WEBVTT - Playoffs, Payoffs and Precarious Perspectives 0:00:00.640 --> 0:00:02.920 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're reminding 0:00:02.920 --> 0:00:06.880 you to vote on Fat Bear week. Yeah, we're smashing 0:00:06.920 --> 0:00:09.840 that vote button for Graser, a big old mama bear 0:00:09.840 --> 0:00:11.800 who's trying to beat out all the Chalky Boys to 0:00:11.840 --> 0:00:14.760 defend her title from last year. On today's show, we're 0:00:14.760 --> 0:00:17.360 going to react to two big WNBA semifinal games and 0:00:17.400 --> 0:00:21.320 a weekend of finishes and fines in the NWSL, Celebrate 0:00:21.400 --> 0:00:24.880 Coco's childlike joy, and continue to get your reactions to 0:00:24.960 --> 0:00:27.480 last week's big interview with Christine Brennan. It's all coming 0:00:27.560 --> 0:00:42.160 up right after this Welcome back slices. Happy Monday. Here's 0:00:42.159 --> 0:00:46.319 what you need to know today in WNBA playoff news, 0:00:46.360 --> 0:00:48.640 The New York Liberty beat the Las Vegas Aces seventy 0:00:48.680 --> 0:00:51.600 six sixty two in Game four to take their semi 0:00:51.600 --> 0:00:54.160 final series three to one and eliminate the two time 0:00:54.240 --> 0:00:57.960 defending champs. Big game from Brianna Stewart. She had nineteen points, 0:00:58.000 --> 0:01:00.680 fourteen rebounds, and five assists in the win. Sabrina and 0:01:00.840 --> 0:01:02.760 Escu hot from outside, she hit five of eight from 0:01:02.760 --> 0:01:05.760 beyond the arc for twenty two points and added seven rebounds. 0:01:05.959 --> 0:01:07.640 The difference in this one was a. 0:01:07.600 --> 0:01:11.040 Third period during which Vegas just could not capitalize when 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:13.839 foul trouble sent Johnqwell Jones and Leoni Phoebich to the bench. 0:01:14.120 --> 0:01:16.240 Liberty kept it tight throughout with the subs in, and 0:01:16.280 --> 0:01:18.440 then they used a twenty three to eleven fourth quarter 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:21.479 to pull away and win this one. Asia Wilson nineteen points, 0:01:21.480 --> 0:01:25.199 ten rebounds, five blocks, Kelsey Plump seventeen points. Tiffany Hayes 0:01:25.240 --> 0:01:28.600 added eleven, but Vegas took the loss. Their record twelve 0:01:28.640 --> 0:01:31.319 game home playoff winning streak ended, and so did their 0:01:31.319 --> 0:01:34.640 hopes for a threepeat. You know, props to the Liberty. 0:01:34.920 --> 0:01:36.880 Gonna be fun to keep watching them. I wanted more 0:01:36.880 --> 0:01:39.200 games in this series, and I wanted more Asia Wilson. 0:01:39.280 --> 0:01:41.600 And since she's done, we should take a moment to 0:01:41.640 --> 0:01:42.600 talk about the season we. 0:01:42.560 --> 0:01:43.400 Got from the MVP. 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:47.440 Not just the MVP, Asia Wilson, but All WNBA First Team, 0:01:47.760 --> 0:01:51.520 WNBA All Defensive First Team, WNBA All Star, WNBA single 0:01:51.560 --> 0:01:55.160 season rebound record, first one thousand point season in WNBA history, 0:01:55.280 --> 0:01:56.600 and a gold freaking medal. 0:01:57.120 --> 0:01:59.640 So have a year, Asia, and. 0:01:59.640 --> 0:02:02.320 Maybe now have a vacation because you got to be 0:02:02.400 --> 0:02:04.720 tired from Karen that aces team this season. 0:02:04.840 --> 0:02:05.720 A trip to Miami. 0:02:05.760 --> 0:02:09.520 Perhaps anyway, Aces are going to get some rn R 0:02:09.560 --> 0:02:11.639 while the top seeded Liberty move on. They'll have home 0:02:11.680 --> 0:02:14.960 court advantage in the finals where they will face. We 0:02:15.040 --> 0:02:18.080 still don't know, because the Connecticut Sun beat the Minnesota 0:02:18.120 --> 0:02:20.000 Lynx in a thrilling Game four. 0:02:20.080 --> 0:02:22.520 And that series is going to a game five. On Tuesday. 