have new coaches, new team, number

775
00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:15,080
Speaker 3: one pick, there's a lot of moving parts there. And

776
00:37:15,120 --> 00:37:17,719
Speaker 3: in their defense, like they they kept it a very

777
00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:21,040
Speaker 3: respectable game, Like we got a pretty decent lead and

778
00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:23,799
Speaker 3: they cut it to single digits multiple times, so.

779
00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:28,240
Speaker 2: They were not going on though, like they Yeah.

780
00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:32,360
Speaker 3: They're oning too, but like that squad could be super

781
00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:36,080
Speaker 3: successful this season once they get their chemistry right, once

782
00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:39,120
Speaker 3: they get the rotations right. But both of their games

783
00:37:39,160 --> 00:37:42,200
Speaker 3: Minnesota and Seattle is not an easy first two game

784
00:37:42,719 --> 00:37:46,400
Speaker 3: start to a seasal, and they stayed in both of

785
00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:50,839
Speaker 3: the games with a rookie leading the way. So that's

786
00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:54,440
Speaker 3: like a really positive sign for them. Yeah, like I said,

787
00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:57,319
Speaker 3: I was watching just like y'all, so I had a

788
00:37:57,320 --> 00:37:57,879
Speaker 3: great time.

789
00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:04,479
Speaker 1: I did want to mention, but I will say during

790
00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:07,839
Speaker 1: the broadcast they did mention that there is obviously in

791
00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:11,800
Speaker 1: that game. Seattle was incredible, but I could see some

792
00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:15,960
Speaker 1: three point shooting from my girl Lexi being utilized. That's

793
00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:19,560
Speaker 1: all I'm going to say I'm not, and when they need.

794
00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:21,680
Speaker 2: Me to be there to do that, I will be ready.

795
00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:23,680
Speaker 3: You know why because I have a facility to go

796
00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:25,520
Speaker 3: practice in whenever I want.

797
00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:31,120
Speaker 1: Amen. Sister, Amen, So you gonna be getting buckets up

798
00:38:31,200 --> 00:38:32,359
Speaker 1: that Lexi stay ready.

799
00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:34,880
Speaker 3: That's what they're gonna be saying about you, to stay ready, Alexi,

800
00:38:34,880 --> 00:38:35,720
Speaker 3: stay ready. Brown.

801
00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:37,120
Speaker 2: That really should be my name.

802
00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:41,160
Speaker 1: But I mean, I will say the team did look good.

803
00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:44,400
Speaker 1: It was a good win, and I was entertained. It

804
00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:47,640
Speaker 1: was great, probably because Dallas when was clawing their way

805
00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:48,719
Speaker 1: trying to get back in the game.

806
00:38:48,840 --> 00:38:51,840
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I think for our team, very veteran

807
00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:56,560
Speaker 3: heavy Nekka, like, we don't win that game without Nika's performance.

808
00:38:57,040 --> 00:38:59,360
Speaker 1: Twenty three points and eighteen boards.

809
00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:01,600
Speaker 3: Some of the re she was grabbing, I was like,

810
00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:04,560
Speaker 3: how does she go get that? Where does she come from?

811
00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:07,719
Speaker 3: So she was not playing around, like you do not

812
00:39:07,840 --> 00:39:09,799
Speaker 3: want to start a season zero and two, And I

813
00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:12,120
Speaker 3: felt that in our team, like we have to get

814
00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:15,360
Speaker 3: this win because even like at the beginning of a season,

815
00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:19,200
Speaker 3: whether you have championship aspirations or not, that first win

816
00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:22,279
Speaker 3: is so important and it like gets like a weight

817
00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:25,040
Speaker 3: off your shoulder, no matter what your expectation for the

818
00:39:25,080 --> 00:39:29,920
Speaker 3: season is, like getting that first win like means everything.

819
00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:32,840
Speaker 2: And I think that's how we was feeling.

