WEBVTT - Mebound, Youbound, Webound with Big Citrus 0:00:00.720 --> 0:00:02.960 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're turning 0:00:03.000 --> 0:00:07.120 trolling into trademarks like Angel Reese. It's Tuesday, June seventeenth, 0:00:07.160 --> 0:00:10.000 and on today's show, Big Citrus is reconvening to discuss 0:00:10.119 --> 0:00:13.480 Misha's trip to this year's athlete Ally Summit, the revolving 0:00:13.520 --> 0:00:16.800 door of WNBA players on short term contracts, and how 0:00:16.840 --> 0:00:20.560 one NWSL team's bold move has us considering the role 0:00:20.560 --> 0:00:24.680 of women's sports and activism going forward. Plus PWHL free 0:00:24.680 --> 0:00:27.639 agency is a go a TimewARP of a schedule, and 0:00:27.680 --> 0:00:31.520 a proven formula that finally determines the gayest team in 0:00:31.560 --> 0:00:39.839 the WNBA. It's all coming up right after this welcome 0:00:39.840 --> 0:00:44.160 back slices. Here's what you need to know today. Let's 0:00:44.200 --> 0:00:47.080 start with the PWHL, where the expansion Draft is done 0:00:47.360 --> 0:00:50.440 and the free agency's signing window is now open. As 0:00:50.479 --> 0:00:53.400 of Monday, all eight teams can begin signing free agents 0:00:53.400 --> 0:00:56.160 and making trades. Just a reminder, free agents were not 0:00:56.360 --> 0:00:59.240 eligible for selection as part of the expansion Draft, so 0:00:59.280 --> 0:01:02.760 we could see a lot of big moves or lots 0:01:02.800 --> 0:01:05.840 of players just resigning with their existing teams. Some of 0:01:05.880 --> 0:01:08.279 the biggest names to keep tabs on are Toronto's Hannah 0:01:08.280 --> 0:01:13.200 Miller and Natalie Spooner, Ottawa's Theresa Venizeva, Boston Susannah Topany, 0:01:13.280 --> 0:01:15.399 and Minnesota's Matti Rooney and Mikayla Cava. 0:01:16.000 --> 0:01:16.600 As of this. 0:01:16.520 --> 0:01:19.600 Recording, there are already reports from the athletics Hailey Salvian 0:01:19.880 --> 0:01:23.400 that Hannah Miller is signing with Vancouver, so it seems 0:01:23.440 --> 0:01:25.920 like we can expect some big news to report soon. 0:01:26.880 --> 0:01:30.280 To the WNBA, there are six, count them, six. 0:01:30.240 --> 0:01:32.840 WNBA games tonight, and wouldn't you know it, the league 0:01:32.920 --> 0:01:35.959 space to mount nicely say you can watch them, just kidding. 0:01:36.319 --> 0:01:38.440 If there's ever a time to borrow your neighbors tablet, 0:01:38.480 --> 0:01:40.800 it's tonight. There are two games at seven pm Eastern 0:01:40.800 --> 0:01:43.360 and three at eight pm Eastern, and one ten pm 0:01:43.440 --> 0:01:44.560 Eastern contest. 0:01:44.800 --> 0:01:46.360 First the seven pm games, the. 0:01:46.280 --> 0:01:47.880 New York Liberty will look to start a new win 0:01:47.960 --> 0:01:49.920 streak when they tip off against the eight and three 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:53.160 Atlanta Dream, while the two and eight Connecticut Sun are 0:01:53.160 --> 0:01:56.120 traveling to the five and five Indiana Fever. Then at 0:01:56.160 --> 0:01:58.720 eight pm, the struggling Las Vegas Aces take on the 0:01:58.800 --> 0:02:01.880 ten and one Minnesota and for a third straight game, 0:02:01.920 --> 0:02:04.520 the Aces are going to be without Asia Wilson. Wilson 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:07.360 was placed in concussion protocol last week. No word yet 0:02:07.400 --> 0:02:10.200 when she's expected to return. Also at eight pm Eastern, 0:02:10.240 --> 0:02:12.519 the Red Hot Golden State Valkyries are traveling to the 0:02:12.600 --> 0:02:15.400 Dallas Wings, where Page Beckers is back and could have 0:02:15.440 --> 0:02:18.120 a nice little on court reunion with former Yukon teammate 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:20.320 Caitlin Chen, who was re signed by the Balks over 0:02:20.320 --> 0:02:24.000 the weekend. Also at eight Big Citrus bragging rights are 0:02:24.040 --> 0:02:26.960 on the line with Mesha's four and seven Washington Mystics 0:02:27.000 --> 0:02:29.760 taking on my three and seven Chicago Sky. 0:02:30.440 --> 0:02:33.440 Battle of the Struggle Squads. Let's do this, meche. 