WEBVTT - Michele Kang’s Capes with Meg Linehan 0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:02.520 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we'd be 0:00:02.680 --> 0:00:05.400 honored to duck and cover when Caitlin Clark shanks a 0:00:05.480 --> 0:00:08.560 drive on the golf course. It's Thursday, November fourteenth, and 0:00:08.640 --> 0:00:10.119 on today's show, we're going to be joined by the 0:00:10.200 --> 0:00:14.280 athletics Meg Linahan to discuss all things NWSL playoffs, end 0:00:14.320 --> 0:00:17.119 of season awards, and the latest on dronegate and the 0:00:17.160 --> 0:00:20.640 San Diego Wave. Plus a new women's league arrives, Bluer 0:00:20.720 --> 0:00:23.920 skies ahead, and dreaming of a new head coach. It's 0:00:23.920 --> 0:00:34.400 all coming up right after this welcome back slices. Here's 0:00:34.400 --> 0:00:38.640 what you need to know today to the WNBA, the 0:00:38.680 --> 0:00:41.400 Atlanta Dream announced that the franchise's next coach will be 0:00:41.479 --> 0:00:44.600 Carl Smesco. Smesco spent the last twenty three years as 0:00:44.640 --> 0:00:47.400 Florida Golf Coast head coach, leading that program to a 0:00:47.479 --> 0:00:50.400 six hundred eleven and one hundred twelve record and ten 0:00:50.600 --> 0:00:54.240 nc DOUBLEA appearances. Smesco has the third highest winning percentage 0:00:54.240 --> 0:00:57.560 among active coaches in NCAA Division One women's basketball, behind 0:00:57.560 --> 0:01:00.600 only Gino Oriema and Kim Mulkey, and he is actually 0:01:00.640 --> 0:01:03.640 the only coach in Florida Golf Coast women's basketball history. 0:01:03.800 --> 0:01:05.360 He was hired in two thousand and one ahead of 0:01:05.360 --> 0:01:08.080 the team's inaugural season. The Eagles played in Division Two 0:01:08.120 --> 0:01:09.880 from two thousand and two to two thousand and seven 0:01:10.080 --> 0:01:12.520 before moving up to Division One in two thousand and eight. 0:01:12.760 --> 0:01:15.800 In a statement, Smesco said, quote, the w has intrigued 0:01:15.840 --> 0:01:18.000 me as a possibility for a long time. When this 0:01:18.080 --> 0:01:20.319 opportunity came up, it really seemed like the right place, 0:01:20.319 --> 0:01:22.440 in the right time. I had great conversations with the 0:01:22.440 --> 0:01:24.480 general manager and with their ownership, and this is the 0:01:24.520 --> 0:01:27.479 right move for me right now. End quote. Smesco phills 0:01:27.480 --> 0:01:29.880 the void left after the Dream fired Tanisha Wright last 0:01:29.880 --> 0:01:32.160 month after the franchise lost in the opening round of 0:01:32.160 --> 0:01:35.600 the WNBA Playoffs. Shortly after Smasco's hiring was made public, 0:01:35.760 --> 0:01:38.600 Florida Golf Coast announced that former player and current assistant 0:01:38.600 --> 0:01:41.640 coach Chelsea Lyles would become the program's due head coach. 0:01:42.480 --> 0:01:45.959 To soccer and the Canadian drone scandal, which made headlines 0:01:46.040 --> 0:01:49.920 during the Paris Olympics. On Tuesday, Canada Soccer fired coach 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:53.680 Bev Priestman following the conclusion of an independent review. Assistant 0:01:53.680 --> 0:01:57.280 coaches Jasmin Mander and Joseph Lombardi were also fired. All 0:01:57.320 --> 0:02:00.520 three were previously suspended by FIFA for a year and 0:02:00.600 --> 0:02:03.240 sent home from Paris after New Zealand complained about a 0:02:03.280 --> 0:02:05.640 drone surveilling their practice ahead of a group play game 0:02:05.680 --> 0:02:08.840 against the Canadians. The investigation reported that there's no evidence 0:02:08.880 --> 0:02:11.080 that similar surveillance was used at the twenty twenty one 0:02:11.120 --> 0:02:14.480 Tokyo Olympics, where Canada won gold, or that the players 0:02:14.520 --> 0:02:17.120 saw the footage. We'll talk more about those findings later 0:02:17.160 --> 0:02:20.640 in the show with Meglenahan. To the NWSL, the league 0:02:20.639 --> 0:02:23.160 has announced the finalists for its end of year honors. 