1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:03,159 Speaker 1: Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where Kim Maulky 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: accidentally added us to LSU's team slack and now we 3 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: know their war game plan for the Sweet sixteen. Prayer Hands, 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: Prayer Hands, arm Flex American Flag Basketball. It's Thursday, March 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: twenty seventh, and on today's show, we'll be talking to 6 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: USA Today's Sports columnist Nancy Armour about everything from being 7 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: a quote unquote national disgrace and her March madness takes, 8 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 1: to Lindsay Vaughn's return to skiing and the philosophy that 9 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: drives Nancy as a journalist. Plus one sport makes an 10 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: unfortunate return to the past, and another offers a glimpse 11 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: of the future. It's all coming up right after this 12 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: welcome back slices. Here's what you need to know today. 13 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: Let's start with the NWSL where our coming soon FC 14 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: jerseys are already out of style. The Boston expansion team's 15 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: new and much anticipated name was finally unveiled on Wednesday, 16 00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: the Boston Legacy Football Club Boston Legacy FC. The change 17 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 1: comes five months after public outcry about the original name 18 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 1: Boston Nation FC and the too many Balls marketing campaign 19 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: that accompanied it. In a statement, the club's controlling owner, 20 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 1: Jennifer Epstein said of the new name, quote, we aim 21 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: for our values to reflect a city that breathes competition, passion, 22 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: and pride, and to pay tribute to those who paved 23 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 1: the way before us, including the game changers who helped 24 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: build previous women's professional teams in Boston. End quote. The 25 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: club plans to unveil its crest and full branding this summer. 26 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 1: My opinion, Legacy's kind of underwhelming. It doesn't feel specific 27 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 1: to Boston or the area really at all. But I 28 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:39,119 Speaker 1: kind of do like the idea of fans yelling let's 29 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:41,320 Speaker 1: go Legs. I don't know, just has like a nice 30 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: rig to it. And I assume that the name has 31 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: to do with creating a legacy for pro women's soccer 32 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: in the town, or maybe a bit of a hat 33 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 1: tip to the legacy that began with the Boston Breakers. 34 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: I don't know. Legacy is a nice sentiment, and in 35 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: the end, we know the name is usually the biggest 36 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 1: thing when it's announced, and then isn't all that important 37 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 1: once the games begin. So I guess I'll just say 38 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: Legacy better than Boss Nation, not offensive at all, which 39 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 1: is a great start, and I guess let's get to 40 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: the soccer, because I can't imagine a team more ready 41 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: to get on the field and have actual games to 42 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: talk about than the Boston Folks to the PWHL. You 43 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 1: may recall that in yesterday's interview with hockey writer Hailey 44 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,639 Speaker 1: Salve and she said that pretty much every PWHL team 45 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: was still in the running for this year's Walter Cup, except, 46 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: of course, for the sixth place New York Sirens. Well, 47 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: the Sirens' ears must have been ringing because on Tuesday 48 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 1: night they were losing three nothing to the Ottawa Charge 49 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: midway through the second period, but scored six, yes, six 50 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 1: unanswered goals in the third to win it six to three. 51 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:41,799 Speaker 1: What those six goals broke the PWHL record for most 52 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 1: goals in a single period by a full two goals. 53 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: The previous record was four. So I guess what they're 54 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 1: saying is, don't count us out just yet. To track 55 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: and field. On Tuesday, World Athletics president seb Co announced 56 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: that the organization is planning to reintroduce gender verification testing 57 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 1: in order to maintain quote the integrity of the competition 58 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 1: end quote. If the new policy is implemented, competitors in 59 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: the women's category will be required to do a chromosome 60 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: test using a dry blood spot sample or a cheek swab, 61 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: and any athlete with a Y chromosome will be barred 62 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: from competing unless they can show that they are quote 63 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: completely insensitive to androgens end quote. Now it's worth noting 64 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: that World Athletics already has a near blanket ban on 65 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: transgender women competing in the women's category, so this new 66 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 1: policy is especially targeted at cisgender women with differences of 67 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: sexual development AKADSDS. Gender verification tests aren't new in women's sports. 