WEBVTT - Baby Horse and Ellie the Elephant 0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:02.800 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're taking 0:00:02.840 --> 0:00:05.760 one last ride on our favorite baby horse before she 0:00:05.840 --> 0:00:08.879 gallops off into the sunset. On today's show, we got 0:00:08.880 --> 0:00:10.559 a whole lot of news to catch you up on, 0:00:10.680 --> 0:00:15.280 plus your dream female football players, ai in sports balls, elephants, 0:00:15.560 --> 0:00:18.480 and a legend announces she's hanging them up. It's all 0:00:18.520 --> 0:00:31.800 coming up right after this welcome back. Here's what you 0:00:31.840 --> 0:00:36.680 need to know today in soccer news. It's the end 0:00:36.680 --> 0:00:40.000 of an era. US soccer legend Alex Morgan announced her 0:00:40.040 --> 0:00:43.320 retirement from professional soccer yesterday. Her final game will be 0:00:43.360 --> 0:00:45.520 this Sunday, when the San Diego Wave hosts the North 0:00:45.520 --> 0:00:49.080 Carolina Courage at Snapdragon Stadium. The club also plans to 0:00:49.120 --> 0:00:51.360 celebrate her career during its final home match of the 0:00:51.400 --> 0:00:54.760 season on Sunday, November three. Why not play the rest 0:00:54.800 --> 0:00:56.680 of the season? Why finish playing on Sunday? 0:00:56.760 --> 0:00:56.960 Well. 0:00:57.040 --> 0:01:00.240 In her video, Alex Morgan also announced she's pregnant with 0:01:00.280 --> 0:01:04.160 her second child. Congratulations to her, and here's a little 0:01:04.160 --> 0:01:05.960 bit of the heartbelt video that she posted. 0:01:06.520 --> 0:01:09.960 I have so much clarity about this decision, and I 0:01:10.000 --> 0:01:13.600 am so happy to be able to finally tell you 0:01:14.840 --> 0:01:20.720 it has been a long time coming, and this decision 0:01:20.840 --> 0:01:24.839 wasn't easy, But at the beginning of twenty twenty four, 0:01:26.040 --> 0:01:29.959 I felt in my heart and soul that this was 0:01:30.000 --> 0:01:31.960 the last season that I would play soccer. 0:01:32.400 --> 0:01:39.560 The impact we have on the next generation is irreversible. 0:01:39.480 --> 0:01:45.319 And I'm proud in the hand I had in making 0:01:45.360 --> 0:01:49.400 that happen, in pushing the game forward and leaving it 0:01:51.160 --> 0:01:54.760 in a place I'm so happy and proud of. 0:01:55.400 --> 0:01:56.840 The thirty five year old is going to go down 0:01:56.840 --> 0:01:58.760 as one of the best to ever do it. She's 0:01:58.800 --> 0:02:01.640 a two time World Cup, cham Bean and Olympic gold medalist. 0:02:01.880 --> 0:02:04.160 She ranks fifth in US women's national team history with 0:02:04.160 --> 0:02:06.720 one hundred twenty three goals and ninth in caps with 0:02:06.800 --> 0:02:09.880 two hundred and twenty four. In addition to her incredible 0:02:09.919 --> 0:02:12.480 resume of awards and honors and all the things she's 0:02:12.480 --> 0:02:15.359 done on the field, her legacy is also built upon 0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:17.880 the work she did for player safety and gender equity. 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:20.280 In March of twenty twenty one, she helped organize over 0:02:20.320 --> 0:02:23.400 two hundred and forty NWSL players to demand that the 0:02:23.480 --> 0:02:27.239 league create an anti harassment policy and implement other specific 0:02:27.280 --> 0:02:31.240 player safety guidelines that ultimately helped spark the NWSL's reckoning 0:02:31.639 --> 0:02:34.880 and led to the removal of multiple abusive coaches. Morgan 0:02:34.919 --> 0:02:37.160 also helped lead the US team's fight for equal pay. 0:02:37.360 --> 0:02:39.519 In twenty sixteen, she was one of five players whose 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:42.760 name was included on an equal employment opportunity complaint against 0:02:42.840 --> 0:02:45.919 US Soccer, which sparked the eventual lawsuit in twenty nineteen 0:02:46.000 --> 0:02:48.760 over unequal pay. Morgan has been one of the big 0:02:48.800 --> 0:02:52.000 faces of soccer in this country and a massive part 0:02:52.040 --> 0:02:56.680 of the push for relevance, for excitement from fans, for attendance, 0:02:56.720 --> 0:03:00.840 for viewership, and