0:02:23.400 --> 0:02:26.480 The NWSL uses a two round selection process. In the 0:02:26.520 --> 0:02:29.679 first round, players, owners, GMS, coaches and media select the 0:02:29.720 --> 0:02:32.520 nominees using a weighted scale, and fans get to join 0:02:32.560 --> 0:02:35.320 the voting process in the final round. That means your 0:02:35.400 --> 0:02:38.360 voice can be heard by voting for individual awards Best 0:02:38.360 --> 0:02:41.440 eleven First Team and Best eleven Second Team by Friday 0:02:41.480 --> 0:02:44.280 at three pm Eastern. We'll link to the voting site 0:02:44.320 --> 0:02:47.040 in our show notes. As for those individual awards, a 0:02:47.080 --> 0:02:49.600 couple will point out here MVP Race, Kansas City Star, 0:02:49.639 --> 0:02:52.160 Tenwa chewinga winner of the Golden Bood Award for most 0:02:52.200 --> 0:02:54.640 goals during the season, is obviously in the mix. There. 0:02:54.680 --> 0:02:57.520 She's joined by Orlando Prides Barbara Banda and Marta, the 0:02:57.600 --> 0:03:01.240 Washington Spirits Trinity Rodman, and the Portland Thorne Sophia Smith. 0:03:01.600 --> 0:03:04.160 For Rookie of the Year, you've got Washington Spirit midfielder 0:03:04.240 --> 0:03:06.960 Kroy Bethune, who won NWSL Rookie of the Month honors 0:03:07.000 --> 0:03:10.000 four times this season before she got hurt. She's joined 0:03:10.000 --> 0:03:13.000 by Kansas City Current midfielder Claire Hutton and Ali Sentner 0:03:13.040 --> 0:03:15.920 of the Utah Royals. The league also announced the nominees 0:03:15.960 --> 0:03:18.280 for Defender of the Year, Midfielder of the Year, Coach 0:03:18.280 --> 0:03:20.359 of the Year, and Keeper of the Year. We'll link 0:03:20.360 --> 0:03:23.400 to all those nominees in the show notes. Also an 0:03:23.480 --> 0:03:26.840 NWSL news, the Kansas City Current announced that Caitlin Carducci 0:03:26.919 --> 0:03:29.920 is officially the club's GM. Carducci has been working as 0:03:29.960 --> 0:03:33.160 GM in an interim capacity since May after Camille Ashton 0:03:33.240 --> 0:03:36.680 resigned from the post to tennis and to the Billie 0:03:36.720 --> 0:03:39.800 Jean King Cup. The opening tie between Spain and Poland 0:03:39.840 --> 0:03:43.240 on Thursday was postponed to Friday due to severe weather 0:03:43.280 --> 0:03:45.840 that brought heavy rain to the region. In a statement, 0:03:45.960 --> 0:03:48.400 organizers of the event said, quote, this decision has been 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:51.320 made based on guidance from the relevant authorities to ensure 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:56.320 the health and safety of all participants and attendees end quote. Lacrosse, 0:03:56.440 --> 0:03:59.680 The Premier Lacrosse League, an eight team men's league that 0:03:59.800 --> 0:04:02.680 was it in twenty eighteen, announced that it's launching a 0:04:02.760 --> 0:04:05.960 new women's professional league that will begin play next spring, 0:04:06.160 --> 0:04:09.640 starting at the PL Championship Series in February. The women's 0:04:09.720 --> 0:04:12.800 league will initially feature four teams in cities to be announced, 0:04:12.960 --> 0:04:15.960 and has already garnered commitments from top players, including Charlotte 0:04:15.960 --> 0:04:19.880 North and Izzy Skain. College Volleyball, we got a blockbuster 0:04:20.000 --> 0:04:22.880 doubleheader tonight as number two Nebraska takes on number sixteen 0:04:22.920 --> 0:04:26.240 Minnesota eight thirty pm Eastern. For that one, Huskers haven't 0:04:26.279 --> 0:04:29.400 dropped a set since October twenty six. That match will 0:04:29.400 --> 0:04:32.039 be followed by number six Wisconsin facing number twenty three 0:04:32.160 --> 0:04:35.640 USC at eleven pm Eastern. Badgers lead the overall series 0:04:35.680 --> 0:04:38.719 with the Trojans five to three. Both matchups available on 0:04:38.760 --> 0:04:42.880 the Big Ten Network. To the PWHL. Some news that'll 0:04:42.880 --> 0:04:45.760 make gamers pretty happy, the league announced Thursday, it's entered 0:04:45.760 --> 0:04:48.679 a multi year