0:02:33.960 --> 0:02:36.400 Finally, at ten pm Eastern and West Coast battle between 0:02:36.400 --> 0:02:38.840 the La Sparks and the Seattle Storm. We'll link to 0:02:38.840 --> 0:02:40.920 the full WNBA schedule in the show notes so you 0:02:40.919 --> 0:02:43.080 can drop some x's and o's to figure out your 0:02:43.120 --> 0:02:47.320 game viewing plan. The onew team not in action tonight 0:02:47.680 --> 0:02:50.880 the Phoenix Mercury. They're back in action tomorrow against the 0:02:50.919 --> 0:02:53.200 Sun and they're currently enjoying the return of some of 0:02:53.240 --> 0:02:56.680 their biggest names. Alyssa Thomas came back from injury last week, 0:02:56.800 --> 0:03:00.080 followed by the return of Kalia Copper on Sunday. The 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:03.519 Mercury's leading score last season, underwent a knee procedure in May, 0:03:03.520 --> 0:03:06.040 which kept her out for the first eleven games. In 0:03:06.080 --> 0:03:08.240 the mercury seventy six to seventy win over the Las 0:03:08.320 --> 0:03:11.840 Vegas Aces Sunday, Copper played eighteen minutes, recording eleven points. 0:03:12.200 --> 0:03:15.160 Glad to see a backca and not just because you're 0:03:15.200 --> 0:03:16.239 on my fantasy roster. 0:03:17.360 --> 0:03:20.280 A little more w news as Chicago Skystar Angel Rees 0:03:20.320 --> 0:03:24.320 turned in attempted trolling into a money making opportunity. Reese's 0:03:24.320 --> 0:03:27.480 critics have oft claimed that her rebounding numbers are buoyed 0:03:27.480 --> 0:03:31.359 by grabbing her own missus, actually leading reporter Stephen Noe 0:03:31.400 --> 0:03:34.960 to publish a report last season disproving the theory. We'll link 0:03:35.000 --> 0:03:37.320 to that story in our show notes, but as we know, 0:03:37.440 --> 0:03:40.760 folks do their own research. So the trolling has continued, 0:03:41.080 --> 0:03:45.040 including people calling Angels rebounds me bounds. But she turned 0:03:45.080 --> 0:03:48.440 their trash talk into a trademark idea, officially filing to 0:03:48.560 --> 0:03:53.360 trademark the word mee bounds on Saturday for t shirts, sweatshirts, 0:03:53.400 --> 0:03:56.440 and hats, and she posted this video thanking the trolls 0:03:56.480 --> 0:03:57.080 for the idea. 0:03:57.760 --> 0:04:02.000 Whoever came up with the mee bounce thing, y'all ain't 0:04:02.000 --> 0:04:02.280 that up? 0:04:02.280 --> 0:04:05.600 Because rebounds, met mound, cree bound, keep rose brow reading. 0:04:05.560 --> 0:04:06.800 Anything that comes off that board. 0:04:06.880 --> 0:04:07.440 It's fine. 0:04:09.040 --> 0:04:14.760 It's fine, and a brand sire there. Whoever came up 0:04:14.800 --> 0:04:16.440 with that. The trolling I love when I'll do it 0:04:16.440 --> 0:04:18.120 because like the ideas, be good. 0:04:19.040 --> 0:04:21.200 We'll link to the trademark notice and the video in 0:04:21.240 --> 0:04:24.640 the show notes to softball, where we've got two AUSL 0:04:24.680 --> 0:04:28.000 games tonight with all four teams in action in Wichita, Kansas. 0:04:28.279 --> 0:04:30.920 The top ranked Bandits are taken on the number two Talons, 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:34.480 followed by the number three Volts against the last place Blaze. 0:04:34.720 --> 0:04:37.080 We'll link to the full au schedule in the show notes. 0:04:37.120 --> 0:04:38.920 And don't forget to check and see if they're coming 0:04:38.920 --> 0:04:41.440 to a city near you. Remember this first season as 0:04:41.440 --> 0:04:44.080 a barnstorm and tour, so they might be playing in 0:04:44.120 --> 0:04:48.120 your city. We got to take a quick break. When 0:04:48.120 --> 0:04:50.919 we come back, get out the juicer. It's time for 0:04:50.960 --> 0:04:51.800 Big Citrus. 