820
00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:34,640
Speaker 3: And then we don't want to come back to the

821
00:39:34,719 --> 00:39:37,799
Speaker 3: crib for our home opener feeling like trash because we

822
00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:40,200
Speaker 3: went on the road and came back ohing too. That

823
00:39:40,239 --> 00:39:42,480
Speaker 3: was definitely the energy in our locker room was we

824
00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:44,920
Speaker 3: need to tighten up and get this shit done. And

825
00:39:45,120 --> 00:39:47,759
Speaker 3: I felt that from the people on the court to

826
00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:49,960
Speaker 3: the people on the bench. It's great energy, and we're

827
00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:52,640
Speaker 3: all very connected and we're all very locked in. A

828
00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:55,840
Speaker 3: lot of communication goes on amongst each other with the

829
00:39:55,840 --> 00:39:58,800
Speaker 3: coaching staff during the game, like everyone is super engaged,

830
00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:02,240
Speaker 3: and that's something that I really enjoy, especially for somebody

831
00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:04,600
Speaker 3: trying to figure out their role on their team, where

832
00:40:04,640 --> 00:40:06,840
Speaker 3: the minutes are going to come from. It's very important

833
00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:09,200
Speaker 3: to stay engaged while these games are going on because

834
00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:11,480
Speaker 3: you really never know what's going to happen. And then

835
00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:13,840
Speaker 3: that's also another reason why I love having this show

836
00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:16,840
Speaker 3: is I was going to be locked into these games,

837
00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:19,879
Speaker 3: everybody's games and our games anyway, but like now I'm

838
00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:21,840
Speaker 3: like I'm at like another level.

839
00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:23,040
Speaker 2: Of locked into what's going on.

840
00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:25,560
Speaker 3: So not only am I going to be prepared for

841
00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:27,279
Speaker 3: our games, like I might be able to help with

842
00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:30,360
Speaker 3: some scattering reports in the future because I would be

843
00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:33,759
Speaker 3: watching everybody's games. But I love watching basketball, so like

844
00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:37,120
Speaker 3: that's not even a problem for me. But coming back

845
00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:40,040
Speaker 3: one and one, stealing one on the road always very important.

846
00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:42,440
Speaker 3: And yeah, I'm excited. This season is going to be

847
00:40:42,440 --> 00:40:45,319
Speaker 3: really fun for us. Whether I play a lot a

848
00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:47,800
Speaker 3: little bit, like, I don't care, Like I'm just really

849
00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:52,200
Speaker 3: still very happy being in Seattle and most really.

850
00:40:51,960 --> 00:40:52,799
Speaker 2: My health is good.

851
00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:57,000
Speaker 3: So before anybody starts asking questions about oh she not, well, no,

852
00:40:57,280 --> 00:40:57,760
Speaker 3: I'm fine.

853
00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:00,400
Speaker 2: It's a long season. We got forty two games left.

854
00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:04,560
Speaker 1: Nah, stay ready, Likexi that there is never going to

855
00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:08,400
Speaker 1: be a basketball game in which or a basketball team

856
00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:12,239
Speaker 1: or whatever in which shooting is not necessary, and that

857
00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:16,960
Speaker 1: is something that you always add. So just know, y'all,

858
00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:18,440
Speaker 1: stay ready ready Blexi Brown.

859
00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:21,000
Speaker 3: I'll be on the court soon, hopefully, guys. I promise.

860
00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:24,160
Speaker 1: No, I'm not worried about that, Likexi, I'm not worried

861
00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:27,120
Speaker 1: about it all. Skyler actually was saying that she feels

862
00:41:27,120 --> 00:41:29,280
Speaker 1: like the Seattle team is the best team she's been Yeah,

863
00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:31,000
Speaker 1: and you spoke about this when you guys were in

864
00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:34,000
Speaker 1: training camp that the team is so deep and there's

865
00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:36,560
Speaker 1: so many ways that you can play with that roster

866
00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:37,880
Speaker 1: and what the roles are, and as long as the

867
00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:41,160
Speaker 1: communication is there with the coaching staff, with your teammates,

868
00:41:41,480 --> 00:41:43,560
Speaker 1: I feel like everything works.