68 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: In fact, policies like the one World Athletics plans to 69 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: reintroduce were the norm until the nineteen nineties, when they 70 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: were abandoned after decades of athletes complaining about their invasiveness 71 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: and scientific research showing their flaws and drawbacks. Now, if 72 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: you haven't heard it already, listen to the podcast Tested. 73 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: It's a six part series on the history of sex 74 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 1: testing in sports that will offer a lot of context 75 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: and facts about this decision from World Athletics. We spoke 76 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: with the quarter of the Tested series, Rose Evelyth, last 77 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: summer on this show they wrote on Blue Sky of 78 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 1: the return to this chromosome based policy. Quote, World Athletics 79 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: is going back to mandatory sex testing for all women. 80 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: This is something that was done for years but abandoned 81 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: in the nineteen nineties because it was invasive, discriminatory, and 82 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 1: also useless. They continued, quote, some estimates suggest that one 83 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,359 Speaker 1: in five hundred women would test positive for a Y 84 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:27,799 Speaker 1: chromosome end quote. We'll link to both the Tested series 85 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 1: and our interview with Rose in the show notes. Tavibs 86 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 1: in Love Pro Volleyball. The two top teams in the 87 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: league meet tonight, with number one Atlanta traveling to number 88 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 1: two Houston. We're in the final two weeks of the 89 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 1: regular season, and while all six teams will qualify for 90 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 1: the playoffs, Atlanta and Houston have been so good this 91 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: season that this could be an early preview of what 92 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 1: to expect in the finals. That match tips at eight 93 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 1: pm Eastern tonight. Will link to the full Love schedule 94 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: in the show notes. We got to take a quick break. 95 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: When we come back. It's Nancy Armor joining us now. 96 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: She's been a sports columnist for USA Today since twenty fourteen. 97 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 1: Previously spent twenty years with the Associated Press and has 98 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: covered every Olympics since nineteen ninety six. She grew up 99 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: a Packers fan and went to Marquette University in Milwaukee, 100 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 1: but smartly came south to the greatest city in the world, Chicago, 101 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: and she's never left. Meghan Kelly called her a goddamn 102 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: national disgrace. It's Nancy Armor, Hi, Nancy. 103 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 2: Hello, Sarah, how are you. 104 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,159 Speaker 1: I'm pretty good, real quick on that. Megan Kelly thing 105 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: as someone who has myself faced the wrath of the 106 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: right wing news programs, and also very disappointing when you 107 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: learn about it, because someone's like, my dad saw you 108 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: on Fox News and you're like, oh, that's too bad 109 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: for you. How did you react or feel when Meghan 110 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: Kelly and Greg Guttfeld and others sort of sicked their 111 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 1: viewers on you for the column that you wrote about 112 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: Don Staley and her support of transparticipation in sport. 113 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 2: I mean, I consider it a badge of honor. You know, 114 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 2: if I'm pissing them off, I must be doing something right. 115 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 2: That's kind of how I look at it. But yeah, 116 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 2: it is always weird that when somebody tells me that 117 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 2: or oh, I was watching Fox News and I'm like, 118 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 2: oh god, no, please, right, yeah, I And I mean 119 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 2: you know this, you get it all the time. I'm 120 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 2: still caring. You know, there are days that it depends 121 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 2: upon how much coffee I've had or whatever, but I 122 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 2: mostly just don't care because I and this is going 123 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 2: to sound arrogant, and I don't mean it too, but 124 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 2: I know that I am on the right side of 125 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 2: history and issues like that, and it shocks me and 126 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 2: enrages me that we haven't caught up to the rights 127 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:39,359 Speaker 2: of that right side of history yet, but I know 128 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 2: we eventually will. So I am perfectly okay with taking 129 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 2: up my positions on that. And if you know, the 130 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 2: Megan Kelly's of the world don't like it, I don't 131 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 2: much care. 132 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 1: I actually completely agree, And when I ended up in 133 