0:02:22.560 --> 0:02:24.840 Back in Minneapolis, it looked like it was going to 0:02:24.880 --> 0:02:26.360 be lights out for the Sun. They were trailing by 0:02:26.360 --> 0:02:28.600 seven at the half, but they came out fighting after 0:02:28.639 --> 0:02:30.560 the break. They took the lead midway through the third, 0:02:30.840 --> 0:02:32.880 ballooned it up to double digits in the fourth, and 0:02:32.960 --> 0:02:35.480 a late run from Mini that threatened was not enough. 0:02:35.760 --> 0:02:38.840 The Sun hold off elimination, forcing that Game five, and 0:02:38.960 --> 0:02:41.120 Ty Harris was part of the difference. First game back 0:02:41.160 --> 0:02:43.000 for Harris since injuring her ankle in Game one of 0:02:43.040 --> 0:02:45.880 the first round. She's one of those three point threats 0:02:45.880 --> 0:02:48.320 like Marina Maybrey that can go off, and she did 0:02:48.360 --> 0:02:51.600 not disappoint. Twenty points for a new career playoff high 0:02:51.880 --> 0:02:55.120 for Ty Harris. Tjna Carrington the primary defender on Courtney 0:02:55.160 --> 0:02:56.919 Williams for the first time in the series. That made 0:02:56.960 --> 0:03:00.480 a difference and Alyssa Thomas doing Alyssa Thomas things and 0:03:00.560 --> 0:03:03.040 more than Alyssa Thomas thinks because she pulled some fadeaways 0:03:03.040 --> 0:03:05.560 out of her bag, saft touch off the glass, laid 0:03:05.600 --> 0:03:08.160 on some bank shots. I mean she put in work 0:03:08.200 --> 0:03:10.000 and she was doing it against the defensive player of 0:03:10.040 --> 0:03:12.800 the year in the FISA Collier Eighteen points, eight boards, 0:03:12.800 --> 0:03:16.320 eleven assists for Thomas. Her fiancee Dwana Batter went off 0:03:16.360 --> 0:03:19.080 in the second half. She was looking at elimination in 0:03:19.080 --> 0:03:21.000 the face and was like, absolutely not, that is not 0:03:21.040 --> 0:03:23.160 going to happen. Eighteen points and eight rebounds for dB. 0:03:23.680 --> 0:03:26.000 Right after the game, dj A Carrington Hotgun Sports Center 0:03:26.040 --> 0:03:27.799 and she was asked about the boost that her team 0:03:27.880 --> 0:03:30.800 found at halftime to finish that game strong and stay 0:03:30.840 --> 0:03:33.240 in it, and she said, quote, at this point in 0:03:33.280 --> 0:03:35.560 the season, if someone has to tell you to get 0:03:35.640 --> 0:03:38.480 up for an elimination game, then you probably shouldn't be 0:03:38.480 --> 0:03:42.840 in this locker room. End quote heard DJA More. Hoops 0:03:42.880 --> 0:03:46.200 News sad to report that Nika Mule, the former Yukon 0:03:46.240 --> 0:03:48.240 point guard who just finished up her first season with 0:03:48.280 --> 0:03:51.000 the Seattle Storm, tore her left ACL in her first 0:03:51.000 --> 0:03:54.800 game back with Istanbul Bass Club Bashiktash. The injury happened 0:03:54.800 --> 0:03:56.760 when Mule grabbed a loose ball during the third quarter 0:03:56.800 --> 0:04:00.200 of her EuroLeague Super Cup game. Bummed to see but 0:04:00.240 --> 0:04:02.600 the fourteenth overall pick in the W draft is taken. 0:04:02.640 --> 0:04:05.680 The moment in stride, she posted the Instagram quote, anyone 0:04:05.760 --> 0:04:07.800 that knows me knows I work my ass off all 0:04:07.840 --> 0:04:10.240 the time. This time isn't going to be any different. 0:04:10.440 --> 0:04:12.520 I appreciate all the love and support so much. Y'all 0:04:12.520 --> 0:04:14.720 really make this easier for my heart. I'm grateful for 0:04:14.760 --> 0:04:16.680 all the people around me that are true testaments of 0:04:16.720 --> 0:04:19.839 what belief and perseverance can achieve. After being denied hooping, 0:04:20.120 --> 0:04:22.919 this is just another opportunity for me to compete, this 0:04:23.040 --> 0:04:24.040 time against myself. 0:04:24.279 --> 0:04:26.680 Not to be cocky, but that's an easy w End. 0:04:26.600 --> 0:04:29.240 Quote, especially a bummer because Nika sat on the bench 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:31.200 a lot in the W learning in her first season 0:04:31.400 --> 0:04:33.880 and was probably going to use this time in the 0:04:33.880 --> 0:04:36.880 EuroLeague to get some reps in and to get even better. 