partnership with EA and that the PWHL's 0:04:48.720 --> 0:04:51.560 players and teams will be included in NHL twenty five, 0:04:51.800 --> 0:04:56.280 which launches December fifth. All right, if you listen to 0:04:56.360 --> 0:04:59.040 yesterday's show Slice, as you heard us mention Caitlin Clark 0:04:59.080 --> 0:05:02.560 playing in the Onika, and from the looks of social media, 0:05:02.680 --> 0:05:06.320 she had some six shots and definitely some fire kicks, 0:05:06.720 --> 0:05:08.919 but she also had one notable shank or was it 0:05:08.960 --> 0:05:11.920 a slice right off the opening tee that nearly took 0:05:11.960 --> 0:05:14.239 off the head of a spectator or two? It's twenty 0:05:14.279 --> 0:05:16.320 twenty four, so everyone's got a phone. There are a 0:05:16.320 --> 0:05:18.560 lot of angles of the shot out there, but the 0:05:18.600 --> 0:05:21.920 best one is someone who caught the errant ball screaming 0:05:22.160 --> 0:05:24.640 right at him from the spectator side. So we'll link 0:05:24.680 --> 0:05:27.240 to that video in the show notes. Caitlyn even liked it. 0:05:27.320 --> 0:05:29.560 She commented, this is the greatest video ever. I'm so 0:05:29.720 --> 0:05:32.400 real good stuff. We got to take a break, but 0:05:32.440 --> 0:05:34.240 we wanted to give you some context quick before our 0:05:34.240 --> 0:05:36.840 interview with Meglenahan. Just in case you need it. Here's 0:05:36.839 --> 0:05:39.560 a quick refresher on the current situation involving the San 0:05:39.600 --> 0:05:42.800 Diego Wave. So back in July, former Wave employee Brittany 0:05:42.800 --> 0:05:45.800 Alvarado spoke out against the club and team president Jill 0:05:45.839 --> 0:05:49.159 Ellis on social media, alleging a toxic work environment. She 0:05:49.279 --> 0:05:53.320 was subsequently sued by Ellis for defamation. Last month, Alvarado 0:05:53.360 --> 0:05:55.800 and four other Wave employees filed a lawsuit against the 0:05:55.839 --> 0:05:59.680 team and the NWSL for over fifteen claims, including discrimination, 0:06:00.120 --> 0:06:05.159 sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination. The lawsuit doesn't name 0:06:05.200 --> 0:06:08.080 Ellis as a defendant, but it does include examples meant 0:06:08.080 --> 0:06:10.880 to highlight her role in creating a quote abusive and 0:06:10.920 --> 0:06:13.840 toxic workplace culture end quote. Now, we haven't learned much 0:06:13.839 --> 0:06:15.640 more since the lawsuit was filed, and due to the 0:06:15.680 --> 0:06:18.960 ongoing legal proceedings, the San Diego Wave inn NWSL have 0:06:19.040 --> 0:06:22.080 previously declined to comment on specific claims in the suit. 0:06:22.600 --> 0:06:25.080 We're going to get into all that, plus NWSL, SEMIS 0:06:25.080 --> 0:06:27.720 and more when Meg Lenahan makes her Triumphit return to 0:06:27.760 --> 0:06:38.839 the show That interview's coming up right after this. She's 0:06:38.880 --> 0:06:40.840 a senior writer for the Athletic who covers the US 0:06:40.880 --> 0:06:43.839 women's national team, the NWSL, and all things women's soccer. 0:06:43.880 --> 0:06:47.200 She also co hosts the fantastic weekly podcast Full Time 0:06:47.200 --> 0:06:49.839 with Meg Lenahan. Her wife and her dog have matching 0:06:49.839 --> 0:06:51.919 puffy coats, and she wants to know if you're filling 0:06:51.920 --> 0:06:55.200 out your full time playoff bingo card. It's Meg Lenahan. 0:06:55.360 --> 0:06:56.040 What's up, Meg? 0:06:58.200 --> 0:07:00.599 They do have matching puffy because I also have a 0:07:00.640 --> 0:07:02.920 blue one. I was just not in that particular photo 0:07:02.960 --> 0:07:05.159 slash wearing that coat at that time, but we all 0:07:05.160 --> 0:07:06.200 have blue puffy coats. 