0:04:58.920 --> 0:04:59.919 Welcome back slices. 0:05:00.000 --> 0:05:02.839 It's time to bring Big Citrus back together. 0:05:03.080 --> 0:05:06.760 Producer Mish, how are you? I'm good? Happy to be back. 0:05:07.160 --> 0:05:08.840 Producer Alex feeling good. 0:05:09.480 --> 0:05:11.040 Oh yeah, happy to be here. 0:05:11.560 --> 0:05:13.400 I mean as good as we can be right now, 0:05:13.400 --> 0:05:17.599 which is not great, Bob, But we're here together talking 0:05:17.880 --> 0:05:19.599 and me. I want to hear about this trip you 0:05:19.680 --> 0:05:21.880 just took that looked really awesome. You went out to 0:05:22.000 --> 0:05:24.400 an athlete Ally event, and we've talked about them in 0:05:24.400 --> 0:05:28.960 a past show. Actually, they're a nonprofit LGBTQ athletic advocacy 0:05:29.000 --> 0:05:31.200 group based in the US, and they try to make 0:05:31.200 --> 0:05:35.039 athletic communities more inclusive, less discriminatory, and help athletes to 0:05:35.120 --> 0:05:38.560 advocate for the community and LGBTQ plus equality. 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:40.440 So I want to hear about the trip you took. 0:05:40.480 --> 0:05:41.000 I saw the. 0:05:41.040 --> 0:05:43.520 Little photos from your plane ride, but I want to 0:05:43.560 --> 0:05:43.960 hear more. 0:05:44.480 --> 0:05:48.600 Yes, the athlete Ally Athlete Activism Summit. This has been 0:05:49.480 --> 0:05:51.560 the highlight of my summer so far. And that is 0:05:51.600 --> 0:05:53.040 saying a lot, because I've done a lot of cool 0:05:53.080 --> 0:05:56.880 shit this summer already. But basically, athlete Ally had the 0:05:56.920 --> 0:06:03.000 summit for student athletes for college university administration in outside 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:06.440 of the athletic space and for coaches to come and 0:06:07.600 --> 0:06:10.560 meet in Portland, Oregon and talk about some really important 0:06:10.600 --> 0:06:14.599 topics like nil in that house versus NC DOUBLEA settlement 0:06:14.640 --> 0:06:17.320 and how that affects folks, how to help those kids 0:06:17.320 --> 0:06:20.280 that were in attendance navigate the NIL space, But also 0:06:20.360 --> 0:06:23.880 more important things like what do we do now that 0:06:24.279 --> 0:06:27.919 trans folks are literally under attack in the NC double 0:06:27.960 --> 0:06:30.320 A space, that there are folks who aren't allowed to 0:06:30.320 --> 0:06:32.799 play anymore, folks who are getting cut from teams, folks 0:06:32.800 --> 0:06:35.920 who are seeing repercussions on their college campuses. How can 0:06:35.960 --> 0:06:39.680 we support people in the core community at large, How 0:06:39.680 --> 0:06:44.640 can we take advantage of intersectionality within different identity groups 0:06:44.640 --> 0:06:47.880 and marginalized groups, and how can folks work together to 0:06:47.920 --> 0:06:52.240 make campuses more welcoming spaces and frankly think about the 0:06:52.279 --> 0:06:52.680 future of. 0:06:52.680 --> 0:06:53.599 Sport in a different way. 0:06:53.680 --> 0:06:56.760 There were a lot of really important and really smart 0:06:56.839 --> 0:06:59.960 questions that were asked this weekend by kids and adults alike. 0:07:00.880 --> 0:07:03.839 And I think my biggest takeaway from my experience is 0:07:03.880 --> 0:07:04.159 that the. 0:07:04.200 --> 0:07:06.400 Kids are the kids are gonna be all right. The 0:07:06.480 --> 0:07:07.839 kids are gonna be just fine. 0:07:08.360 --> 0:07:09.920 But to give you an idea of what we did, 0:07:10.360 --> 0:07:14.120 we had this really cool kind of field trip vibe 0:07:14.120 --> 0:07:16.520 going on. We went to a place called Sciomania Lodge. 