869
00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:45,880
Speaker 3: Out and we all know what our expectations are of

870
00:41:45,920 --> 00:41:48,120
Speaker 3: each other, of ourselves, and you just have to be

871
00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:48,960
Speaker 3: a professional.

872
00:41:49,320 --> 00:41:50,160
Speaker 2: At the end of the day.

873
00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:52,120
Speaker 3: This is our job and you got to show up

874
00:41:52,160 --> 00:41:54,200
Speaker 3: and just do what they ask you to do. And

875
00:41:54,239 --> 00:41:55,880
Speaker 3: that's all I can do, and I'm happy to do

876
00:41:55,960 --> 00:41:59,400
Speaker 3: it because this is my dream and I'm doing what

877
00:41:59,440 --> 00:42:03,640
Speaker 3: I love for living. So that's enough of that before

878
00:42:03,680 --> 00:42:04,120
Speaker 3: we go.

879
00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:07,319
Speaker 1: Yes, let's talk about a team to watch the people

880
00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:10,200
Speaker 1: might be sleeping on, or maybe a game that you Lexi,

881
00:42:10,280 --> 00:42:12,560
Speaker 1: because now we're keeping up, y'all. I have net like

882
00:42:12,640 --> 00:42:16,040
Speaker 1: this is my first year really, Like obviously I kept

883
00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:17,840
Speaker 1: up last year because I covered it with Hoops for Hotties,

884
00:42:17,840 --> 00:42:19,279
Speaker 1: But with this I happened to keep up with Lexi

885
00:42:19,320 --> 00:42:21,480
Speaker 1: and her analysis has been so different. So what is

886
00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:23,759
Speaker 1: a game that you're circling for next week?

887
00:42:23,840 --> 00:42:28,239
Speaker 3: Our rematch against Phoenix because they beat our ass, so

888
00:42:29,239 --> 00:42:33,479
Speaker 3: rematch for the home opener for us, I'm looking forward

889
00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:38,239
Speaker 3: to that game and then definitely just wanting to see

890
00:42:38,239 --> 00:42:40,760
Speaker 3: how the Sky bounced back from their game. I always

891
00:42:40,840 --> 00:42:43,160
Speaker 3: like seeing teams, you know, if they have a disappointing

892
00:42:43,200 --> 00:42:46,359
Speaker 3: loss or something, how they respond. That shows a lot

893
00:42:46,360 --> 00:42:49,960
Speaker 3: about a team, even though it's early. So I'm looking

894
00:42:49,960 --> 00:42:53,240
Speaker 3: at our home opener on Friday and then the Sky's

895
00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:57,640
Speaker 3: next game just to see how they bounce back from

896
00:42:57,640 --> 00:42:58,960
Speaker 3: the game they had over the weekend.

897
00:42:59,239 --> 00:43:04,399
Speaker 1: For sure, I'm definitely interested to keep my eyes on Dallas,

898
00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:09,120
Speaker 1: just because we did this last year with Caitlin, like

899
00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:11,400
Speaker 1: in her first few games in the W getting use

900
00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:14,279
Speaker 1: to the physicality, defenses being focused on her, that sort

901
00:43:14,320 --> 00:43:16,759
Speaker 1: of thing, and everybody's like, she she's not going to

902
00:43:16,800 --> 00:43:19,160
Speaker 1: be able to do the things she did in college

903
00:43:19,200 --> 00:43:21,360
Speaker 1: and the W which ducked like, it's not gonna be

904
00:43:21,360 --> 00:43:22,280
Speaker 1: the exact same.

905
00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:22,960
Speaker 2: But I'm curious.

906
00:43:23,080 --> 00:43:25,960
Speaker 1: I'm ready for page to have one of those pagebackers

907
00:43:26,040 --> 00:43:28,799
Speaker 1: games for the first time in the W and so

908
00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:30,319
Speaker 1: I'm really excited about that.