0:04:37.200 --> 0:04:40.520 Bummed for Unika, wishing you a speedy yet thorough recovery. 0:04:41.000 --> 0:04:42.000 Some more W news. 0:04:42.040 --> 0:04:45.200 Former Dallas wing coo Amber Coox now the Indiana Fever 0:04:45.440 --> 0:04:48.599 COO and GM. She's going to officially join Indiana on 0:04:48.600 --> 0:04:51.240 October twenty eighth. She's also had stints with the Phoenix 0:04:51.279 --> 0:04:53.680 Mercury and the Connecticut Sun, and she's worked with the 0:04:53.760 --> 0:04:56.600 Kansas City Current and the Houston Dash of the NWSL. 0:04:56.960 --> 0:04:59.280 Lynn Dunn, the current GM and former head coach of 0:04:59.279 --> 0:05:02.680 the Fever, now comes senior advisor to Fever Basketball, the 0:05:02.760 --> 0:05:06.200 first in the organization's history. Moving out to tennis, Coco 0:05:06.200 --> 0:05:08.720 Goff defeated Carolina Mohovah in straight sets to win the 0:05:08.800 --> 0:05:12.239 China Open, her second WTA one thousand title and eighth 0:05:12.279 --> 0:05:14.920 career title. GoF becomes the first American woman to win 0:05:15.000 --> 0:05:18.080 Beijing since Serena Williams in twenty thirteen. In the post 0:05:18.080 --> 0:05:20.320 final pressor, GoF reminded us why she's so fun to 0:05:20.400 --> 0:05:23.279 root for. She congratulated Mouhova on her tournament in the 0:05:23.320 --> 0:05:26.880 most Cocoa way ever, saying, quote, congratulations to you, Carolina. 0:05:27.080 --> 0:05:28.960 It's great to see you back on tour. You're such 0:05:29.000 --> 0:05:32.520 an amazing player. You deserve everything. Hopefully we play many 0:05:32.520 --> 0:05:34.719 more finals. I don't want to say I hope some 0:05:34.839 --> 0:05:37.000 go your way, but maybe against someone else they'll go 0:05:37.080 --> 0:05:37.479 your way. 0:05:37.839 --> 0:05:38.440 End quote. 0:05:38.600 --> 0:05:40.760 Coco also posted a picture of the trophy on her 0:05:40.760 --> 0:05:43.520 Instagram story with a caption referring to folks saying that 0:05:43.560 --> 0:05:46.760 she only wins WTA two to fifty tournaments aka lower 0:05:46.839 --> 0:05:50.160 level tournaments, and she wrote, quote she only wins two fifties. 0:05:50.320 --> 0:05:54.320 Womp womp end quote. In response, a fan wrote, Coco 0:05:54.400 --> 0:05:56.560 has the mentality of a five year old. I'm sorry, 0:05:57.040 --> 0:05:57.560 and I thought. 0:05:57.600 --> 0:06:00.640 Coco's response to the fan was beautiful and worth sharing. 0:06:00.680 --> 0:06:04.040 She wrote, Honestly, kids have the best outlook on life. 0:06:04.040 --> 0:06:06.599 They're so positive and creative, so I'll take it. My 0:06:06.680 --> 0:06:09.080 goal this tournament was to play and enjoy tennis as 0:06:09.160 --> 0:06:11.279 much as I did when I was a kid, because 0:06:11.320 --> 0:06:13.120 that's when life was slash is. 0:06:13.120 --> 0:06:16.240 The most fun end quote. I love it. Congrats on 0:06:16.279 --> 0:06:16.480 the win. 0:06:16.560 --> 0:06:20.200 Coco to soccer a few things in the NWSL, and 0:06:20.279 --> 0:06:23.359 let's start with money, because an NWSL investigation found that 0:06:23.400 --> 0:06:26.400 Angel City FC breached the league's salary cap and the 0:06:26.400 --> 0:06:29.279 club received a two hundred thousand dollars fine plus a 0:06:29.320 --> 0:06:32.080 three point deduction in the standings. The three point deduction 0:06:32.200 --> 0:06:35.120 is the largest in NWSL history, and it really hurts 0:06:35.160 --> 0:06:37.440 a team that's battling several others for a playoff spot. 0:06:37.680 --> 0:06:39.960 In addition to the fine end points deduction, also two 0:06:40.040 --> 0:06:43.599 front office members, including team president and CEO Julie Erman, 0:06:43.839 --> 0:06:46.920 have been suspended from quote conducting duties related to any 0:06:46.920 --> 0:06:51.480 player transactions end quote until January. An NWSL news release 0:06:51.480 --> 0:06:54.359 says the violations come from Angel City entering into five 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:58.680 side letters directly with players that affected multi year agreements 0:06:58.680 --> 0:07:01.240 and were not disclosed to the lead league in deals 0:07:01.279 --> 0:07:04.240 that were executed last year. This compensated the players in 0:07:04.279 --> 0:07:06.680 excess of what was reported to the league in their contracts. 