she will be dearly missed. More footy news. 0:03:00.960 --> 0:03:04.440 On Wednesday, France Football magazine announced the footballers nominated for 0:03:04.440 --> 0:03:07.480 the twenty twenty four Women's Balon d'Or, an annual award 0:03:07.480 --> 0:03:09.919 presented to the world's best player. It's also the most 0:03:10.000 --> 0:03:13.200 hilariously mispronounced award in all of soccer, with even the 0:03:13.200 --> 0:03:16.960 greats like Meghan Rappino constantly calling it the Balon Dior 0:03:17.720 --> 0:03:20.600 get your head out of the fashion world pinot door, 0:03:21.000 --> 0:03:24.720 as in of gold Ball of gold Ballon d'Or anyway. 0:03:25.000 --> 0:03:27.240 Five members of the gold medal winning US women's national 0:03:27.240 --> 0:03:30.400 team are nominated for the Award. Captain and midfielder Lindsay Horan, 0:03:30.560 --> 0:03:34.239 goalkeeper Lissenair, and forwards Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory 0:03:34.280 --> 0:03:39.160 Swanson all well deserved, But there is one notable emission 0:03:39.160 --> 0:03:43.400 that's getting a lot of buzz. Naomi Germa. US women's 0:03:43.480 --> 0:03:45.440 national team coach Emma Hayes said Germa is the best 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:49.120 defender she's ever seen. Longtime US women's national team captain 0:03:49.160 --> 0:03:52.840 Becky Souerbrun came on this very show and said, quote, 0:03:52.880 --> 0:03:55.920 when I think of Nay, I think of dominance end quote. 0:03:56.320 --> 0:03:59.320 The newly nicknamed Secretary of Defense not making the cut 0:03:59.400 --> 0:04:03.720 feels like latant defensive player disrespect and it's not uncommon 0:04:03.760 --> 0:04:07.000 for the ballandor off to cues of prioritizing European players 0:04:07.080 --> 0:04:10.640 and offensive players. Of the thirty twenty twenty four nominees, 0:04:10.680 --> 0:04:13.560 only seven play for clubs outside of Europe, and only 0:04:13.640 --> 0:04:17.040 four defenders plus keeper Nayer made the cut. England's Lucy 0:04:17.040 --> 0:04:19.279 Brons is the only defender to make the top three 0:04:19.360 --> 0:04:22.400 in the award's five year history. Also, can we get 0:04:22.440 --> 0:04:24.760 some new photos for the ladies. We'll put a link 0:04:24.800 --> 0:04:26.400 in the show notes, but if you haven't seen them. 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:29.520 You got to see the absolutely inexplicable shots used for 0:04:29.560 --> 0:04:33.159 their nomination announcements. Mal looks like she smelled bad cheese, 0:04:33.200 --> 0:04:35.880 Trinity looks like she's about to fight somebody. And Brazil's 0:04:35.880 --> 0:04:38.880 Gabby Portillo is winning a white Man's overbyte dance off. 0:04:39.400 --> 0:04:41.200 And if you don't get that reference, go watch when 0:04:41.200 --> 0:04:44.200 Harry met Sally. All right, we continue with the soccer news, 0:04:44.520 --> 0:04:47.880 and we have some unfortunate news. Washington Spirit midfielder Croy Bethune, 0:04:47.880 --> 0:04:50.600 who just yesterday was announced NWSL Rookie of the Month 0:04:50.600 --> 0:04:53.080 for August, will miss the remainder of the season with 0:04:53.120 --> 0:04:55.760 a meniscus tear, and the manner in which she got 0:04:55.839 --> 0:04:58.760 hurt is especially tough to swallow. The twenty three year 0:04:58.800 --> 0:05:01.599 old sustained the injury throat going out the ceremonial first 0:05:01.640 --> 0:05:05.280 pitch as the Washington Nationals honored the Spirits four Olympians 0:05:05.320 --> 0:05:09.000 upon their return to DC. A total freak injury and 0:05:09.120 --> 0:05:12.640 such a bummer. We're wishing Croy a speedy, thorough recovery. 