909
00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:32,719
Speaker 3: I mean, low key last night was one of the

910
00:43:32,920 --> 00:43:34,680
Speaker 3: it was it was for low Key.

911
00:43:34,920 --> 00:43:35,520
Speaker 1: It wasn't a win.

912
00:43:35,640 --> 00:43:37,759
Speaker 2: It wasn't a win, and so that kind of spoils it.

913
00:43:37,840 --> 00:43:42,000
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think, yeah, when she has one of them games, like,

914
00:43:42,880 --> 00:43:47,200
Speaker 3: that's gonna be a very exciting moment for women's basketball

915
00:43:47,239 --> 00:43:49,920
Speaker 3: and for her. Did you see her dad like crying

916
00:43:50,560 --> 00:43:53,560
Speaker 3: during they like were they were like interviewing him during

917
00:43:53,560 --> 00:43:56,000
Speaker 3: their first game and he was like he was like

918
00:43:56,000 --> 00:43:58,640
Speaker 3: I already cried when she was warming up, and he

919
00:43:58,760 --> 00:43:59,960
Speaker 3: almost cried on camera.

920
00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:02,240
Speaker 2: It was like the cutest thing I've ever seen.

921
00:44:02,320 --> 00:44:04,960
Speaker 1: Well, they're about to change her they're her hometown's name

922
00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:05,880
Speaker 1: to Page Wreckers.

923
00:44:06,400 --> 00:44:09,360
Speaker 3: When she plays it, like yeah, like when they go

924
00:44:09,440 --> 00:44:12,200
Speaker 3: play mini, like, that's gonna be probably a super special

925
00:44:12,239 --> 00:44:13,080
Speaker 3: moment for her too.

926
00:44:13,360 --> 00:44:15,160
Speaker 1: Yeah, but I don't see I don't foresee it being

927
00:44:15,200 --> 00:44:15,719
Speaker 1: the best game.

928
00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:19,400
Speaker 3: Okay, you never know when is that game even? Oh

929
00:44:19,640 --> 00:44:21,960
Speaker 3: it's the next one. Oh it's their next game.

930
00:44:22,040 --> 00:44:24,399
Speaker 2: Yeah oh yeah yeah.

931
00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:26,440
Speaker 3: If Page goes for thirty, I want to be surprised.

932
00:44:26,960 --> 00:44:29,759
Speaker 3: But again, this is another they're they're a team that

933
00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:30,880
Speaker 3: needs to get that monkey off.

934
00:44:30,920 --> 00:44:31,759
Speaker 2: They back a win.

935
00:44:32,320 --> 00:44:35,600
Speaker 1: So it's against the thinks thirty everybody?

936
00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:37,680
Speaker 2: Is it a pro for a reason Forriyah?

937
00:44:38,080 --> 00:44:41,719
Speaker 1: You never know how that's true, but not.

938
00:44:41,760 --> 00:44:44,040
Speaker 2: Playing though they're not, but they're not absolutely not.

939
00:44:44,040 --> 00:44:47,200
Speaker 1: Obviously, you guys, we're getting away. We've been getting away

940
00:44:47,400 --> 00:44:49,279
Speaker 1: from doing this a little bit throughout training camp in

941
00:44:49,320 --> 00:44:52,919
Speaker 1: the preseason just because we've been talking for hours about

942
00:44:52,960 --> 00:44:55,240
Speaker 1: every single team. So if you haven't seen those episodes,

943
00:44:55,280 --> 00:44:58,000
Speaker 1: go watch them because they're still relevant obviously going into

944
00:44:58,440 --> 00:45:01,279
Speaker 1: the early part of the w BA. But I want

945
00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:03,960
Speaker 1: to get into giving away our flowers for this week,

946
00:45:04,000 --> 00:45:07,760
Speaker 1: whether that's to your player of the week, Lexi, a coach,

947
00:45:07,840 --> 00:45:10,160
Speaker 1: a person in your life, whatever the case may be,

948
00:45:10,719 --> 00:45:12,480
Speaker 1: who do you want to give your flowers to this week?