0:07:06.920 --> 0:07:09.560 Those undisclosed benefits put Angel City over the salary cap 0:07:09.560 --> 0:07:12.320 by about fifty thousand dollars for four weeks during the season. 0:07:12.640 --> 0:07:14.600 Might not sound like that much, but it feels like 0:07:14.640 --> 0:07:16.760 the NWSL is trying to make an example of them 0:07:16.760 --> 0:07:19.560 because of just how big and dangerous it might get 0:07:19.720 --> 0:07:22.920 if sides keep doing the side deals to get players 0:07:22.920 --> 0:07:26.200 to stick around or sign future deals. NWSL also said 0:07:26.240 --> 0:07:29.600 it's going to conduct annual investigations and audits of player 0:07:29.640 --> 0:07:33.360 spending league wide. In game action, the Pride continued their 0:07:33.360 --> 0:07:35.480 record unbeaten streak with a two nil win over the 0:07:35.480 --> 0:07:39.280 second place Washington Spirit on Sunday. That's twenty three straight 0:07:39.320 --> 0:07:41.920 games without a loss. The win also clinched the first 0:07:42.000 --> 0:07:45.000 National Women Soccer League Shield for the Pride, who secured 0:07:45.000 --> 0:07:48.600 the league's top regular season record with three games remaining. Also, 0:07:48.720 --> 0:07:51.120 Casey Current forward ten which Chewinga tied the record for 0:07:51.160 --> 0:07:53.240 goals scored in a single season. She scored in the 0:07:53.280 --> 0:07:55.080 second minute of a two to zero win over Racing 0:07:55.120 --> 0:07:58.360 Louisville on Saturday. The goal mark Tuwinga's eighteenth of the season, 0:07:58.360 --> 0:08:00.680 which ties the record that Sam Curse with the Chicago 0:08:00.760 --> 0:08:03.720 Red Stars back in twenty nineteen. Sam still got the 0:08:03.760 --> 0:08:06.200 backflips after goals, though I haven't seen a single backflip 0:08:06.200 --> 0:08:08.360 from Chuenga, so I guess something to work on. 0:08:08.560 --> 0:08:09.600 Twina's first chance. 0:08:09.440 --> 0:08:10.840 To break the record and make it her own is 0:08:10.920 --> 0:08:14.160 next Saturday, October twelfth, when the Current traveled to face BAFC. 0:08:14.800 --> 0:08:17.040 More soccer news and we love this news. 0:08:17.160 --> 0:08:21.440 Brazilian and global legend Marta told the Athletics she plans 0:08:21.480 --> 0:08:24.360 to play pro soccer for at least two more years. 0:08:24.400 --> 0:08:25.640 That is a huge sigh. 0:08:25.480 --> 0:08:28.000 Of relief on the heels of her retirement from international 0:08:28.040 --> 0:08:30.200 soccer and after we've already had to deal with the 0:08:30.240 --> 0:08:33.040 retirements of other players like Alex Morgan and Christine Sinclair 0:08:33.080 --> 0:08:36.280 and Kelly O'Hara. Important to note, the Paris Olympic silver 0:08:36.320 --> 0:08:38.960 medalist Marta said she's not sure if she'll remain in Orlando. 0:08:39.320 --> 0:08:41.800 Her current contract with the undefeated Pride is up after 0:08:41.800 --> 0:08:44.440 this season. Also some news we've been hoping here for 0:08:44.480 --> 0:08:47.800 a long time. On Thursday, the FIFA Council pledged a 0:08:47.840 --> 0:08:51.760 recommendation to the International Olympic Committee to expand its women's 0:08:51.800 --> 0:08:54.800 soccer competition to sixteen teams. Now you know, the Olympic 0:08:54.920 --> 0:08:57.400 tourney currently has twelve teams, four fewer than the men. 0:08:57.600 --> 0:08:59.920 The women's tournament started in ninety six with eight teams. 0:09:00.360 --> 0:09:03.200 That number goo to ten and four and twelve in eight. 