0:07:06.240 --> 0:07:08.640 Honestly, I wanted to ask you, and I felt like 0:07:08.680 --> 0:07:10.040 it would only be right if you did, but I 0:07:10.040 --> 0:07:13.120 didn't see photographic proofs. So you know, my reporting duties 0:07:13.160 --> 0:07:15.040 required me to only report on your wife and your 0:07:15.080 --> 0:07:17.280 dog having the same coat. But I'm gonna need a 0:07:17.280 --> 0:07:19.120 shot of all three of you. Please, can we okay? 0:07:19.160 --> 0:07:22.200 I'll work out, Thank you, Thank you. Before we talk 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:24.560 playoff matchups, I want to get into the news of 0:07:24.600 --> 0:07:27.480 the week. Bev Priestman, the coach of Canada women's national team, 0:07:27.840 --> 0:07:30.679 was suspended after the drone surveillance incident at the Paris 0:07:30.720 --> 0:07:34.080 Olympics and was fired on Tuesday after an independent review, 0:07:34.400 --> 0:07:37.840 along with assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi. 0:07:37.880 --> 0:07:40.880 They're also fired Canada Soccer releasing findings of the investigation. 0:07:41.240 --> 0:07:43.080 What did you make of the report that's come out 0:07:43.120 --> 0:07:44.200 and the resulting decision. 0:07:44.480 --> 0:07:46.320 Yeah, I mean I don't think there was anything truly 0:07:46.480 --> 0:07:49.520 surprising in that report. I feel like I was actually 0:07:49.520 --> 0:07:52.640 a little underwhelmed. Also, when you read it's just so 0:07:52.800 --> 0:07:56.080 hilariously redacted, it's like, okay, but we actually know a 0:07:56.080 --> 0:07:58.680 lot of what you've redacted, so thank you. I guess 0:07:58.760 --> 0:08:02.120 like it doesn't really matter, but yeah, I mean it is. 0:08:02.280 --> 0:08:06.280 It is interesting just in terms of clear sort of 0:08:06.480 --> 0:08:09.360 you know, the higher brass at Canada Soccer wasn't really 0:08:09.360 --> 0:08:12.800 aware of it that obviously. I don't think that there 0:08:12.880 --> 0:08:14.720 was a path for any of those three people to 0:08:14.800 --> 0:08:17.440 come back to Canada Soccer even after what happened. But 0:08:17.520 --> 0:08:21.160 I do think the bigger question still is, like have 0:08:21.280 --> 0:08:26.040 they actually gotten to the root of this practice because 0:08:26.080 --> 0:08:29.560 John Herdman wasn't available, like the timing didn't work for 0:08:29.640 --> 0:08:31.680 an interview, and I think that is still kind of 0:08:31.720 --> 0:08:35.000 the number one question hanging out there of who started it, 0:08:35.040 --> 0:08:38.080 Because it's not that I want to like absolve Bev 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:42.640 Priestmen of what happened at the Olympics or in other cases, 0:08:42.920 --> 0:08:46.120 but I just don't want her to like get the 0:08:46.160 --> 0:08:49.720 hook for something that is not just her. And I 0:08:49.760 --> 0:08:51.520 think that there is maybe a chance for an easy 0:08:51.559 --> 0:08:54.240 scapegoat here. And so this is one where it's like 0:08:54.559 --> 0:08:58.400 I would like a yes and out of Canada Soccer, right, 0:08:58.760 --> 0:09:00.520 I would like to see you know, and they I 0:09:00.559 --> 0:09:03.080 think they have kind of promised more, but I don't 0:09:03.120 --> 0:09:05.280 think this can be the end of Canada Soccer trying 0:09:05.280 --> 0:09:11.120 to figure out culturally what enabled this behavior for so 0:09:11.480 --> 0:09:13.280 long and it major targe, like. 0:09:13.360 --> 0:09:17.920 Just again, the audacity is so baffling. 0:09:17.480 --> 0:09:20.040 And the fact that you know, I mean, it was 0:09:20.120 --> 0:09:21.480 kind of a meme at the time, but it's like 0:09:21.480 --> 0:09:23.800 you're gonna spy on new Ze, like you're gonna do 0:09:23.840 --> 0:09:25.720 this and still play like that, okay. 0:09:27.800 --> 0:09:30.320 Right, Yeah, we love a yes and around here. And 0:09:30.400 --> 0:09:32.560 I was feeling the same way reading the results, where 0:09:32.559 --> 0:09:37.480 it was why would someone say Canada Soccer's been doing 0:09:37.480 --> 0:09:40.080 this forever if they haven't. So when the result comes out, 0:09:40.080 --> 0:09:41.560 it's like, yeah, there's no reason to believe the men 0:09:41.600 --> 0:09:44.160 were doing this and that it was existing. I don't know, 0:09:44.320 --> 0:09:47.480 I want more, Yeah, I want more out of this 0:09:47.559 --> 0:09:50.720 to know exactly who knew and who knew? What? Are 0:09:50.760 --> 0:09:53.000 there any wave updates? While we're talking about news, this 0:09:53.000 --> 0:09:55.720 feels like a story that's been sort of boiling, but 0:09:55.760 --> 0:09:58.200 we haven't gotten a lot of progress on exactly what's 0:09:58.200 --> 0:10:00.199 happening for either of the wave or the people accu using. 