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:19.440 It's actually in Washington I'd never been to Oregon or Washington, 0:07:19.520 --> 0:07:21.160 so I got to check both those off the list, 0:07:22.200 --> 0:07:23.920 and so we were in there. We had big group 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:26.840 sessions with folks like Lesia Clarendon, who was on a 0:07:26.880 --> 0:07:30.840 panel talking about masculinity and how that's affected their journey 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:34.440 as an athlete. We had folks like coach Jackie j 0:07:34.640 --> 0:07:37.520 who we just had on the podcast talking about Yeah. 0:07:37.520 --> 0:07:39.280 I got to spend a lot of one time with 0:07:39.840 --> 0:07:43.200 both Jackie and Lesia and talk about, you know, the 0:07:43.200 --> 0:07:46.960 different ways they're trying to have impact and advocate for 0:07:47.000 --> 0:07:49.880 the things that they want to advocate for, and all 0:07:49.880 --> 0:07:53.240 in all, it was just it was cathartic, you know 0:07:53.280 --> 0:07:55.760 what I mean. I think I expected going in for 0:07:55.800 --> 0:07:58.080 it to be more about the kids, and it ended 0:07:58.160 --> 0:08:00.480 up really touching my heart as well, because you know, 0:08:00.800 --> 0:08:03.280 we're all on our own journeys, and I'm on, you know, 0:08:03.320 --> 0:08:05.480 a very specific journey to me with my gender and 0:08:05.520 --> 0:08:07.480 identity and things, and I got to connect with other 0:08:07.520 --> 0:08:10.840 folks who feel that same way and had the same 0:08:10.960 --> 0:08:13.960 kind of questions and thoughts and struggles and challenges, and 0:08:14.040 --> 0:08:16.200 so all in all it was wonderful. We got to 0:08:16.240 --> 0:08:20.000 go on a hike through Skimania's trails. 0:08:19.680 --> 0:08:21.520 Was about a two mile hike. It was gorgeous. 0:08:21.520 --> 0:08:22.880 I don't know if either of you have ever been 0:08:23.360 --> 0:08:27.119 into the mountains in Washington, but I've just never seen 0:08:27.680 --> 0:08:28.360 anything like that. 0:08:28.400 --> 0:08:30.239 I'm talking with the snowcaps. Yeah. 0:08:30.280 --> 0:08:33.640 Like I actually when I was in Switzerland posted photos 0:08:33.679 --> 0:08:35.960 and someone was like, you know, it's not quite the same, 0:08:35.960 --> 0:08:38.559 but if you go to Washington, there's like areas of 0:08:38.600 --> 0:08:41.400 the United States that we underappreciate, yea for how much 0:08:41.480 --> 0:08:43.440 they have that similar beauty of the Alps. 0:08:43.480 --> 0:08:44.880 And it really made me want to go there. So 0:08:44.920 --> 0:08:48.320 I'm jellyfish yes. From from the plane to actually being there, 0:08:48.480 --> 0:08:50.880 it was. It was remarkable. It was remarkable. 0:08:51.240 --> 0:08:53.080 Wait to have a quick question for you, because you 0:08:53.120 --> 0:08:55.760 talked about how you really seem to learn from both 0:08:55.760 --> 0:08:58.080 the students and the people who were running the panels 0:08:58.080 --> 0:09:01.560 and the conversations. Is there a specific conversation that stands 0:09:01.559 --> 0:09:03.760 out to either a question that no one really had 0:09:03.760 --> 0:09:07.319 an answer to but really made you think, or something 0:09:07.360 --> 0:09:09.439 where someone offered up a solution that you were like, wow, 0:09:09.480 --> 0:09:10.320 I never thought about that. 0:09:10.920 --> 0:09:15.760 Absolutely. I just mentioned that masculinity panel. It was about 0:09:15.840 --> 0:09:21.080 all the ways masculinity has affected both CIS and transigender 0:09:21.160 --> 0:09:24.319 career non binary folks in the sports space and the 0:09:24.360 --> 0:09:29.240 ways masculinity is shaped in our adolescence, how that can 0:09:29.280 --> 0:09:31.600 affect the way we move in the world and in 0:09:31.679 --> 0:09:32.160 our sport. 0:09:32.600 --> 0:09:35.440 Are you speaking about masculinity as a quality that can 0:09:35.480 --> 0:09:36.600 be held by any gender? 0:09:36.800 --> 0:09:37.040 Yes? 0:09:37.320 --> 0:09:40.440 Okay, yes, absolutely, And I think that was a big 0:09:40.520 --> 0:09:42.800 root of the conversation, right, A big bullet point in 0:09:42.840 --> 0:09:45.320 there is that masculinity doesn't belong to. 0:09:45.440 --> 0:09:48.719 Just a concept, it's just theer. 