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: that sort of like washing machine of garbage, I felt 134 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,039 Speaker 1: very strongly about my opinion in my perspective. But also 135 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: it still sucks when you have like thousands or hundreds 136 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: of people in your men cheese being terrible. So I'm 137 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 1: sorry for that and also agree with you. You're on 138 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 1: the right side of things, and it is a bit 139 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: of a badge of honor. I want to talk about 140 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: this women's NCAA basketball tournament. But first you just got 141 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: back or you still are there covering downhill skiing. Yes, 142 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: very big weekend for a big name. You got to 143 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: see forty year old Lindsay Vaughn take silver in the 144 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: Super G at the World Cup Finals in Sun Valley, 145 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: just four months after coming out of retirement. There were 146 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: a lot of emotions from her, can you take us there? 147 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: And what you saw on herd? 148 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, so she was and all the skiers were a 149 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 2: little bit disappointed because the downhill on Saturday was canceled. 150 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 2: They had gotten roughly six inches of snow here in 151 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 2: sun Valley overnight and then winds kicked up, and you 152 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 2: know anything about downhill skiing, you don't want to be 153 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 2: having people going sixty seventy eighty miles an hour and 154 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 2: going over jumps when there's like a gust of wind blowing. 155 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 2: That would not be safe for anybody. So Lindsay's last 156 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 2: race was the Super G on Sunday and she started 157 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 2: low in the order, which if it's better to be 158 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 2: starting the higher up, those are tending to be the 159 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 2: you know where the track is the best, you know 160 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 2: before it gets broken down, And she just crushed it. 161 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 2: She she had that fine line of being super aggressive 162 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 2: but just being on the very edge of being out 163 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 2: of control, but she wasn't out of control. And when 164 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 2: she crossed the finish line, like when people, you know, 165 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 2: because the stands are the fans are watching on the 166 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 2: big screens, and the roar that went up when she 167 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 2: crossed the finish line was just like, I'm getting goosebumps 168 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 2: now thinking about it. Yeah, and she was so thrilled. 169 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, it's a she's forty years old, 170 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 2: oldest woman by a long time to win a World 171 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 2: Cup medal, World Cup Finals well yeah, Wold Cup medal 172 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 2: and World Cup Finals medal. It was her first podium 173 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 2: appearance since in a World Cup since twenty eighteen World 174 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 2: Championships twenty nineteen. And she's also been dealing with you know, 175 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 2: she was retired for five years, and she's been dealing 176 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,320 Speaker 2: with some people who when she came back, were saying, 177 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 2: why are you doing this, you know, questioning hermotives, saying, oh, 178 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 2: there's no way you can do this. So there was, 179 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 2: as she said, there was relief. It wasn't that she 180 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,680 Speaker 2: ever doubted herself, but it was really satisfactory. To be 181 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 2: able to shot the people who did doubt her up. 182 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 1: You wrote a great column about it's not just about Lindsay, 183 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:18,679 Speaker 1: but every other female athlete that we don't even know 184 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: what they can do and how long they can do 185 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:24,040 Speaker 1: it for. And the science is behind and the resources 186 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 1: are behind. But as we are helping fuel and serve 187 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: and heal female athletes later in life, they are getting 188 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,559 Speaker 1: more opportunities to prove that our limitations were probably artificial 189 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: for a while. And she's just the latest example. It's 190 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:37,440 Speaker 1: a great story. Everyone to check it out. Also, you 191 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 1: wrote about an up and comer that we should keep 192 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:42,199 Speaker 1: an eye on Lauren Masuga, someone we should know ahead 193 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: of next year's Olympics. 194 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 2: Probably, yes, very much so. She and her sisters. Lauren 195 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 2: is she's hilarious personally, but she is a really good skier. 