0:10:00.280 --> 0:10:02.280 Jill Ellis, do you have anything for us on that? 0:10:02.600 --> 0:10:04.680 Yeah, I mean not really. I think now that there's 0:10:04.720 --> 0:10:06.840 a lawsuit in motion, I think that does kind of 0:10:06.960 --> 0:10:09.360 change the scope of reporting. I mean, I think we've 0:10:09.360 --> 0:10:12.880 seen that a few times in the NWSL where lawsuits 0:10:12.920 --> 0:10:16.200 have just actively no one will really talk right and 0:10:16.240 --> 0:10:17.920 like that even comes from a leak point of view. 0:10:17.960 --> 0:10:20.160 So I think, you know, I have been working quietly. 0:10:20.640 --> 0:10:24.040 The part of the challenge of timing as always is 0:10:24.520 --> 0:10:26.839 you know, playoffs and trying to manage all these things 0:10:26.880 --> 0:10:28.600 at the same time. But I think there are stories 0:10:28.640 --> 0:10:31.480 around because again I don't think it's just necessarily a 0:10:31.480 --> 0:10:33.680 wave problem. I think that's the one, to your point, 0:10:33.760 --> 0:10:38.439 that boiled up fastest and hardest. But there are culture issues, 0:10:38.520 --> 0:10:40.880 I think probably in every single front office, because it's 0:10:40.920 --> 0:10:43.240 not just even an nw CELL issue. It's really a 0:10:43.320 --> 0:10:47.880 sports industry issue of like what has been normalized, and 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:50.800 so I think there's even a challenge of just how 0:10:51.320 --> 0:10:54.280 can you resolve some of these issues outside of lawsuits? Right, 0:10:54.280 --> 0:10:57.440 how could you proactively address some of the culture things 0:10:57.440 --> 0:11:01.080 that are probably happening, whether that's I mean straight up 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:03.920 toxic environment, but also just like working conditions in this 0:11:04.000 --> 0:11:09.160 industry are kind of infamously not pleasant, and so I 0:11:09.160 --> 0:11:11.040 think that there's a few different things happening. But when 0:11:11.040 --> 0:11:12.440 it comes to San Diego, I think it is a 0:11:12.440 --> 0:11:16.599 little bit tougher, just because now with a lawsuit ongoing, 0:11:17.320 --> 0:11:20.680 everyone has a lawyer that really does I think, change 0:11:21.240 --> 0:11:25.199 who is willing to talk and why, and like there's 0:11:25.280 --> 0:11:29.120 just it's all risk, no benefit at that point, and 0:11:29.160 --> 0:11:30.120 so that things change. 0:11:30.480 --> 0:11:32.280 I think if you haven't been in a situation like 0:11:32.320 --> 0:11:36.160 that too, it feels right and true to say whatever 0:11:36.160 --> 0:11:37.600 it needs to be done to get the truth out, 0:11:37.640 --> 0:11:39.840 whatever needs to be done to get people held accountable. 0:11:39.880 --> 0:11:42.160 It's easier said than done. I'll tell you from experience 0:11:42.200 --> 0:11:45.360 with the Red Stars. I was getting hounded as the 0:11:45.400 --> 0:11:48.760 public face of the new ownership that had joined and 0:11:48.800 --> 0:11:50.600 why am I not speaking out about stuff? And I 0:11:50.679 --> 0:11:55.360 was getting threatened behind the scenes repeatedly with legal threats 0:11:55.400 --> 0:11:57.600 that I didn't know how true they were. I didn't 0:11:57.600 --> 0:11:58.959 know how real they were. I was told I was 0:11:58.960 --> 0:12:01.000 behold into an NDA, but I never saw it or 0:12:01.040 --> 0:12:03.600 signed it, so I knew somehow that didn't feel legally binding. 0:12:03.800 --> 0:12:05.640 But I don't have the money to have a bunch 0:12:05.640 --> 0:12:08.560 of lawyers fight that either. People don't realize even if 0:12:08.600 --> 0:12:10.320 you're in the right, you have to spend all the 0:12:10.320 --> 0:12:12.880 money on the lawyers to fight the other lawyers, and 0:12:12.920 --> 0:12:15.080 then if nothing comes of it, you've still spent all 0:12:15.080 --> 0:12:15.600 that money. 