0:05:12.960 --> 0:05:14.920 She has such a bright future ahead of her and 0:05:14.960 --> 0:05:17.200 she's still the front runner for NWSL Rookie of the Year, 0:05:17.240 --> 0:05:19.400 even though she won't play the full season. She's been 0:05:19.480 --> 0:05:21.800 the Rookie of the Month for every month this season 0:05:21.839 --> 0:05:24.520 except for July, the majority of which she spent with 0:05:24.560 --> 0:05:27.839 the national team. Tonight, we got just one NWSL game 0:05:27.839 --> 0:05:30.880 on deck Angel CITYFC in the Seattle Rain. Every game 0:05:30.920 --> 0:05:33.160 an important one for ACFC from here on out because 0:05:33.160 --> 0:05:35.599 the club's still sitting just outside of playoff contention in 0:05:35.640 --> 0:05:38.720 the ninth spot. We got seven games on the NWSL 0:05:38.720 --> 0:05:41.000 slate this weekend, and we'll link to that schedule in 0:05:41.040 --> 0:05:44.000 our show notes. Also in soccer, a quick thought on 0:05:44.040 --> 0:05:47.680 an NWSL announcement made by ESPN, The Worldwide Leader announced 0:05:47.680 --> 0:05:51.360 on Thursday that they'd be introducing NWSL game recaps yay 0:05:52.440 --> 0:05:58.640 using generative AI technology. Oh listen, I've seen AI written 0:05:58.640 --> 0:06:01.039 sports stories pop up all over the place lately, and 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:04.839 they're bad, really bad. Do you remember when gedet media 0:06:04.920 --> 0:06:07.920 stopped using lead AI generated articles for high school sports 0:06:07.920 --> 0:06:11.360 stories after the term close encounter of the athletic kind 0:06:11.520 --> 0:06:15.080 became ubiquitous in the AI generated articles about close games. 0:06:15.560 --> 0:06:17.920 That was last year, Like every close game, it said 0:06:17.960 --> 0:06:20.680 the two teams had a close encounter of the athletic kind. 0:06:21.080 --> 0:06:25.120 Hilarious and terrifying and terrible, and in the case of 0:06:25.160 --> 0:06:28.680 women's sports stories in particular, I often see incorrect gender 0:06:29.080 --> 0:06:32.120 when referring to athletes because AI is ultimately trained by 0:06:32.200 --> 0:06:35.640 sports coverage that already exists, much of which makes men 0:06:35.800 --> 0:06:38.480 the default. I reach out to someone at ESPN who 0:06:38.480 --> 0:06:40.440 said humans will be checking the output and that it's 0:06:40.480 --> 0:06:44.040 ultimately a positive move because game recaps that wouldn't otherwise 0:06:44.080 --> 0:06:48.000 exist will be produced, and that's true, like NWSL recaps, 0:06:48.040 --> 0:06:51.080 just game recaps, not long form, not opinion have not 0:06:51.080 --> 0:06:54.039 been available on ESPN, So I'm excited about that and 0:06:54.520 --> 0:06:57.320 tentatively hopeful that they will be better than the ones 0:06:57.440 --> 0:07:00.320 we've seen so far. My real hope is that this 0:07:00.360 --> 0:07:02.920 is just a baby step that ultimately leads to staffers 0:07:02.920 --> 0:07:06.160 being hired to write those stories. I haven't seen AI 0:07:06.320 --> 0:07:09.000 get it right yet, and we always want to see 0:07:09.000 --> 0:07:12.800 more human people hired to work in women's sports. In 0:07:12.840 --> 0:07:16.120 Paralympic headlines, Oksana Masters, who had the distinct honor of 0:07:16.160 --> 0:07:19.480 carrying the Paralympic flame at the opening ceremony, won gold 0:07:19.480 --> 0:07:22.520 and the H five cycling road race yesterday. This is 0:07:22.560 --> 0:07:25.760 her seventh Paralympics, and Masters, who hails from Louisville, Kentucky, 0:07:25.960 --> 0:07:28.560 has picked up two new gold medals. She also won 0:07:28.600 --> 0:07:32.040 the paracycling H four to five individual time trial. She's 0:07:32.080 --> 0:07:34.920 now an eight time gold medalist and an eighteen time 0:07:35.000 --> 0:07:38.560 medalists across four sports. In an interview after the road race, 0:07:38.640 --> 0:07:40.840 Masters was all smiles and made sure to shout out 0:07:40.880 --> 0:07:44.000 her support system, saying quote, the ultimate gold medal is 0:07:44.080 --> 0:07:46.720 hugging my mom because without her, I would not be 0:07:46.760 --> 0:07:50.320 crossing this finish line. Meantime, legends Jessica Long and Tatiana 0:07:50.400 --> 0:07:52.640 mc fat and have also added to their career metal halls. 0:07:52.960 --> 0:07:54.840 Long one gold in the S eight four hundred meter 0:07:54.880 --> 0:07:58.400 freestyle on Wednesday, a full twenty years after she won 0:07:58.440 --> 0:08:00.800 gold in that same event as a twelve year old 0:08:01.040 --> 0:08:04.240 at the two thousand and four Athens Paralympics. Long's Paralympic 0:08:04.280 --> 0:08:09.160 medal count is now up to an incredible thirty thirty medals. Wow, 0:08:09.560 --> 0:08:12.560 is that a record, you ask? Surprisingly, not even close. 