196 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 2: She's just twenty two. She won the Super G in 197 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 2: Saint Anton earlier this year. She made a downhill podium 198 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 2: in the World Cup. She made the Super G podium 199 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 2: at the World Championships. She's really become a factor And 200 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 2: as of right now, there's there's one more race on Thursday, 201 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 2: but as of right now, she is the top American 202 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 2: woman in the down in the overall standings, which is 203 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 2: you know, we haven't seen that the last couple of years. 204 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 2: It's always, you know, it was either Mikayla Shiffern or 205 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 2: it was Lindsay Vaughn. And now we've got somebody new. 206 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: And because of missing a bunch of events because of 207 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: the injury and whatnot. But still, yeah, all that being said, yeah, 208 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: something to keep an eye on for sure. 209 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, And she's got a great story. 210 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 3: She is. 211 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,600 Speaker 2: She's got two sisters. One sister is a mogul skier, 212 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:41,679 Speaker 2: one sister is a ski jumper, and each one of 213 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 2: them is on their national team. So you could have 214 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 2: three sisters at the Olympics next year. It's it's crazy. Yeah, 215 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 2: it's a wonderful story. 216 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 1: All right, let's talk coops because you're joining us. About 217 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 1: a year after Caitlin Clark and the Clark angel Reese 218 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: rivalry helped women's basketball break countless viewing records and breakthrough 219 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: onto the big debate shows, which sort of changed where 220 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 1: it sits in the sports landscape, you wrote about how 221 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 1: the enthusiasm hasn't left the college game just because Caitlin 222 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: has What are we seeing? One year later in terms 223 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:14,680 Speaker 1: of some of the numbers and also excitement. 224 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, well we've seen you know, big ratings. Again, it 225 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:20,679 Speaker 2: used to be like I remember last year, in the 226 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 2: year before, when a women's basketball game would get a 227 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 2: million viewers, it was like, oh my god, that's you know, 228 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 2: that's just huge. You know, this year there were a 229 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 2: ton of them. 230 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: At least half a dozen, you said, by yeah, just 231 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 1: in the regular season. 232 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you know, we've seen it more in conference championships. 233 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 2: In the tournaments. Clark might have been the gateway for 234 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 2: some people to come in, but once they got here, 235 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 2: they realized like, oh, there are great other players, you know, 236 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 2: whether it's ju Ju, whether it's Paige, whether it's malaysa 237 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 2: full Wiley, Like, you know, people realize that this that 238 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 2: the game is actually really darn good. And so I 239 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 2: think we've seen that carry over in the regular season, 240 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 2: and corporate sponsors and people with money have realized that, oh, 241 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 2: you know, there's I don't want to say that there's 242 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 2: necessarily that men's sports has hit a ceiling, but there's 243 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 2: a lot less room for growth than there is in 244 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:11,439 Speaker 2: the women's game. And people who know a lot about 245 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 2: sponsorships and advertising half recognize that that, hey, if we 246 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 2: want to make some money, this is a real growth 247 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 2: opportunity for us, And so they're putting money into women's sports, 248 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:21,559 Speaker 2: which is terrific to see. 249 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, I want to get to some of the spots 250 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 1: that we're seeing and what we can expect during the 251 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 1: rest of this tournament. But you've now introduced yet another 252 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: term for Kaitlin Clark. You said she might be a doorway, 253 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 1: a gateway, So I'm going to go gateway drug, gateway 254 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: drug to start, just like snorting all of women's college 255 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: basketball and other sports. I usually call her the match 256 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: for the bonfire. It was already built, but then you 257 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: needed that little match to really set it a blaze. 258 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: But I'm going I like gateway drug. Like gateway drug. 259 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: That's good. Let's talk about that. You mentioned the average 260 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 1: price for a thirty second spot in the story that 261 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: you wrote for this year's women's NCAA Championship game has 262 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: more than doubled from last spring, going for about four 263 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: hundred and forty thousand dollars, according to Sports Business Journal. 264 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: So how important is it for the business and the 265 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 1: sponsorship side to sort of lead the way so that 266 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:13,199 Speaker 1: they can convince late adopters in front offices, media outlets, 267 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:16,320 Speaker 1: or otherwise that women's sports is a massive economic opportunity. 