949
00:45:12,760 --> 00:45:15,480
Speaker 3: I'm giving my flowers this week to all of our

950
00:45:15,560 --> 00:45:20,520
Speaker 3: athletes unlimited people that are on rosters this season. Currently,

951
00:45:20,560 --> 00:45:24,839
Speaker 3: there are fifteen athletes unlimited players that played in this

952
00:45:24,960 --> 00:45:29,440
Speaker 3: past season that are on rosters right now and thirty

953
00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:33,960
Speaker 3: total former and current AU players in the WNBA right now.

954
00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:36,839
Speaker 3: So I want to give my AU girls, former and

955
00:45:36,920 --> 00:45:40,560
Speaker 3: current their flowers because this is not an easy league

956
00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:44,720
Speaker 3: to make, and you spending a whole month with us

957
00:45:45,160 --> 00:45:47,920
Speaker 3: in Athletes Unlimited is super special. You don't have to

958
00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:50,960
Speaker 3: do it, and you're helping us build this organization and

959
00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:53,480
Speaker 3: this brand. So I'm very appreciative to all of you.

960
00:45:54,000 --> 00:45:56,279
Speaker 3: Whether you played one year or you've been here since

961
00:45:56,320 --> 00:46:00,680
Speaker 3: the beginning, you are greatly appreciated and very happy for

962
00:46:00,719 --> 00:46:03,520
Speaker 3: everybody that is on a roster this summer because it's not.

963
00:46:03,560 --> 00:46:07,520
Speaker 1: Easy and I want to give my flowers to I

964
00:46:07,520 --> 00:46:10,080
Speaker 1: feel like last season we had a lot of conversations

965
00:46:10,120 --> 00:46:12,200
Speaker 1: that's why we started the show about the coverage of

966
00:46:12,239 --> 00:46:14,520
Speaker 1: the league, and while it's not perfect and there are

967
00:46:14,520 --> 00:46:18,200
Speaker 1: definitely people out there covering it still a bit irresponsibly

968
00:46:18,239 --> 00:46:22,920
Speaker 1: in my opinion, there's a lot of people, specifically black women.

969
00:46:23,280 --> 00:46:25,680
Speaker 1: I was at the Liberty's home opener that I saw

970
00:46:25,800 --> 00:46:29,319
Speaker 1: there covering it, and last night there was a black

971
00:46:29,360 --> 00:46:32,239
Speaker 1: woman doing the sideline reporting at your game. And just

972
00:46:32,400 --> 00:46:36,520
Speaker 1: so many people, new voices in the space, or voices

973
00:46:36,560 --> 00:46:38,040
Speaker 1: that have been around that have been covering the game

974
00:46:38,080 --> 00:46:40,880
Speaker 1: forever before it was necessarily cool or the hot button

975
00:46:40,920 --> 00:46:43,360
Speaker 1: thing to do that are really getting their flowers and

976
00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:46,719
Speaker 1: their TV time, and they have podcasts where they speak

977
00:46:46,719 --> 00:46:48,480
Speaker 1: about it in a positive way. I just wanted to

978
00:46:48,520 --> 00:46:51,040
Speaker 1: shout out that because I do want you guys to know,

979
00:46:51,160 --> 00:46:53,200
Speaker 1: don't get bogged down if you see any sort of

980
00:46:53,280 --> 00:46:55,480
Speaker 1: quote unquote negative coverage of the WU because there are

981
00:46:55,520 --> 00:46:58,719
Speaker 1: places like this, or there are shows that are covering it,

982
00:46:58,960 --> 00:47:02,000
Speaker 1: or they are broadcast and watch that don't feel like that,

983
00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:03,719
Speaker 1: that do want to push the game board and are

984
00:47:03,840 --> 00:47:06,560
Speaker 1: very positive, and so they're out there. I want you

985
00:47:06,680 --> 00:47:08,239
Speaker 1: to tune into them so that we can get them

986
00:47:08,280 --> 00:47:10,160
Speaker 1: to those high places, so they are the voices that

987
00:47:10,200 --> 00:47:12,120
Speaker 1: we're paying more attention to and talking about them.