0:12:15.960 --> 0:12:18.679 And I also think that there is a push for 0:12:18.760 --> 0:12:21.600 people to see stuff like on social media that's like 0:12:21.600 --> 0:12:25.120 a very definitive opinion and first of all, like I'm 0:12:25.160 --> 0:12:27.880 not really allowed to do that in my job, but 0:12:27.920 --> 0:12:30.080 second of all, like a I'm off Twitter now, so 0:12:30.160 --> 0:12:33.680 that has already kind of been for you. Yeah, honestly, 0:12:33.760 --> 0:12:35.520 I have not missed it. It's actually kind of like 0:12:35.640 --> 0:12:37.600 you realize how much your brain has been poisoned. And 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:40.640 so anyway, different different podcasts, But yeah, I think there 0:12:40.720 --> 0:12:44.720 is this sense of, you know, a pressure to want 0:12:44.760 --> 0:12:47.800 to say something right, and I super understand that, but 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:49.880 I think it's also a lot easier for folks who 0:12:51.040 --> 0:12:55.360 aren't in like a reporting situation to be able to 0:12:55.400 --> 0:12:58.959 say things like that. Whereas you know, even when the 0:12:59.000 --> 0:13:01.280 lawsuit was filed, just in terms of like it's got 0:13:01.280 --> 0:13:03.680 to get covered, it has to go through multiple levels 0:13:03.679 --> 0:13:07.120 of editorial review before it can get published, all of 0:13:07.120 --> 0:13:09.320 that kind of stuff, and so there are sort of 0:13:09.360 --> 0:13:14.120 guardrails on what like, I can certainly have a private opinion, right, 0:13:14.160 --> 0:13:17.280 but the sharing of the private opinion. 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:18.040 Is a little bit different now. 0:13:18.120 --> 0:13:20.360 And they're there for a reason, and they're there for 0:13:20.360 --> 0:13:24.680 a reason because it does matter when people with journalistic 0:13:24.679 --> 0:13:28.520 integrity and agency and voice say something more so than 0:13:28.559 --> 0:13:31.520 when someone on the internet expresses an opinion and later says, oh, 0:13:31.559 --> 0:13:33.080 I didn't know that. My bad, Yeah I didn't have 0:13:33.080 --> 0:13:33.640 that information. 0:13:33.920 --> 0:13:34.079 Yeah. 0:13:34.240 --> 0:13:36.559 I think there's like there's absolutely you know, having read 0:13:36.559 --> 0:13:38.920 the lawsuit, there's a there's a ton of concerning things. 0:13:39.000 --> 0:13:41.720 But also now it is kind of you know, I 0:13:41.720 --> 0:13:44.640 think there's alternate processes that these things can go through, 0:13:44.760 --> 0:13:47.200 and generally, you know, the reason why I did so 0:13:47.280 --> 0:13:49.360 much reporting for the NWSL is because it was not 0:13:49.480 --> 0:13:52.520 going through one of those like more formal weather that 0:13:52.600 --> 0:13:55.120 was an internal nw CL process or whether it was 0:13:55.160 --> 0:13:58.440 a lawsuit or whatever it was. Right, those avenues had 0:13:58.480 --> 0:14:01.280 not worked slashed, the pl didn't elect to go for them. 0:14:01.280 --> 0:14:06.400 They elected to go for this sort of external communication strategy, 0:14:06.520 --> 0:14:09.280 and so it's not this is where it is kind 0:14:09.280 --> 0:14:12.080 of maybe not a yes, and right where once it 0:14:12.120 --> 0:14:14.960 gets into one of these sort of paths, the other 0:14:15.000 --> 0:14:18.000 ones get harder. Like I can have a whole bunch 0:14:18.040 --> 0:14:20.440 of conversations behind the scenes, but that does not necessarily 0:14:20.520 --> 0:14:22.040 mean it's going to get into a place where it 0:14:22.040 --> 0:14:25.800 can be reported and get past you know, the number 0:14:25.800 --> 0:14:27.120 of editors to get passed. 