268 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:20,199 Speaker 2: It's huge, and I think when we have the sponsors, 269 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:23,319 Speaker 2: or when you have the people with the money at stake, 270 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 2: when they've invested, when they have gotten involved, there is 271 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 2: no going back. Because we saw in the late nineties 272 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 2: early two thousands, we saw big numbers, whether it was 273 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:35,440 Speaker 2: the WNBA or whether it was a college game, and 274 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:38,959 Speaker 2: then there was a backslide. And we can discuss all 275 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 2: of the reasons why, but when you have these people 276 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 2: who are investing, they're not going to let this backslide 277 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 2: because they have too much money invested. Now there's too 278 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 2: much riding on this. So I think it's huge that 279 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 2: you know, the game itself has gotten better, We've seen 280 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 2: that in the tournament itself, especially at the upper levels, 281 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 2: but the fact that there's you know, we're seeing commercials 282 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 2: with page and juju. This is mainstream. And so now 283 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 2: that there is a foothold in mainstream conversations or that 284 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 2: that women's sports are part of the mainstream sports culture, 285 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:19,120 Speaker 2: it's really hard to say, Okay, we're going to go 286 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 2: back to where we were five and seven years ago. 287 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 2: It's you know that that ship thankfully has sailed, and 288 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 2: it's just you know, are we going to see the 289 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 2: rocket fuel growth that we have the last couple of years. 290 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 2: Probably not, But are we going to see steady and 291 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 2: sustain growth. Absolutely? 292 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 1: Yeah. We do need to not expect every year to 293 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 1: be able to say and we broke another record, and 294 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: we broke it down the record because eventually I need 295 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: to just be sustained in positive growth. But it can 296 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: go backwards, and if it does, it's usually because of intention. 297 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: What we often do is act like it's a natural 298 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 1: response to the product, but usually someone with a big 299 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 1: amount of power is the one impacting that backslide. And 300 00:14:57,280 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 1: I know I talked to you for an article you 301 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 1: wrote a couple months ago, and as we were talking, 302 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: you were getting ready to talk to Mark Shapiro, who 303 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 1: was in programming, uh in charge of programming for ESPN. 304 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 1: When they buried the WNBA and ESPN two, it was 305 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: averaging over a million and a half plus households on 306 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 1: you know, each of its first three seasons before that move. 307 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 1: What did you tell you about that? Because I think 308 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: that's worth talking about too, is are we is there 309 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 1: potential for that to happen again, if someone in charge 310 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: decides that they want to bury it. 311 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 2: I'll take the second part first. I don't think so, 312 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 2: because I think we have seen enough. I think there 313 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 2: is there are enough data points, there's enough demand now 314 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 2: from viewers and from from from people to realize that, hey, 315 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 2: this is worthwhile programming. This is going to get ratings 316 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 2: as long as we've promoted, as long as we give it, 317 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 2: you know, put it in the right spots. It is, 318 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 2: it is worthy. 319 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 1: You know. 320 00:15:49,560 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 2: Shapiro, I think has I don't necessarily want to say 321 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 2: he's come to see the error of his ways, but 322 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 2: he says that he was brought in to fix ESPN's 323 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 2: ratings and he didn't want to air anything that was 324 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 2: going to be a potential drag on the ratings, which 325 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 2: that's chicken or the egg. You know, where were you 326 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 2: putting women's basketball. You were putting it on ESPN two. 327 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 2: You were putting it at weird times, like you know, 328 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 2: of course you weren't going to draw as well when 329 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 2: you're doing that. If you had given it the time slots, 330 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 2: if you had given it the promotion that NBC had 331 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 2: those first few seasons, I think it would have been 332 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 2: a different story. Now, does he not like women's basketball? 