0:08:12.960 --> 0:08:17.320 US Paralympic swimmer Trisha Zorn, who competed in seven Paralympics 0:08:17.320 --> 0:08:20.040 from nineteen eighty to two thousand and four, won an 0:08:20.120 --> 0:08:24.480 incredible fifty five medals, including forty one golds. She is 0:08:24.560 --> 0:08:28.920 still the pardon the pun gold standard. Meanwhile, Tatiana McFadden 0:08:28.920 --> 0:08:31.360 became the winningest American track and field athlete when she 0:08:31.400 --> 0:08:33.800 won silver in the T fifty four one hundred meter 0:08:33.880 --> 0:08:37.400 on Wednesday. It's McFadden's twenty first career Paralympic medal and 0:08:37.440 --> 0:08:40.480 twentieth in track and field, tying her with Bart Dodson 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:42.760 for most medals by a US athlete in that sport. 0:08:43.120 --> 0:08:45.360 McFadden has one more opportunity in pairs to add to 0:08:45.400 --> 0:08:48.360 her hall. She scheduled to race in the marathon on Sunday, 0:08:49.040 --> 0:08:52.679 mor bling for American paralympians. In her Paralympics debut, Tmusa 0:08:52.720 --> 0:08:55.559 shot putterer Noel Malkamaki won gold in the F forty 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:58.520 six field event. And get this, she surpassed her own 0:08:58.559 --> 0:09:02.040 world record not once, not twice, but three times en 0:09:02.120 --> 0:09:04.640 route to victory in the field event. That's just nuts. 0:09:04.720 --> 0:09:06.720 I mean, shot putters get six attempts to make some 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:09.400 magic happen, and she had a world record worthy throw 0:09:09.480 --> 0:09:12.240 on half of those attempts. And she's from Illinois too. 0:09:12.440 --> 0:09:15.680 Shout out Noel. In wheelchair basketball, the US competes in 0:09:15.720 --> 0:09:18.439 the semi finals today against China. Team USA looking to 0:09:18.480 --> 0:09:20.280 make it back to the Paralympic gold medal game for 0:09:20.320 --> 0:09:23.600 the first time since twenty sixteen, and in sitting volleyball, 0:09:23.640 --> 0:09:26.000 the US is onto the gold medal game after defeating 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:29.160 Brazil three sets to one in the semi finals. Speaking 0:09:29.160 --> 0:09:31.880 of volleyball, in college volleyball, we told you to watch 0:09:31.880 --> 0:09:34.440 that great E sixty on the Nebraska volleyball team. So 0:09:34.480 --> 0:09:37.680 we assume you did right because you listened to us 0:09:37.840 --> 0:09:40.880 always right. So you were as shocked as we were 0:09:40.920 --> 0:09:44.920 that the unranked Southern Methodist University Mustangs pulled off a 0:09:44.960 --> 0:09:48.000 stunning upset against the number two corn Huskers on Tuesday night. 0:09:48.240 --> 0:09:50.679 They swept them twenty five, twenty three, twenty five, twenty one, 0:09:50.720 --> 0:09:53.160 twenty five to eighteen in front of a record breaking 0:09:53.200 --> 0:09:57.560 crowd at Moody Coliseum, smutalid seven aces to Nebraska's one, 0:09:58.040 --> 0:10:03.120 and the Huskers committed eleven errors. The victory mark Nebraska's 0:10:03.120 --> 0:10:05.280 first loss of the season and their first defeat against 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:08.960 an unranked team since twenty seventeen. Will continue to keep 0:10:08.960 --> 0:10:11.040 an eye on the top teams in the country, including 0:10:11.040 --> 0:10:13.280 the Huskers, who bounced back with the win against the 0:10:13.280 --> 0:10:17.520 Citadel on Thursday. In Hoops, Caitlin Clark continues adding accolades 0:10:17.559 --> 0:10:20.480 to a terrific rookie season. Clark was named both the 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:23.360 KIA Rookie of the Month and the Eastern Conference Player 0:10:23.360 --> 0:10:25.679 of the Month of August. Clark leads the league in 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:28.640 assists per game and leads all rookies in points, assists, 0:10:28.640 --> 0:10:31.920 and steals per game, as well as efficiency. Her Indiana 0:10:31.960 --> 0:10:34.400 Fever team is a lock for the playoffs now, so 0:10:34.440 --> 0:10:36.199 we'll to see how much more momentum the young star 0:10:36.280 --> 0:10:38.920 can build before