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:51.880 Indeed, And I think I was really touched by Lesia 0:09:51.920 --> 0:09:55.640 Clarendon's openness and willingness to be really transparent, which we 0:09:55.679 --> 0:09:56.760 expected nothing less. 0:09:56.640 --> 0:09:59.840 Right is just that's that's what he's known for. 0:10:00.120 --> 0:10:03.560 But I was really touched by a question an athlete 0:10:03.640 --> 0:10:08.520 named Maggie asked a non binary athlete asked, lay, how 0:10:08.520 --> 0:10:12.240 do you exist in the in between when everybody in 0:10:12.280 --> 0:10:15.840 your life wants an answer to your identity questions and 0:10:16.679 --> 0:10:19.719 you don't have one, And that is okay to you, 0:10:19.800 --> 0:10:21.360 but it's not okay to other people who want to 0:10:21.360 --> 0:10:23.480 put you in a box. How do you protect your 0:10:23.520 --> 0:10:28.839 peace and also educate folks and bring them into your world? 0:10:28.880 --> 0:10:30.720 To the level that you want them to be in 0:10:30.760 --> 0:10:34.400 your world. And Lay was just really open and honest 0:10:34.400 --> 0:10:37.760 about the fact that even at thirty five, thirty six, 0:10:37.800 --> 0:10:41.280 however old Lay is, it's still hard, right, But there's 0:10:41.280 --> 0:10:44.600 so much power and so much creativity and so many 0:10:45.920 --> 0:10:48.680 answers we can get just from trans and gender career 0:10:48.760 --> 0:10:51.360 people who are living in that intersection. 0:10:51.920 --> 0:10:53.480 So yeah, that really touched me. 0:10:54.080 --> 0:10:56.080 I'm actually really interested in this too, because I think 0:10:56.160 --> 0:10:58.760 when I was growing up, there was so little conversation 0:10:58.880 --> 0:11:05.240 about gender and presentation and identity that it felt like 0:11:05.720 --> 0:11:08.559 even if you weren't unsure of your identity, I was 0:11:08.600 --> 0:11:10.840 sure I was a woman and a girl, but I 0:11:10.880 --> 0:11:13.840 was so frustrated by the expectations for girls that I 0:11:13.920 --> 0:11:16.920 often had a friend and we would literally joke about 0:11:16.920 --> 0:11:18.800 how we were like, let's start something new, called it 0:11:19.000 --> 0:11:21.240 where we can be whatever the hell we want and 0:11:21.320 --> 0:11:22.160 play sports. 0:11:22.440 --> 0:11:23.920 We made little cards as a joke. 0:11:24.000 --> 0:11:25.720 I think we were in like fourth grade or fifth grade, 0:11:25.760 --> 0:11:28.120 and we were like already aware of how bullshit it 0:11:28.160 --> 0:11:30.000 was that we were expected to be certain things and 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:30.439 we weren't. 0:11:30.440 --> 0:11:31.960 We were really funny and outgoing. 0:11:31.960 --> 0:11:34.080 We wanted to play sports all the time, we didn't 0:11:34.080 --> 0:11:36.520 want to have to wear skirts to certain events. And 0:11:36.880 --> 0:11:38.800 it wasn't because I thought I wasn't a girl, but 0:11:38.840 --> 0:11:41.319 it was because I knew what a girl was was bullshit. 0:11:42.320 --> 0:11:44.400 And it's interesting and it will be interesting to see 0:11:44.400 --> 0:11:48.120 how kids these days either are able to truly embrace 0:11:48.120 --> 0:11:51.079 an identity that's more complicated or just be the identity 0:11:51.080 --> 0:11:55.680 that's simple and easy but feels more open and less restrictive. 0:11:56.120 --> 0:11:58.880 Yeah. And the last thing I'll say on this point 0:11:59.040 --> 0:12:02.280 is the part of that question that really touched me 0:12:02.440 --> 0:12:04.520 that Maggie asked was that I was about to raise 0:12:04.520 --> 0:12:06.760 my hand and asked the exact same question. And this 0:12:06.840 --> 0:12:09.120 kid is this kid is twenty one? Yeah, you know 0:12:09.200 --> 0:12:10.960 what I mean, I'm damn near thirty. I know you're 0:12:10.960 --> 0:12:13.800 gonna call me a baby again. Okay, insert crying noise. 