333 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 2: He says, no, that you know that he's a big fan. Yeah, 334 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 2: he's actually an iowagrad. So he's a huge Caitlin Clark fan. 335 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: He you know. 336 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 2: He says it was all about ratings. I am am 337 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 2: not wanting to have a drag on ESPN ratings. 338 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 1: And quality of play, he said, I remember, Yeah, the 339 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: quality of play wasn't ready for ESPN, which is interesting 340 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 1: for a network that will air Little League World Series 341 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: and other things. And also I think when you go 342 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: back and watch, yes, absolutely, the talent has improved. When 343 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:52,040 Speaker 1: you go back and watch like Tisha Pennicero and Cheryl 344 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: Swoops and these players from the early years, there was 345 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 1: a ton of talent. There's just not that well produced 346 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: as far as like game production and and game entertainment opportunities, 347 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 1: and it just didn't look as high value when you 348 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 1: were watching it. But the play wasn't the problem. 349 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,120 Speaker 2: No, I agree with that. And if the play had 350 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:11,640 Speaker 2: been the problem, then you could say, well, then why 351 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,120 Speaker 2: was NBC getting the ratings that they were. So it's 352 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:17,719 Speaker 2: you know, any excuse, and I'll use the word excuse, 353 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 2: any excuse that you can give for doing it. There 354 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:22,399 Speaker 2: is a very easy rebuttal for it. 355 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: Yeah. So this is the first time ever that women's 356 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 1: teams that advance in the tournament will earn their schools 357 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 1: and conference money quote unquote units. We've talked about these 358 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,600 Speaker 1: on the show before, but can you talk about how 359 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 1: that change, even with a much smaller pool of money 360 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: than the men's side, will affect the future of women's 361 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:43,159 Speaker 1: programs and investments across the space. 362 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:45,399 Speaker 2: Yeah. First of all, can we just talk about the 363 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 2: fact it is twenty freaking twenty five and women are 364 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:51,640 Speaker 2: finally getting paid for me in the tournament? 365 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:54,560 Speaker 1: I agreed, But also at this point, when I say 366 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:57,479 Speaker 1: it's twenty twenty five, it's actually like all bets are off, like, 367 00:17:57,520 --> 00:17:59,439 Speaker 1: well that it used to be like this is the 368 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 1: year whatever, so we should be No, at this point, 369 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,160 Speaker 1: it's like what the is going on pretty much all 370 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 1: the time in twenty twenty five. But agreed that it 371 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 1: should not have taken this long. 372 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, that's true. You know, this is this is monumental. 373 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 2: The basic explanation or why units are important. Schools that 374 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 2: make the tournament, they earn money for their conferences. The 375 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 2: money goes to the conference. The conference then doles it 376 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 2: out to the schools. It's very similar to what what 377 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 2: they do with the with football and the bol you 378 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:32,200 Speaker 2: know the Bowls series that there's a there's a pot 379 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:34,919 Speaker 2: and then it goes out to the different conferences and 380 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,680 Speaker 2: trickles down to the schools. That money is significant because 381 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 2: that's what you put back into your program. That is 382 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:42,879 Speaker 2: what you can use to improve facilities. That is what 383 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:46,680 Speaker 2: you you can use to go to the tournament in 384 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 2: the Bahamas or a tournament why where you are going 385 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 2: to get better competition in the non conference season. That 386 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 2: is money that you can spend to upgrade your coaching staff, 387 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:02,520 Speaker 2: or add a dedicated nutritionist, or expand your coach at 388 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:06,439 Speaker 2: your pool of assistance, all of these things which are 389 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 2: these are building blocks. So you know, you do that, 390 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 2: your team gets better. You know, that means that you 391 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 2: win more games, which means you get more money, which 392 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 2: means you can do this. It's it's the it's the 393 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 2: foundation that men's teams have always had and that is 394 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:22,119 Speaker 2: part of the reason that they've had the growth that 395 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 2: they've had. You know, it's the same thing as we've 396 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 2: seen with any other women's sports, like with soccer, if 397 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 2: you don't put money into your product, you can't expect 398 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 2: that you're going to get the best product, as you know, 399 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 2: the best result, right, So this is to me, this 400 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 2: is huge. Again, it's not the same pool of money 401 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 2: as the men are getting. It's it's not any We're close, 402 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 2: but it's a start, and it's I think we are 403 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 2: going to see the dividends fairly quickly. 