0:14:27.200 --> 0:14:31.000 Yeah, for sure. Other news this week, the NWSL announced 0:14:31.000 --> 0:14:33.680 the finalist for the awards MVP, Defender of the Year, 0:14:33.760 --> 0:14:35.400 Midfield of the Year, Keeper of the Year, Coach of 0:14:35.400 --> 0:14:37.800 the Year, Rookie of the Year. Any major surprises in 0:14:37.840 --> 0:14:39.960 those nominees as far as you're concerned. 0:14:39.800 --> 0:14:41.000 I don't know if there's a surprise. 0:14:41.080 --> 0:14:43.160 I mean, I was certainly, I guess I was surprised 0:14:43.160 --> 0:14:45.760 to see Marta in the top five finalists for MVP. 0:14:45.960 --> 0:14:49.800 I think that maybe betrays a little sense of sentimentality 0:14:49.920 --> 0:14:52.640 on the voter's point, but I. 0:14:52.600 --> 0:14:53.200 Don't hate it. 0:14:53.280 --> 0:14:57.520 I certainly am a big Marta supporter and I think honestly, 0:14:57.560 --> 0:15:00.680 she's played out of her mind this season, so I 0:15:00.720 --> 0:15:02.960 agree with that. I was a little surprised. I think 0:15:03.400 --> 0:15:05.520 more in terms of who wasn't on some of these lists. 0:15:05.560 --> 0:15:09.040 I think Abby Dahlkemper the way that she changed BFC's 0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:11.960 entire second half of the season. She was on my 0:15:12.280 --> 0:15:16.560 top five to head into that ballot for Defender of 0:15:16.600 --> 0:15:18.080 the Year, and then the other one that I was 0:15:18.120 --> 0:15:21.560 honestly very surprised by is no Taylor Flint in Midfielder 0:15:21.720 --> 0:15:23.520 of the Year. I feel like we were maybe running 0:15:23.560 --> 0:15:25.880 a little bit of an unofficial campaign. She was on 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:30.000 full time. Yeah, she's just I think she's really like 0:15:30.080 --> 0:15:33.320 completely turned around her entire game. When she first kind 0:15:33.320 --> 0:15:35.960 of got put into that holding midfielder positioned with the 0:15:36.000 --> 0:15:37.880 US womens national team in New Zealand ahead of the 0:15:37.880 --> 0:15:42.040 World Cup, I think everybody's looking at Flacko being like, sir, well, 0:15:42.080 --> 0:15:46.640 it's happening, and it's been such a transformation at Racing Louisville, 0:15:46.720 --> 0:15:49.640 and so she was very much in my top five 0:15:49.680 --> 0:15:51.680 from Midfielder of the Year and to not see her there, 0:15:51.800 --> 0:15:53.720 I am a little disappointed on that one. 0:15:53.720 --> 0:15:57.080 I think some of them not surprises at all, Naomi 0:15:57.080 --> 0:15:59.040 Germa trying to get a third Defender of. 0:15:59.040 --> 0:16:01.640 The Year, but one where it's like, as much as 0:16:01.680 --> 0:16:05.160 I fully, like fully fully respect Naomi Germa, it's kind 0:16:05.160 --> 0:16:07.760 of hard with thee it's hard with the team she's on, 0:16:07.840 --> 0:16:09.840 and it's not that she's had a drop in quality, 0:16:09.920 --> 0:16:12.080 but you look at the other four candidates for Defender 0:16:12.080 --> 0:16:14.480 of the Year and it's like, okay, all four of 0:16:14.520 --> 0:16:18.040 those in terms of performances and the teams that they're on, 0:16:18.240 --> 0:16:20.520 Like this is I think maybe some of the same 0:16:20.560 --> 0:16:23.800 situation where Becky Souerbun kept getting nominated for Defender of 0:16:23.840 --> 0:16:25.400 the Year and at some point finally had to like 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:27.640 put out that statement and be like I love the 0:16:27.800 --> 0:16:31.840 energy that you all have, but also there are really other, 0:16:32.680 --> 0:16:36.000 like you know, deserving candidates in this pool, and you 0:16:36.080 --> 0:16:39.160 need to think about how you're voting. So I think, 0:16:39.240 --> 0:16:43.000 you know, Kaylee Kurtz North Carolina really interesting one. Emily SAMs, 0:16:43.040 --> 0:16:45.400 I think maybe has a little more momentum from that 0:16:45.480 --> 0:16:49.080 sort of award season, you know, conversation to. 0:16:49.320 --> 0:16:51.160 They if they cancel each other out though, when you 0:16:51.160 --> 0:16:55.120 have two Pride players, yeah, will Kylie and Emily cancel 0:16:55.160 --> 0:16:57.040 each other out in terms of voting, or will people 0:16:57.120 --> 0:16:59.040 think that they were such a two headed monster that 0:16:59.080 --> 0:16:59.880 neither is deserving. 