0:09:03.440 --> 0:09:05.440 It is now FIFA's hope that the switch to sixteen 0:09:05.480 --> 0:09:07.200 teams will be made in time for the twenty twenty 0:09:07.240 --> 0:09:10.160 eight Olympics. In La to volleyball, I just want to 0:09:10.160 --> 0:09:12.079 mention that we are keeping an eye on this San 0:09:12.120 --> 0:09:16.200 Jose State volleyball story. If you haven't heard, this Spartans team, 0:09:16.240 --> 0:09:18.640 who started the season with nine straight wins, has had 0:09:18.720 --> 0:09:21.680 four of their matches canceled recently, and that includes three 0:09:21.679 --> 0:09:24.400 of their Mountain West Conference opponents, Boise State, Wyoming, and 0:09:24.480 --> 0:09:27.880 Utah State all choosing forfeits in league play instead of. 0:09:27.840 --> 0:09:29.319 Competing against them now. 0:09:29.360 --> 0:09:31.560 None of the schools have publicly said why the matches 0:09:31.559 --> 0:09:34.800 were forfeited, but the presence of a reported transgender athlete 0:09:34.800 --> 0:09:36.560 on the San Jose State team is believed to be 0:09:36.559 --> 0:09:39.720 behind the decisions, with her status generating an increasing amount 0:09:39.760 --> 0:09:42.479 of national media coverage despite her having been there. 0:09:42.400 --> 0:09:43.199 For several years. 0:09:43.320 --> 0:09:45.160 We're going to get some good reporting on that, so 0:09:45.320 --> 0:09:46.880 stay tuned for more conversation. 0:09:47.480 --> 0:09:48.240 Little Hockey News. 0:09:48.320 --> 0:09:50.600 USA Hockey announced the roster for the program's three game 0:09:50.679 --> 0:09:54.400 rivalry series against Canada this November. Longtime national team style 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:56.640 Wars Hillary Knight and Kendall Coin Schofielder on the team, 0:09:56.640 --> 0:10:00.480 along with nine current college players. PWHL also have some 0:10:00.520 --> 0:10:03.160 preseason action in November, the league announcing there'll be two 0:10:03.200 --> 0:10:06.080 concurrent mini camps from November nineteenth through the twenty second. 0:10:06.320 --> 0:10:08.920 Montreal Victoire will host the Boston Fleet and Ottawa Charge, 0:10:08.920 --> 0:10:11.720 while Minnesota Frost and New York Sirens will travel to 0:10:11.760 --> 0:10:14.760 the Toronto Scepters. Each team can bring thirty two players 0:10:14.760 --> 0:10:17.280 to the camp to play scrimmages. Final rosters will be 0:10:17.320 --> 0:10:19.360 capped at twenty three active players. 0:10:19.960 --> 0:10:21.480 Finally, some fun news. 0:10:21.240 --> 0:10:24.240 Glamour Women of the Year were announced and Serena Williams, 0:10:24.240 --> 0:10:27.280 Sony Lee, and Allison Felix are among those named. Lee 0:10:27.320 --> 0:10:29.319 battled kidney disease to make it back to the twenty 0:10:29.320 --> 0:10:31.760 twenty four Paris Games and win gold. We told you 0:10:31.800 --> 0:10:34.400 all about that during the Olympics. Serena Williams honored for 0:10:34.440 --> 0:10:37.480 a whole bunch of partnerships and endeavors post retirement, including 0:10:37.480 --> 0:10:40.120 her makeup line Win Beauty, and a venture fund that 0:10:40.200 --> 0:10:42.880 focuses much of its investments in founders who are women 0:10:43.040 --> 0:10:46.040 or people of color. And Felix, well, she won the 0:10:46.040 --> 0:10:49.160 Face of Change Award. Michael McKenzie wrote of Felix, quote, 0:10:49.160 --> 0:10:51.400 she might be retired, but in some ways the Olympic 0:10:51.440 --> 0:10:54.000 track and field legend is just getting started. She's got 0:10:54.000 --> 0:10:57.000 a new baby, a forthcoming memoir, a NonStop commitment to 0:10:57.080 --> 0:11:00.000 mothers in sports, and as a result of her tireless advocacy, 0:11:00.480 --> 0:11:04.440 a twenty million dollar grant from Melinda French Gates end quote. 0:11:04.679 --> 0:11:09.040 Pretty awesome stuff. As the WNBA Playoffs roll on. 0:11:09.080 --> 0:11:10.720 I want to take a quick second for us all 0:11:10.720 --> 0:11:12.000 to learn a little herstory. 0:11:12.320 --> 0:11:14.920 Shall we a little on this day in women's sports? 