the postseason hits. If you ask me, 0:10:39.360 --> 0:10:42.160 those are Rookie of the Year stats. Off the court, 0:10:42.240 --> 0:10:45.600 some fun happenings. Las Vegas Aces leader Asia Wilson took 0:10:45.600 --> 0:10:48.120 a trip down to South Beach to support her still 0:10:48.360 --> 0:10:52.920 unconfirmed bo bam audubaio On Wednesday, you remember the Aposto 0:10:53.000 --> 0:10:55.960 Bam out of Bio of the mnba's Miami Heat and 0:10:56.080 --> 0:10:59.200 USA Men's Olympic Basketball was honored with keys to Miami 0:10:59.280 --> 0:11:01.240 Dade County, and there was a little fun back and 0:11:01.240 --> 0:11:04.080 forth between the two on social after video emerged of 0:11:04.120 --> 0:11:08.400 Asia attending the ceremony. Also fun, Miami Dade County Mayor 0:11:08.480 --> 0:11:11.760 Daniella Levine Kava blowing up Asia's spot at the event, 0:11:11.840 --> 0:11:16.440 first calling her Adja Wilson before correcting herself and saying, quote, 0:11:16.520 --> 0:11:19.360 she won Golden Women's basketball. I guess that has something 0:11:19.400 --> 0:11:21.959 to do with Bam in the Heat. Huh. Those who 0:11:22.000 --> 0:11:23.480 are not going to be able to keep quiet about 0:11:23.480 --> 0:11:26.160 this love and basketball story for much longer. By the way, 0:11:26.200 --> 0:11:28.000 that was just the latest and a long line of 0:11:28.040 --> 0:11:31.800 Miami miss speaks. You gotta hear this classic. Okay, this 0:11:31.960 --> 0:11:35.440 is Dwayne Wade getting introduced by Miami Dade County Commissioner 0:11:35.520 --> 0:11:37.439 Barbara Jordan after the Heat won the two thousand and 0:11:37.480 --> 0:11:43.880 six championship. He's come collecting, has a will to win 0:11:44.120 --> 0:11:56.240 because this man, of course, is waye Joe. Okay, Now 0:11:56.280 --> 0:11:58.200 go back and listen to that again and wait for 0:11:58.240 --> 0:12:01.480 the person in the background who yells who it's so 0:12:01.640 --> 0:12:05.319 good it never gets old. It's so good. Asia Wilson's 0:12:05.320 --> 0:12:07.720 Ace's last played at home on Tuesday night, and today 0:12:07.880 --> 0:12:10.560 they face the Connecticut's Sun on the road. In case 0:12:10.600 --> 0:12:13.400 you're wondering, it's a bat a five hour NonStop flight 0:12:13.440 --> 0:12:16.160 from Vegas to Miami and a three hour flight from 0:12:16.200 --> 0:12:20.000 Miami to Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Connecticut, just saying. 0:12:20.520 --> 0:12:23.240 There are four WNBA games on the schedule tonight, including 0:12:23.240 --> 0:12:25.440 a crucial matchup between the Dallas Wings and the Atlanta 0:12:25.520 --> 0:12:28.360 dream Down at Georgia. The Dreamer tied with Chicago Sky 0:12:28.440 --> 0:12:31.040 for the eighth seed and final spot in the postseason, 0:12:31.559 --> 0:12:34.400 but the Sky owned the tiebreaker and would be in 0:12:34.480 --> 0:12:37.080 if the playoffs start today. The Wings are even further 0:12:37.080 --> 0:12:39.640 from playoff contention at eleventh in the standings, but they've 0:12:39.679 --> 0:12:42.480 got an opportunity to play spoiler. There are six games 0:12:42.480 --> 0:12:44.520 this weekend, and as always, we'll link to the schedule 0:12:44.520 --> 0:12:48.000 in our show notes. In softball news, Athletes Unlimited announced, 0:12:48.000 --> 0:12:51.000 Former US national team pitcher and Olympic gold medalist Jenny 0:12:51.080 --> 0:12:54.160 Finch is now an advisor to the AU Pro Softball League. 0:12:54.240 --> 0:12:56.360 She joins a slew of other legends like her former 0:12:56.400 --> 0:12:59.200 Team USA teammate Jessica Mendoza and Kim Eng, the first 0:12:59.240 --> 0:13:01.960 woman GM in the MLB. According to a league statement, 0:13:01.960 --> 0:13:04.720 Finch will consult with a leadership and athletes on the 0:13:04.720 --> 0:13:07.640 strategic direction of the league. That reminds me we might 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:09.200 need to do a little good game. Hall of Fame 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:10.920 on back of the day when Jenny Finch was striking 0:13:10.920 --> 0:13:13.440 out all the MLB players. I'm gonna go digging into that. 0:13:13.440 --> 0:13:15.960 That was some good stuff. Finally, the summer of