0:12:13.840 --> 0:12:15.480 All right, but it's. 0:12:15.360 --> 0:12:17.679 Only someone who's a couple of years away from thirty 0:12:17.800 --> 0:12:19.080 says I'm damn near something. 0:12:19.120 --> 0:12:21.920 Meanwhile, I try to go in reverse, I'm. 0:12:21.760 --> 0:12:23.040 Also damn near thirty. 0:12:23.600 --> 0:12:27.680 Okay, in the opposite Yeah, all right, But it was 0:12:27.760 --> 0:12:30.400 just moments like that that really brought, you know, filled 0:12:30.480 --> 0:12:32.240 my cup and I want to give a shout out 0:12:32.280 --> 0:12:35.000 to all the folks who organize that, from Hudson who's 0:12:35.000 --> 0:12:39.400 the founder executive director, to Sydney Fellow, William and Mary 0:12:39.440 --> 0:12:43.000 Alum who had the logistics on Locke at f Ujah, 0:12:43.960 --> 0:12:47.000 Anna Bathe, doctor Anna Bath, excuse me, doctor joe Lyne, 0:12:47.080 --> 0:12:50.679 Jordan Lexton, everybody who was involved in making that such 0:12:50.679 --> 0:12:51.760 a wonderful experience. 0:12:52.520 --> 0:12:54.320 And you got to see Jenny at the sports bra 0:12:54.559 --> 0:12:56.680 and I got to see Jenny at the sports Brau. 0:12:56.720 --> 0:12:59.640 I had never been to those Jelly Braga y'all. You 0:12:59.720 --> 0:13:01.640 got to get their aceet a sip. 0:13:01.960 --> 0:13:05.560 All right, Misha, someone that has ten states left on 0:13:05.600 --> 0:13:10.280 my list, of which Oregon and Washington are two. I'm 0:13:10.400 --> 0:13:12.280 very jealous of that entire weekend. 0:13:12.920 --> 0:13:14.080 That sounds amazing. 0:13:14.160 --> 0:13:16.040 I'm jealous as you get to do it for the first. 0:13:15.840 --> 0:13:18.320 Time, Alex, Yeah, I want to do it over again. 0:13:19.480 --> 0:13:21.160 All right? What you got for us today? 0:13:21.640 --> 0:13:23.760 I have been thinking a lot as we have been 0:13:23.840 --> 0:13:27.439 celebrating these players that are coming back to the WNBA. 0:13:27.720 --> 0:13:30.959 Caitlin Chen re signing with the Valkyries after getting waived 0:13:30.960 --> 0:13:34.959 earlier this season, Aery McDonald playing three games in Indiana, 0:13:35.320 --> 0:13:38.560 Hayley Jones playing four games, with the Phoenix Mercury. You know, 0:13:38.600 --> 0:13:41.720 these are players that we watched in college. We want 0:13:41.760 --> 0:13:44.040 to have success in the W and then their time 0:13:44.080 --> 0:13:46.600 in the W is cut short because of roster limits. 0:13:47.040 --> 0:13:48.880 And it actually reminded me of a question that we 0:13:48.920 --> 0:13:53.160 got a few weeks ago from Slice Samantha Lee. She wrote, 0:13:53.920 --> 0:13:56.920 love the Show. I have a question about WNBA waving 0:13:56.960 --> 0:14:00.800 players and getting players in on two week injury international 0:14:00.840 --> 0:14:04.320 backfill contracts. Are there players who continue to practice with 0:14:04.400 --> 0:14:06.920 the team and so are in the system to fill 0:14:06.960 --> 0:14:09.920 those roles? How are they paid? Or how do you 0:14:09.960 --> 0:14:12.439 stay in shape, etc. To be ready to fill those 0:14:12.520 --> 0:14:15.440 roles if you're not playing. Is there a lower division league? 0:14:15.520 --> 0:14:19.040 I don't know about. I so appreciated this question because 0:14:19.040 --> 0:14:21.320 it brought me back to my early days of covering 0:14:21.320 --> 0:14:24.720 the W back in twenty twenty one, and I distinctly 0:14:24.760 --> 0:14:27.440 remember I was on a press conference with Cheryl Reeve 0:14:28.200 --> 0:14:31.240 and somebody asked her, Hey, Cheryl, how does it feel 0:14:31.240 --> 0:14:33.960 to go without male practice players for a second straight year? 0:14:34.280 --> 0:14:37.200 Because at that point, the WNBA didn't have male practice 0:14:37.200 --> 0:14:39.880 players coming in. It was still COVID times, and so 