0:11:15.040 --> 0:11:18.160 So on October seventh, twenty eleven, the Minnesota Links won 0:11:18.200 --> 0:11:21.439 their first WNBA title, defeating the Atlanta Dream seventy three 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:24.600 to sixty seven. Links guard slash forward Simone Augustus named 0:11:24.600 --> 0:11:27.079 Finals MVP after leading the Links to a sweep in 0:11:27.120 --> 0:11:29.200 the best of five series. She put up twenty two 0:11:29.240 --> 0:11:32.280 points seven assists in Game one and a franchise playoff 0:11:32.280 --> 0:11:35.160 record thirty six points in Game two, including fifteen in 0:11:35.200 --> 0:11:38.120 the fourth quarter, then playoff record. Of course, we've seen 0:11:38.160 --> 0:11:40.480 the FISA Kllier do more. Since the Links have won 0:11:40.520 --> 0:11:42.959 four titles total. They're looking for number five this season, 0:11:43.000 --> 0:11:44.880 but obviously they got to win on Tuesday to keep 0:11:44.920 --> 0:11:45.559 their run alive. 0:11:45.840 --> 0:11:46.920 We're going to take a quick break. 0:11:46.960 --> 0:11:48.920 When we come back, we chat about reactions to our 0:11:48.960 --> 0:11:58.400 Christine Brennan interview. Stay tuned, welcome back slices. Like I said, 0:11:58.600 --> 0:12:01.160 lots more WNBA playof talk to come this week. But 0:12:01.200 --> 0:12:03.560 while the text and emails and voicemails are all still 0:12:03.559 --> 0:12:06.360 coming in about our Christine Brennan interview last week, we 0:12:06.400 --> 0:12:08.760 wanted to get into some of your thoughts and also 0:12:08.800 --> 0:12:11.000 some things we heard from folks in the w space too. 0:12:11.280 --> 0:12:13.600 So a couple things have happened since. 0:12:13.320 --> 0:12:15.960 Then, and one of them is if you remember, in 0:12:16.000 --> 0:12:19.440 the interview, Christine Brennan talked about her exchange with Dewanna 0:12:19.480 --> 0:12:22.120 Bonner and kind of patted herself on the back for 0:12:22.280 --> 0:12:24.560 wanting to talk more about it, wanting to share the 0:12:24.559 --> 0:12:27.400 thinking behind her interview with Djane Carrington, and feeling a 0:12:27.400 --> 0:12:29.880 little bit like Bonner wasn't interested in shaking her hand 0:12:29.920 --> 0:12:32.920 or engaging. As it turns out, I heard from two 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:35.720 sources I made sure to confirm with the second that 0:12:35.840 --> 0:12:39.240 Brennan actually filed a complaint to the WNBA about that 0:12:39.360 --> 0:12:43.680 exchange with Dewanna Bonner. Kind of surprising based on how 0:12:43.679 --> 0:12:47.640 she characterized it in the interview with us, but perhaps 0:12:47.679 --> 0:12:49.920 not surprising based on the tenor that she takes in 0:12:49.960 --> 0:12:50.760 some of her work. 0:12:51.000 --> 0:12:52.480 Mesh Alex, I want to bring you in on this. 0:12:52.640 --> 0:12:55.760 That was kind of shocking to hear that she presented 0:12:55.800 --> 0:12:58.520 that as this opportunity for her to engage where she 0:12:58.640 --> 0:13:02.120 was rejected and rather than trying to figure out why 0:13:02.160 --> 0:13:04.079 do Wanna might not want to shake her hand and 0:13:04.120 --> 0:13:04.719 get into it. 0:13:05.040 --> 0:13:06.839 She filed a complaint. What do you make of that 0:13:06.920 --> 0:13:08.160 niche It's. 0:13:08.000 --> 0:13:09.959 Tough to hear, you know what I mean, It's tough 0:13:09.960 --> 0:13:12.439 to hear, especially when it was presented in a certain way. 0:13:13.400 --> 0:13:15.160 I don't know. 0:13:15.320 --> 0:13:18.040 I like to think that we can get past the 0:13:18.679 --> 0:13:20.280 egos of it all and we can get to a 0:13:20.320 --> 0:13:22.560 point where, all right, it's no longer about you're right, 0:13:22.640 --> 0:13:24.520 I'm wrong. It's about what's right for our league and 0:13:24.520 --> 0:13:26.920 what's right for our relationships player. 0:13:26.720 --> 0:13:27.880 To media player. 