alone 0:13:16.000 --> 0:13:19.280 O mar continues. The Team USA rugby bronze medalist has 0:13:19.280 --> 0:13:22.000 been announced as one of the celebrity contestants for season 0:13:22.040 --> 0:13:24.439 thirty three of Dancing with the Stars. She's one of 0:13:24.520 --> 0:13:29.120 two Olympians competing, joining US gymnastics breakout star Stephen Netterazig, 0:13:29.440 --> 0:13:31.600 you know, the pommel horse guy with the glasses who 0:13:31.679 --> 0:13:34.640 had one job and did it to perfection. Season thirty 0:13:34.640 --> 0:13:41.600 three of Dancing with the Star's premiere September seventeenth on ABC. Okay, Slicis, 0:13:41.640 --> 0:13:43.439 I had one last piece of news to give you, 0:13:43.480 --> 0:13:44.680 and I want to give you a warning here. What 0:13:44.720 --> 0:13:48.240 I'm about to discuss involves mentions of gender based violence 0:13:48.240 --> 0:13:51.640 and death. You may have heard the horrific headlines this 0:13:51.679 --> 0:13:55.200 week about Ugandan marathon runner Rebecca Cheptegay, who competed in 0:13:55.240 --> 0:13:57.880 Paris last month at the Olympics, having been set on 0:13:57.960 --> 0:14:01.120 fire by her boyfriend. On Thursday, we got the awful 0:14:01.200 --> 0:14:04.120 update that she passed away from multi organ failure as 0:14:04.120 --> 0:14:06.640 a result of the attack. Chep de Gay, who lived 0:14:06.640 --> 0:14:10.000 in Kenya, had been in critical condition after suffering burns 0:14:10.000 --> 0:14:12.959 on seventy five percent of her body following Sunday's attack 0:14:13.000 --> 0:14:16.680 at her house. Rebecca's father, Joseph told reporters quote, I 0:14:16.720 --> 0:14:19.280 blame her death on negligence by the government because the 0:14:19.320 --> 0:14:22.440 authorities should have taken it seriously. When we first reported 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:25.120 that this man had become problematic and he was fighting her. 0:14:25.520 --> 0:14:29.000 We reported to the police, to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, 0:14:29.040 --> 0:14:31.800 but they didn't take any action to save her life. 0:14:31.960 --> 0:14:34.920 End quote. Chep de Gay is the third elite female 0:14:34.960 --> 0:14:37.960 athlete to be killed in Kenya in the last three years, 0:14:38.280 --> 0:14:42.040 in both confirmed and alleged acts of domestic violence. Amnesty 0:14:42.040 --> 0:14:44.920 International Kenya made a statement that Chep Degay's death quote 0:14:45.160 --> 0:14:48.480 highlights the urgent need to address femicide in the country 0:14:48.760 --> 0:14:54.040 and demanded hashtag justice for Rebecca. Rebecca Chep Degay was 0:14:54.080 --> 0:15:05.280 thirty three. Welcome back, my little Orange Slices. It's been 0:15:05.320 --> 0:15:07.280 a big week for your girl from the US open 0:15:07.320 --> 0:15:09.440 to my first trip to the Barclays Center for a 0:15:09.480 --> 0:15:12.240 Liberty game. We're recording this Thursday night, just before I 0:15:12.280 --> 0:15:14.840 head out to the game, and I am super pumped. 0:15:15.080 --> 0:15:17.440 I got to see Ellie the Elephant at WNBA All 0:15:17.440 --> 0:15:19.480 Star Weekend, but I finally get to see her at 0:15:19.480 --> 0:15:22.040 her home court. You can count me as one of 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:24.280 her legion of fans, and you can count Ellie as 0:15:24.360 --> 0:15:27.320 yet another way the WNBA is breaking through this season. 0:15:27.600 --> 0:15:30.840 From attendance to ratings, to sports shows to pop culture, 0:15:30.880 --> 0:15:33.240 this has truly been an incredible season for the w 0:15:33.680 --> 0:15:36.960 and Ellie's ability to spread awareness in new spaces has 0:15:37.000 --> 0:15:40.840 been truly impressive. She's on stage with Sierra, backstage at 0:15:40.840 --> 0:15:44.320 the Childish Gambino Show, a cover girl for Timeout magazine 0:15:44.360 --> 0:15:46.760 in New York, on The tamer and Hall Show on 0:15:46.840 --> 0:15:49.960 CBS News, and the latest getting shout outs on the 0:15:50.000 --> 0:15:52.920 only network late night show hosted by a woman, Taylor Tomlin, 0:15:52.960 --> 0:15:59.000 since After Midnight on CBS. Give me a final statement, Okay, my. 0:15:59.120 --> 0:16:03.800 Girl, Ellie's not in the business. 