0:14:39.920 --> 0:14:41.960 they wanted to just limit the amount of exposure that 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:45.240 players had, and she went on a little rant. I 0:14:45.280 --> 0:14:46.680 don't want to even call it a rant because it 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:50.360 was just a Cheryl Reeve truth to power moment, and 0:14:50.400 --> 0:14:52.320 she talked about how she didn't want to have male 0:14:52.360 --> 0:14:55.040 practice players, that she wanted to have female practice players, 0:14:55.040 --> 0:14:58.200 and that people just assume that they use male practice 0:14:58.200 --> 0:15:01.480 players because men are better. It's actually because they are 0:15:01.480 --> 0:15:04.440 not allowed to use female practice players. And it's a 0:15:04.440 --> 0:15:07.720 little bit convoluted, but essentially the reason does make sense, 0:15:07.960 --> 0:15:13.360 where the WNBA Players Association doesn't want teams stashing players 0:15:13.440 --> 0:15:17.560 as practice players and not paying them, and so. 0:15:17.720 --> 0:15:20.960 They can from going to other teams right exactly where 0:15:20.960 --> 0:15:21.640 they might get paid. 0:15:21.720 --> 0:15:23.720 And so it's one of those things where it makes sense. 0:15:23.800 --> 0:15:25.880 And yet I don't think that the way that it 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:28.880 is being implemented and also the result is fair. In fact, 0:15:28.960 --> 0:15:32.080 I would argue that it is exploiting players. So Cassandra 0:15:32.160 --> 0:15:34.760 Negli of Yahoo Sports wrote a great story We'll linked 0:15:34.760 --> 0:15:36.880 to it in the show notes, and she looked at 0:15:36.920 --> 0:15:41.160 Aary McDonald's journey in the WNBA and how when she 0:15:41.280 --> 0:15:43.840 got cut earlier this season by the Sparks, she went 0:15:43.920 --> 0:15:46.480 home in her childhood bedroom and was working out with 0:15:46.520 --> 0:15:49.160 her brother. And so the reality for these players is 0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:52.040 that when they are not playing on WNBA teams, they 0:15:52.040 --> 0:15:54.600 are paying their own way. They're trying to find free 0:15:54.680 --> 0:15:57.560 gym time, They're looking for old friends and coaches that 0:15:57.600 --> 0:15:59.600 they can work out with because they have to do 0:15:59.640 --> 0:16:02.240 it all on their own. And so then you see 0:16:02.240 --> 0:16:05.560 that Airy got paid just six four hundred dollars for 0:16:05.600 --> 0:16:08.440 three games with Indiana, and it's like the math doesn't 0:16:08.440 --> 0:16:11.400 math here. I hope that it's something that they are 0:16:11.440 --> 0:16:14.800 considering in their current CBA negotiations. I realize that they 0:16:14.800 --> 0:16:17.720 are way bigger fish to fry here, but it feels 0:16:17.760 --> 0:16:20.560 to me like, because these roster spots are so hard 0:16:20.560 --> 0:16:22.920 to make, it almost becomes a pay to play model 0:16:22.920 --> 0:16:25.800 where only the players that are able to kind of 0:16:25.800 --> 0:16:28.400 cobble it together on the back end are able to 0:16:28.640 --> 0:16:30.520 stay in shape to get. 0:16:30.360 --> 0:16:31.240 Those call ups. 0:16:31.640 --> 0:16:35.720 Cassandra also interviewed the Dream General manager to ask, Hey, 0:16:36.080 --> 0:16:38.360 as a GM, how are you dealing with calling in 0:16:38.400 --> 0:16:40.680 these players? And he basically said he has two lists. 0:16:41.000 --> 0:16:43.040 One of the players that he knows our state side 0:16:43.280 --> 0:16:45.920 that could be on a flight in ten hours in 0:16:46.040 --> 0:16:49.120 order to get to tomorrow's game and then also his 0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:52.160 additional list of players if they have more time. So 0:16:52.680 --> 0:16:56.800 anyway to answer your full question, Samantha, it's not a 0:16:56.840 --> 0:16:59.160 fair system as it works right now, and part of 0:16:59.160 --> 0:17:02.320 the reason is that WNBA rosters are capped at twelve players, 0:17:02.440 --> 0:17:05.520 which is not nearly enough to meet a team's full 0:17:05.600 --> 0:17:06.639 season long needs. 