0:13:27.920 --> 0:13:30.560 It's a fan, you know, the other way around. And 0:13:30.600 --> 0:13:33.319 I'm just it's upsetting that somebody who's been in the 0:13:33.360 --> 0:13:35.960 game this long, who was telling us about all the 0:13:35.960 --> 0:13:38.320 things that she knows about being a journalist journalism one 0:13:38.320 --> 0:13:40.880 O one would then go and do something like that 0:13:40.920 --> 0:13:44.000 and then misrepresent it in an interview that just, I don't. 0:13:43.840 --> 0:13:47.520 Know, it frustrating. It bothered me. It definitely was frustrating. Yeah, 0:13:47.480 --> 0:13:50.400 and Alex, I can't confirm the language. 0:13:50.400 --> 0:13:52.600 I haven't seen the complaint, but the sources told me 0:13:52.640 --> 0:13:56.760 the language was that Dowanna Bonner accosted her again. This 0:13:56.920 --> 0:14:00.160 feels like it's that coded language that we are are 0:14:00.200 --> 0:14:03.600 so concerned with in this league and coded and loaded. 0:14:03.400 --> 0:14:06.280 Coded and loaded. Absolutely, yeah, Well what did you make 0:14:06.320 --> 0:14:06.920 of hearing that? 0:14:07.240 --> 0:14:09.240 What stands out to me about all of that is 0:14:09.240 --> 0:14:12.520 the fact that, similar to how at the end of 0:14:12.559 --> 0:14:16.440 your conversation with Christine Sarah, she was saying, you know, 0:14:16.559 --> 0:14:18.600 come and talk to me. I want to hear from people. 0:14:19.240 --> 0:14:21.440 Maybe she wants quotes for a book, but I don't 0:14:21.440 --> 0:14:24.880 think she's actually listening to what people are saying. And 0:14:24.920 --> 0:14:26.880 even in the story that she re kinded to you, Sarah, 0:14:26.920 --> 0:14:30.400 she's saying, you know, I told Dowana, like here, I'll 0:14:30.440 --> 0:14:32.600 show you a video of the interview that I did, 0:14:32.680 --> 0:14:37.560 as if that would change Douana's opinion. Trust that Dowana 0:14:37.640 --> 0:14:40.880 has spoken to her teammate and is coming at this 0:14:41.040 --> 0:14:44.360 from a place of understanding what she's talking about, as 0:14:44.400 --> 0:14:47.240 opposed to if only you see more of my coverage, 0:14:47.280 --> 0:14:49.320 then you'll understand where I'm coming from. 0:14:49.560 --> 0:14:52.640 It's about talking instead of listening, which is what the 0:14:52.720 --> 0:14:55.200 interview felt like too. Right, Let me give you more 0:14:55.240 --> 0:14:57.880 of my credentials, let me tell you more people who 0:14:57.960 --> 0:14:59.240 are going to be part of the book. Let me 0:14:59.280 --> 0:15:01.120 tell you more of what done instead of let me 0:15:01.200 --> 0:15:04.240 listen to the feedback that you're trying to give to 0:15:04.280 --> 0:15:07.040 see if maybe it will change my perspective on what's happened. 0:15:07.040 --> 0:15:09.880 And we got a lot of great voicemails and emails. 0:15:09.920 --> 0:15:12.200 I've heard from a lot of folks in the space 0:15:12.320 --> 0:15:15.080 and in the journalism space, including some who said that 0:15:15.160 --> 0:15:18.440 their natural reaction was to presume that Christine had been 0:15:18.480 --> 0:15:22.240 sort of wrongly singled out or attacked, only to learn 0:15:22.280 --> 0:15:24.880 more of the context, to listen to our interview and 0:15:24.960 --> 0:15:27.560 feel like they now understood that things were a little different, 0:15:27.560 --> 0:15:29.440 maybe than what they had imagined. I also had a 0:15:29.520 --> 0:15:33.080 chance to talk to some players and some folks who 0:15:33.080 --> 0:15:35.680 had thoughts about the interview, and a couple interesting things 0:15:35.720 --> 0:15:37.640 came out of that that I can share, which is 0:15:38.000 --> 0:15:40.760 that the Associated Press Sports Editors reached out to the 0:15:40.880 --> 0:15:44.240 WNBPA after their statement and wanted to set up a 0:15:44.240 --> 0:15:45.720 call with them to figure out how they can make 0:15:45.760 --> 0:15:48.880 sure that their reporters and editors are doing things well, 0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:51.320 are contributing to the space in a way that's fair, 0:15:51.720 --> 0:15:54.640 are asking tough questions, doing journalism, but doing so in 0:15:54.640 --> 0:15:57.280 a way that understands the context in which they're doing it, 0:15:57.560 --> 