0:17:00.280 --> 0:17:03.080 I mean, that's actually I think we'll get into this 0:17:03.280 --> 0:17:05.639 on my podcast a little bit too, because I think 0:17:06.040 --> 0:17:08.520 Orlando isn't the only team that has that problem. Like 0:17:08.560 --> 0:17:11.480 you look at Gotham and it is really hard I 0:17:11.520 --> 0:17:13.960 think where a lot of players got left out of 0:17:14.000 --> 0:17:18.000 these individual awards because that team is such a comprehensive team, 0:17:18.080 --> 0:17:21.320 and also players sort of move in and out of roles, 0:17:21.560 --> 0:17:24.040 and it's a little tougher when you think about like 0:17:24.080 --> 0:17:26.280 a Yasmine Ryan who's had such a really good season, 0:17:26.440 --> 0:17:29.520 or Neilie Martin again in my top five for Midfielder 0:17:29.520 --> 0:17:32.080 of the Year, not there in the list, and so 0:17:32.359 --> 0:17:34.520 and these are players that aren't like the big name, 0:17:34.640 --> 0:17:37.480 you know, splashy signings in the off season. But it's 0:17:37.520 --> 0:17:39.639 tougher when I think you have that sort of like 0:17:39.880 --> 0:17:44.360 team team vibe to pick out names for individual awards. 0:17:44.359 --> 0:17:46.480 So I think there is maybe a little bit of 0:17:46.480 --> 0:17:48.639 a risk for I mean, we were even having an 0:17:48.680 --> 0:17:51.399 internal debate of Emily SAMs versus Kylie Strawman, who's had 0:17:51.400 --> 0:17:52.160 the stronger season. 0:17:52.200 --> 0:17:52.680 It's tough. 0:17:53.160 --> 0:17:57.359 Yeah. I also I knew Kroy Bethune would be in 0:17:57.440 --> 0:17:59.320 Rookie of the Year. I think she'll win Rookie of 0:17:59.320 --> 0:18:02.239 the Year of the month four times every time she 0:18:02.280 --> 0:18:04.920 was available and not injured. But also very impressive to 0:18:05.000 --> 0:18:06.919 be out for Midfielder of the Year as a key 0:18:07.240 --> 0:18:08.200 with a shortened. 0:18:07.880 --> 0:18:12.320 Season legit very I mean truly one of the best 0:18:12.440 --> 0:18:15.840 breakout performances we've ever seen in the n of cell. 0:18:15.920 --> 0:18:18.280 I'm not actually that surprised that she's on Midfielder of 0:18:18.320 --> 0:18:20.679 the Year. I think, you know, I even saw cases 0:18:20.680 --> 0:18:22.960 for her to be in the MVP conversation as well. 0:18:23.359 --> 0:18:26.440 But I do think, and I said this from the 0:18:26.440 --> 0:18:28.720 point of her injury on, like she did enough I 0:18:28.760 --> 0:18:32.040 think to earn that award. There's just no one that 0:18:32.080 --> 0:18:35.840 even touched right that agreeable and not not anything against 0:18:35.880 --> 0:18:38.200 the other two candidates in that category, because I think 0:18:38.240 --> 0:18:41.119 both were like very stellar players who did very important 0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:43.440 things for their team, but Corey Bethune was one of 0:18:43.480 --> 0:18:45.919 those ones where just also if you see her in person, 0:18:45.960 --> 0:18:49.040 it's like, yeah, what is happening right now? 0:18:49.560 --> 0:18:52.240 I can't wait to see her back out there. Okay, 0:18:52.280 --> 0:18:56.040 let's talk playoffs four teams remaining before we get into strategy. 0:18:56.119 --> 0:18:58.359 Let's say we've got some listeners here that don't have 0:18:58.400 --> 0:19:00.359 a vested interest in the semi final. We want to 0:19:00.359 --> 0:19:02.200 give them a chance to pick a squad and start 0:19:02.240 --> 0:19:05.840 bandwagoning with two weeks left. So I need a sentence 0:19:05.920 --> 0:19:09.840 per team to sell our unaffiliated slices on cheering for 0:19:09.880 --> 0:19:12.640 that for that squad. So Washington Spirit. 0:19:13.400 --> 0:19:14.280 Washington Spirit. 0:19:14.359 --> 0:19:16.520 I mean, I do think it is just coming down 0:19:16.560 --> 0:19:19.200 to a if you want to see them go all 0:19:19.200 --> 0:19:22.160