988
00:47:12,280 --> 00:47:15,240
Speaker 2: Absolutely, Yeah, I love that.

989
00:47:15,280 --> 00:47:18,080
Speaker 1: A lot of beautiful black women female faces covering the

990
00:47:18,160 --> 00:47:20,040
Speaker 1: league this year, and so I wanted to shout.

991
00:47:19,800 --> 00:47:20,640
Speaker 2: Shout out to y'all.

992
00:47:20,640 --> 00:47:24,319
Speaker 3: We appreciate y'all, and continuing to uplifting this league and

993
00:47:24,400 --> 00:47:30,480
Speaker 3: having mature basketball conversations is what we need to focus

994
00:47:30,520 --> 00:47:33,239
Speaker 3: on and not get, like you said, bocked down and

995
00:47:33,280 --> 00:47:36,279
Speaker 3: all the other negativity that seems to be the most

996
00:47:36,280 --> 00:47:39,279
Speaker 3: prevalent things on earth. Because we promise y'all, there are

997
00:47:39,320 --> 00:47:42,480
Speaker 3: people out there that are covering women's basketball the way

998
00:47:42,520 --> 00:47:45,280
Speaker 3: it's supposed to be covered. So we're going to try

999
00:47:45,360 --> 00:47:49,120
Speaker 3: our best to keep this place as positive and uplifting

1000
00:47:49,120 --> 00:47:52,960
Speaker 3: as we can and then shed light on other platforms

1001
00:47:53,000 --> 00:47:55,960
Speaker 3: that are doing the same. So I'm really excited for

1002
00:47:56,040 --> 00:47:59,279
Speaker 3: this season. Week one down. Even though it felt like

1003
00:47:59,840 --> 00:48:03,080
Speaker 3: it was a month long, it's only been a few days.

1004
00:48:03,520 --> 00:48:05,840
Speaker 1: Listen, y'all, it's week one of the WNBA season.

1005
00:48:06,000 --> 00:48:08,840
Speaker 3: Keep it cute, cute Okay, THANEP going here?

1006
00:48:09,600 --> 00:48:11,600
Speaker 2: Okay, okay.

1007
00:48:11,880 --> 00:48:14,560
Speaker 1: Thank you guys for tuning in to another episode of

1008
00:48:14,560 --> 00:48:18,879
Speaker 1: Full Circle. Make sure you tune into Lexi's home opener.

1009
00:48:18,920 --> 00:48:22,560
Speaker 2: On I on Friday night. See y'all there, Bye.

1010
00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:25,879
Speaker 1: Y'all, thanks for listening to Full Circle. We'll be back

1011
00:48:25,920 --> 00:48:29,160
Speaker 1: next week with more basketball for the girls. Bye the girls.

1012
00:48:29,480 --> 00:48:30,480
Speaker 2: We want to hear from you.

1013
00:48:30,800 --> 00:48:33,040
Speaker 1: Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and tell us

1014
00:48:33,080 --> 00:48:35,440
Speaker 1: what you want us to talk about. Full Circle is

1015
00:48:35,480 --> 00:48:38,800
Speaker 1: hosted by Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose. Our executive producer

1016
00:48:38,920 --> 00:48:42,440
Speaker 1: is Jesse Katz. Our supervising producer is Grace Fuse. Our

1017
00:48:42,480 --> 00:48:46,520
Speaker 1: producer is Zoe Danklab. Listen to Full Circle on America's

1018
00:48:46,560 --> 00:48:50,160
Speaker 1: number one podcast network, iHeart, open your free iHeart app

1019
00:48:50,160 --> 00:48:52,600
Speaker 1: and search Full Circle with Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose

1020
00:48:52,640 --> 00:48:53,440
Speaker 1: and start listening.