404 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,720 Speaker 1: Do you think there's to be an impact from Juju 405 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 1: Watkins's injury on interest in this year's Sweet Sixteen and 406 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: going forward? I know it's heartbreaking. 407 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 2: I'm so. I mean, I'm sad for her because she's 408 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 2: such an amazing player, but yeah, I'm sad for the 409 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 2: tournament and I'm sad for women's basketball because Juju is 410 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 2: she might not be quite at Caitlin Clark's level, but 411 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 2: she is darn close. I mean, I can't tell you 412 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 2: the number of guys, especially teenage boys that I talked 413 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 2: to who loved Juju. They just think that they love 414 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:20,000 Speaker 2: the way she they love her game. They just they 415 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:24,959 Speaker 2: they're mesmerized by her. So yeah, it is a bummer. 416 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 2: It's I don't know how much the tournament is going 417 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 2: to take a hit because the committee was stupid and 418 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:37,440 Speaker 2: put USC in Yukon in the Elite eight. So it's 419 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 2: not like we're you know, and I don't know that. 420 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 2: I don't know a whole lot of people can be 421 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 2: Ukon at this point, So I don't know that USC 422 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 2: would have gotten to the final four anyway with Juju. 423 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 1: But we do lose out on that matchup, which was 424 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 1: was going to be a ratings bonanza and so much fun. 425 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:56,879 Speaker 2: Absolutely, you know, the and this is I hate to 426 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:58,879 Speaker 2: say this, but we will be talking about Juju the 427 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 2: rest of the tournament with the what ifs, you know, 428 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:05,280 Speaker 2: if USC loses two K state, which I don't see 429 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:07,879 Speaker 2: that happening either, but you know, what would it what 430 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 2: would have happened if Judu had been here. So she'll 431 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 2: still be in the conversations, but it's not going to 432 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 2: be nearly the rock would have been. 433 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think I might actually cry if she's sitting 434 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 1: on the bench with a gentleman god knee brace watching 435 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 1: her team, I think I might actually cry. 436 00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I'm going to be in Spokane, so like 437 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 2: if you see somebody leaping at court side, that would 438 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 2: be me. 439 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 1: Okay, well, we'll be sort of take a screen grab 440 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 1: and then circle you and post it everywhere. Nancy, you've 441 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: been writing about sports for decades. I wonder how you've 442 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,320 Speaker 1: seen the folks in charge of the places at which 443 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:41,359 Speaker 1: you've worked changed their approach to women's sports coverage. 444 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 2: Well, I think we're covering it now, first of all, 445 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 2: And I have been very fortunate in that I have 446 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 2: almost always had a female sports etter, like my boss 447 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:54,919 Speaker 2: is almost Yeah, that's unusual. It's super unusual, and I 448 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 2: didn't realize like how good I had it. I started 449 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 2: with the AP and the sports editor for a long 450 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 2: time was Terry Taylor, and so there was never any 451 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:07,119 Speaker 2: you know, any kind of oh, you can't do this, 452 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 2: because the person running our entire department was a woman. 453 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 2: So there was never any kind of that, you know, 454 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 2: some of the crap that my colleagues got at their places. 455 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 2: And then when I moved to USA Today, Mary Byrne 456 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 2: was my first editor, and Roxanna Scott is our editor now. Actually, 457 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 2: our entire leadership team is female in USA Today Sports, 458 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:31,399 Speaker 2: which is tremendous. So you know, from that perspective, that 459 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 2: hasn't changed for me. But I think the emphasis and 460 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:39,360 Speaker 2: the recognition that we need to cover women's sports, not 461 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 2: just not because we should, but because they are sports 462 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:45,080 Speaker 2: and we need to cover them and use that word, 463 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:48,919 Speaker 2: that connective tissue. We need to write about the transactions, 464 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 2: We need to write about the fact that, you know, 465 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 2: Cody McMahon went into the transfer portal today as opposed 466 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 2: to just doing you know, great features, which there's a 467 00:22:56,760 --> 00:23:01,360 Speaker 2: place for those, but we need to treat on the sport. Yeah, exactly. 