0:16:03.880 --> 0:16:05.920 She's the mascot for the New York Liberty. She can 0:16:06.000 --> 0:16:09.440 drop it, she can sewing her hair. She's been dancing 0:16:09.480 --> 0:16:12.800 a like actual pop star concerts like she is a 0:16:12.840 --> 0:16:15.680 hot ticket and you can only see in the WNBA time. 0:16:17.280 --> 0:16:20.560 That was comedian Kimmia Bapornia sharing her love for Ellie, 0:16:20.600 --> 0:16:23.680 and she did a whole bunch more shouting out the WNBA. 0:16:23.760 --> 0:16:28.520 We love that, So props to Ellie, a true game changer. Also, 0:16:28.760 --> 0:16:32.360 please teach Sky the Lion everything you know. Also, I 0:16:32.360 --> 0:16:34.200 want to give a shout out to Keia Clark, who's 0:16:34.280 --> 0:16:37.080 CEO of the Liberty. She has created a truly incredible 0:16:37.120 --> 0:16:40.280 fan atmosphere and buzz around this team. It's all I've 0:16:40.280 --> 0:16:42.920 heard about this week in New York. People raving about 0:16:42.920 --> 0:16:45.480 how amazing going to a Liberty game is. People asking 0:16:45.560 --> 0:16:47.560 are you going to be at the Libs game on Thursday. 0:16:47.840 --> 0:16:49.080 I know a lot of people are in town for 0:16:49.120 --> 0:16:51.520 the US Open, but it really is sort of the 0:16:51.680 --> 0:16:55.200 social event of the calendar. It's something that people are 0:16:55.360 --> 0:16:58.200 dying to get to. They're boasting a sixty four percent 0:16:58.200 --> 0:17:00.720 attendance increase at home games this year. Between last year 0:17:00.720 --> 0:17:02.880 and this year, season ticket holders have gone up one 0:17:02.920 --> 0:17:05.440 hundred and six percent year over year. And there's this 0:17:05.560 --> 0:17:10.720 so called solbrity get it, clebrity row of famous fans 0:17:10.920 --> 0:17:14.520 and it's just the Barclay centers popping. It's really cool 0:17:14.520 --> 0:17:17.200 to see and I can't wait too experience so shouts 0:17:17.200 --> 0:17:19.320 to the limbs. We got to take another break when 0:17:19.320 --> 0:17:22.080 we come back. Well, what the fact about some balls? 0:17:22.680 --> 0:17:29.720 Stay tuned, Welcome back, my little slices. It's time for 0:17:29.760 --> 0:17:33.840 a What the fact US Open edition? Did you know 0:17:33.920 --> 0:17:36.920 that until last year the US Open used different balls 0:17:37.000 --> 0:17:40.000 for the women, or that there are even different kinds 0:17:40.000 --> 0:17:42.639 of tennis balls? I sure didn't, But thanks to the 0:17:42.680 --> 0:17:45.320 super bad ass Justine Brown of Together, who enlightened me 0:17:45.320 --> 0:17:48.240 over honeyduces at the Open, I'm all caught up. So 0:17:48.280 --> 0:17:50.640 here's the deal. For years, the men at the US 0:17:50.720 --> 0:17:53.440 Open use what's known as an extra duty ball, which 0:17:53.480 --> 0:17:55.159 means the felt on the outside of the ball is 0:17:55.200 --> 0:17:58.000 woven slightly more loosely than the regular duty ball that 0:17:58.040 --> 0:18:00.520 the women use, other than that they're the same size. 0:18:00.600 --> 0:18:03.119 Wait all of that. Per a twenty twenty two New 0:18:03.200 --> 0:18:05.760 York Times article, the regular duty balls the women use 0:18:05.920 --> 0:18:09.879 play faster. Quote felt that's woven more tightly, doesn't fluff 0:18:09.960 --> 0:18:12.119 up as much and can wear away, so there's not 0:18:12.160 --> 0:18:14.480 as much friction when those balls make contact with the 0:18:14.520 --> 0:18:17.240 ground or the strings of a racket. The additional friction 0:18:17.280 --> 0:18:20.080 of a fluffy ball allows players to create maximum spin. 0:18:20.520 --> 0:18:22.720 Those who rely heavily on that spin could struggle to 0:18:22.760 --> 0:18:25.000 make a regular duty ball travel the way they wanted to, 0:18:25.359 --> 0:18:27.399 especially after a few games when the ball begins to 0:18:27.400 --> 0:18:29.280 lose whatever fluff it had right out of the can 0:18:29.480 --> 0:18:32.840 and get smaller end quote. So I guess that difference 0:18:33.160 --> 0:18:35.560 was enough to rankle some players. In twenty twenty two, 0:18:35.840 --> 0:18:38.119 world number one Egas Fontech called the balls that the 0:18:38.200 --> 0:18:41.240 US Open horrible during a news conference questioning why the 0:18:41.240 --> 0:18:43.919 tennis major required women and men to use different balls. 