0:17:07.400 --> 0:17:09.720 Yeah, when players get hurt instead of being able to 0:17:09.760 --> 0:17:11.560 go to a bench that should be deep enough to 0:17:11.560 --> 0:17:13.320 be able to have the players that are there every 0:17:13.359 --> 0:17:16.480 single day and have been all season get thrust into action, 0:17:16.840 --> 0:17:20.200 they sometimes need to get those hardship players also worth noting, 0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:21.720 and I want to have her on the show. There's 0:17:21.720 --> 0:17:24.200 a woman I've been a handful of times named Fatima 0:17:24.280 --> 0:17:27.879 A and she runs the Women's Premieer Basketball Association, and 0:17:27.920 --> 0:17:31.120 she really wants to try to make this essentially a 0:17:31.160 --> 0:17:34.199 minor league system, a G league type system for the 0:17:34.359 --> 0:17:37.480 w so that there can be a concurrently playing league 0:17:37.520 --> 0:17:40.399 at a lower level that will feed players up and 0:17:40.520 --> 0:17:42.879 back the same way the glegists in the NBA. So 0:17:43.280 --> 0:17:45.120 that'll be worth keeping an eye on and seeing if 0:17:45.119 --> 0:17:48.040 she's able to do that. We actually have so much 0:17:48.080 --> 0:17:50.080 more we can talk about when it comes to WNBA 0:17:50.200 --> 0:17:51.880 policy around a variety of things. 0:17:51.880 --> 0:17:53.280 But thank you for clearing that up. Al. 0:17:53.400 --> 0:17:55.119 We'll get back to you on another one in the 0:17:55.119 --> 0:17:57.719 future too, because I'm sure there's more questions coming in 0:17:57.760 --> 0:18:00.479 from slices. What I want to talk about today was 0:18:00.480 --> 0:18:04.160 something I mentioned on yesterday's show, Angel City FC responding 0:18:04.480 --> 0:18:07.240 to the immigration raids in Los Angeles. At their home 0:18:07.280 --> 0:18:10.679 game against the North Carolina Courage on Saturday. You remember, 0:18:10.720 --> 0:18:14.360 their player's staff and management were wearing Immigrant City T shirts, 0:18:14.359 --> 0:18:17.520 and the team also handed out ten thousand of those 0:18:17.560 --> 0:18:20.639 shirts to fans and flew in one of their owners, 0:18:20.640 --> 0:18:23.240 whose pop star and actress Becky g to read a 0:18:23.280 --> 0:18:25.119 statement before the game. It was also a statement that 0:18:25.160 --> 0:18:27.919 they handed out on cards to all their supporters. It 0:18:28.000 --> 0:18:30.760 read quote, the fabric of this city is made of immigrants. 0:18:30.880 --> 0:18:33.720 Football does not exist without immigrants. This club does not 0:18:33.840 --> 0:18:38.240 exist without immigrants. This was one of a couple different 0:18:38.240 --> 0:18:40.760 things done across the women's sports space in response to 0:18:40.800 --> 0:18:44.120 these raids. Earlier this week, the NWSL Players Association and 0:18:44.160 --> 0:18:46.320 the WNBA Players Association released a. 0:18:46.359 --> 0:18:47.720 Joint statement about the raids. 0:18:48.320 --> 0:18:50.600 Their statement read, in part quote, we stand with all 0:18:50.600 --> 0:18:53.560 people seeking safety dignity and opportunity. No matter where they 0:18:53.640 --> 0:18:55.960 come from or where they hope to go, every person 0:18:56.000 --> 0:18:58.159 deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. We know 0:18:58.280 --> 0:19:01.240 not every situation is simple, but offering compassion should never 0:19:01.240 --> 0:19:01.960 be up for debate. 0:19:02.160 --> 0:19:02.800 End quote. 0:19:03.200 --> 0:19:06.960 Now, neither the WNBA nor the NWSL the leagues themselves 0:19:06.960 --> 0:19:09.640 have issued a statement about the raids or supporting immigrants, 0:19:09.680 --> 0:19:12.719