0:15:59.760 which I really respected and so did they. 0:16:00.800 --> 0:16:01.040 Also. 0:16:01.160 --> 0:16:04.040 Interestingly, I found out that the NFLPA has reached out 0:16:04.040 --> 0:16:07.880 to the WNBA about their locker room decision making as 0:16:07.960 --> 0:16:10.200 they are pursuing that decision for themselves. We're going to 0:16:10.200 --> 0:16:12.560 get into that topic of locker room access and the 0:16:12.680 --> 0:16:14.880 changing space a little bit later this week, but I 0:16:14.880 --> 0:16:16.600 thought that was interesting too, and it was yet another 0:16:16.640 --> 0:16:17.200 example of. 0:16:17.120 --> 0:16:20.280 The WNBA and the WNBAPA. 0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:22.360 Being sort of ahead of the game in sports, looking 0:16:22.400 --> 0:16:25.760 at a space, looking at interactions with journalists and thinking 0:16:25.840 --> 0:16:28.400 something needs to change or we can do this better. 0:16:29.240 --> 0:16:31.720 And the fact that there are people and there are 0:16:31.800 --> 0:16:35.480 media outlets trying to engage in good faith to say 0:16:35.840 --> 0:16:38.320 what isn't working and why has this been so tense 0:16:38.320 --> 0:16:40.960 and awkward this year is really nice to see and 0:16:41.000 --> 0:16:43.600 they should be called out for doing that. And one 0:16:43.600 --> 0:16:45.160 of the things that came up in the conversation with 0:16:45.160 --> 0:16:46.960 the AP sports editors was how to make sure that 0:16:47.000 --> 0:16:51.760 the headlines of things match the intent of the authors, 0:16:52.200 --> 0:16:54.200 Because if the columnist is the one doing all the 0:16:54.200 --> 0:16:56.440 work showing up to practice, showing up to games, interviewing 0:16:56.480 --> 0:16:58.640 the players, and putting time and effort into having the 0:16:58.720 --> 0:17:00.800 nuance in it, and then the headline is what ends 0:17:00.880 --> 0:17:03.440 up being seen and shared, and that doesn't reflect that 0:17:03.480 --> 0:17:05.800 same nuance that creates some of the issues. 0:17:05.800 --> 0:17:09.120 And we talked about this both all of us. 0:17:09.800 --> 0:17:12.840 You know, part of it is being lazy in coverage 0:17:13.080 --> 0:17:17.240 and letting what's out there on social media like the 0:17:17.280 --> 0:17:19.720 tail wagon the dog. You're supposed to be the one 0:17:19.760 --> 0:17:22.480 that's creating the content and understanding the stories and leading 0:17:22.480 --> 0:17:25.000 the way, not following what's being said on social and 0:17:25.080 --> 0:17:28.640 we heard that from a handful of our listeners. Angelina 0:17:28.800 --> 0:17:31.320 called in with this really excellent thought, So we'll play 0:17:31.320 --> 0:17:31.960 this really quick. 0:17:32.560 --> 0:17:36.159 What my frustration boiled down to, having listened to that 0:17:36.240 --> 0:17:40.000 interview in four parts, because it kept shooting my blood 0:17:40.000 --> 0:17:43.560 pressure up, is that at the core of her defensiveness, 0:17:43.680 --> 0:17:48.119 at the core of her justification for how she's choosing 0:17:48.160 --> 0:17:56.120 to move as a journalist, is an unresolvable contradiction. Repeatedly, 0:17:56.600 --> 0:18:01.080 she said, Twitter's assesspool acts assessed poo, social media dissess 0:18:01.160 --> 0:18:04.160 will be your trolls. I can't control them. I can't 0:18:04.160 --> 0:18:08.520 control how people respond. But she can control how she 0:18:08.680 --> 0:18:12.080 responds to those trolls and the way she has chosen 0:18:12.119 --> 0:18:16.080 to respond to them is by taking their framing, taking 0:18:16.119 --> 0:18:20.400 their narratives, and giving it to you, giving her platform 0:18:20.600 --> 0:18:23.240 to those trolls, giving them a microphone. 0:18:24.400 --> 0:18:28.240 I think that really makes sense, Misha and Alex, that yes, 0:18:28.720 --> 0:18:30.280 you can be a part of the space in part 0:18:30.280 --> 0:18:32.440 by engaging online and seeing what people are talking about. 0:18:32.480 --> 0:18:34.760