0:18:44.200 --> 0:18:46.399 It was the only Grand Slam tournament not to use 0:18:46.440 --> 0:18:49.000 the same balls for all players. Spontek pointed out that 0:18:49.000 --> 0:18:51.720 she felt unable to prepare adequately because the US Open 0:18:51.760 --> 0:18:54.080 balls weren't available at home in Europe, where she trained. 0:18:54.600 --> 0:18:57.240 She and then number four Paula Badosa spoke to women 0:18:57.359 --> 0:19:00.800 SENUS Association CEO and chairman Steve Simon in twenty twenty 0:19:00.800 --> 0:19:02.679 one and asked if they could switch to use the 0:19:02.680 --> 0:19:04.840 same balls as the men. Well, it turns out the 0:19:04.880 --> 0:19:06.520 type of ball that they use was up to the 0:19:06.520 --> 0:19:10.440 players themselves and their Women's Tennis Association Tour leadership. US 0:19:10.520 --> 0:19:13.520 Open Tournament director Stacy Allister told The Times that sports 0:19:13.520 --> 0:19:15.879 science experts on the women's tour felt that the faster, 0:19:16.040 --> 0:19:19.679 more aerodynamic ball helped limit arm and shoulder injuries, and 0:19:19.680 --> 0:19:22.679 that the WTA always requested the regular duty balls, so 0:19:22.720 --> 0:19:25.240 they just kept it that way. But after the complaints 0:19:25.240 --> 0:19:28.240 in twenty twenty two, the players in the WTA elected 0:19:28.240 --> 0:19:30.719 to ditch the regular duty balls in favor of the 0:19:30.760 --> 0:19:33.320 extra duty ones. So beginning last year, the men and 0:19:33.359 --> 0:19:35.600 women have been handling the same balls all week long 0:19:35.600 --> 0:19:39.159 at Flushing Meadows. Love to learn new things like that. 0:19:39.520 --> 0:19:42.120 I just had no idea there were different tennis balls. Also, 0:19:42.160 --> 0:19:44.240 one last tenis note we are thrilled to learn that 0:19:44.400 --> 0:19:47.320 ESPN Films has greenlighted a Billy Jean King thirty for 0:19:47.400 --> 0:19:51.520 thirty cannot come soon enough. We got some Slice submissions 0:19:51.560 --> 0:19:54.159 to highlight after yesterday's Fight Me when we asked you 0:19:54.200 --> 0:19:56.480 to pick the top four pro female athletes you'd like 0:19:56.480 --> 0:19:59.480 to see play women's tackle football. First, the great Sam 0:19:59.560 --> 0:20:01.760 Rappaport of the NFL, who we talked about on the show. 0:20:01.800 --> 0:20:04.840 She came through with some good ones. Billy Jean King 0:20:04.840 --> 0:20:08.600 at quarterback, Angel Reese, Candace Parker, and Ri Kogumbawallee at 0:20:08.600 --> 0:20:13.199 wide receiver Kelly O'Hara and sid Colson at dB and 0:20:13.240 --> 0:20:17.720 she Carrie Richardson at Rusher. This is a just tremendous 0:20:17.760 --> 0:20:21.240 O'Hara and Colson at DBE is inspired. We also heard 0:20:21.240 --> 0:20:23.760 from at J Moore eleven twenty three, who said, how 0:20:23.800 --> 0:20:26.520 can you leave Sidney McLaughlin Lavarroni off? Your team can 0:20:26.600 --> 0:20:29.560 hurdle opposing tacklers and has the endurance to last all 0:20:29.560 --> 0:20:32.000 four quarters. That is a great call. That is an 0:20:32.000 --> 0:20:35.520 excellent call. Someone also chied at us for forgetting Asia Wilson, which, 0:20:35.560 --> 0:20:38.040 to be fair, she could play every single position for sure. 0:20:38.600 --> 0:20:41.399 We also got a great email from DP that reads, 0:20:41.400 --> 0:20:44.119 in part the tight end everybody was looking for was 0:20:44.200 --> 0:20:48.679 Candace Parker hands down Kelsey at quarterback obviously, and speaking 0:20:48.680 --> 0:20:51.240 of Diana TARRASSI, how could we leave out Alyssa Thomas 0:20:51.280 --> 0:20:53.960 on defense? Yeah, we'll probably get a load of penalties, 0:20:53.960 --> 0:20:56.520 but it might force the other team to make business decisions. 0:20:56.960 --> 0:20:59.560 Trinity Rodman has to play. I don't even care what position. 0:20:59.640 --> 0:21:01.639 Any new nawse on gum like that will make a 0:21:01.640 --> 0:21:05.480 great football player. The Secretary of Defense aka Naomi Germa 0:21:05.600 --> 0:21:08.760 is obviously going to be the lockdown corner. Lastly, Shakerri 0:21:08.880 --> 0:21:11.280