468 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 2: So I think that's where I've seen the biggest change. 469 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 1: You know, you mentioned earlier, Caitlin being this gateway and 470 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:10,800 Speaker 1: changing the way that people see the larger sports world 471 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,200 Speaker 1: as women's sports and particularly women's basketball as a part 472 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: of sports. And I feel like I've been during my 473 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: time at ESPN, I had this view of radio, podcasts, television, writing, 474 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:26,360 Speaker 1: even producing, and at each turn I would see how 475 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 1: different decision makers and gatekeepers scanned the news for what 476 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 1: would go in that show, What do we want to 477 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:34,239 Speaker 1: talk about on Around the Horn, what do we want 478 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:37,160 Speaker 1: to talk about on my nightly national radio show, my podcast, 479 00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:40,680 Speaker 1: everything else? And I feel like Caitlin was the gateway 480 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 1: drug where they had to start scanning for Caitlin news, 481 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:47,960 Speaker 1: which meant NCAA Basketball News, which then meant WNBA News, 482 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 1: which now has sort of opened the door ajar for 483 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 1: maybe NWSL and other things too, because instead of just 484 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,400 Speaker 1: saying what's happening in the four major men's pro sports, 485 00:23:56,600 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 1: they now think what's happening in this larger group of things. 486 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 1: People are interested in it and demanding. I think we 487 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,919 Speaker 1: silo sports on this show, women's sports for a reason 488 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: and for a purpose. But I hope eventually everyone will 489 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:13,359 Speaker 1: just talk about sports. What do you think is still 490 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,359 Speaker 1: getting in the way of us being able to just 491 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: say sports and everyone knows that that could be women's, 492 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 1: men's whatever's the news of the day. 493 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:24,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's just time. I hope that it's 494 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 2: just time that, you know, we're seeing people when they 495 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:32,400 Speaker 2: talk about the NCAA tournament, we're talking about the whole thing. 496 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:34,440 Speaker 2: You know, we could be talking about pagebackers, we could 497 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 2: be talking about Cooper Flag. 498 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:39,119 Speaker 1: I think it's just and just Cooper Flag because that 499 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,359 Speaker 1: is the only name of a men's college basketball player I. 500 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 2: Know, Okay, good one, same, the only one. 501 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:47,680 Speaker 1: I don't know a single other name. 502 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:49,720 Speaker 2: And you know what, there were plenty of people who 503 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 2: before the tournament started felt that exact same or thought 504 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 2: that exact same thing, like Cooper Flag, Yes, got that one. 505 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 2: The rest of them, man, I don't know. So yeah, 506 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 2: I think it's just you know, stars help, big names help. 507 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 2: And so the fact that we have had this gift 508 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 2: with going from Caitlin Clark then to Pagebackers, to Juju, 509 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:16,440 Speaker 2: to Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles. You know, we've we've 510 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,919 Speaker 2: had this line of stars and then you know in 511 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:22,080 Speaker 2: the w n b A You've got Fee, You've got Stewie, 512 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:24,879 Speaker 2: You've got you know, Angel, you have all of the people. 513 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:28,200 Speaker 2: And I think that as you know, as that pool 514 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:31,639 Speaker 2: of stars, as they get more recognized in the in 515 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:35,440 Speaker 2: like the public domain, whether that's through commercials or appearances places, 516 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:38,919 Speaker 2: I think that that's going to tear down whatever boundaries 517 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,120 Speaker 2: continue to exist, at least I hope. 518 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 1: So, yeah, I agree. The last decade has seen a 519 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 1: pretty drastic shift in standards and expectations when it comes 520 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:52,120 Speaker 1: to the behavior of the leader of our country and 521 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,119 Speaker 1: other politicians of the media. And I wonder, you know, 522 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:58,040 Speaker 1: you write a lot about the intersection of sports and 523 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:00,359 Speaker 1: social issues. Have you seen or felt a difference in 524 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: how you're writing has been assigned, edited, or received, depending 525 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:05,680 Speaker 1: on who's at the helm. 526 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 2: No, And that is one thing that I have been 527 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:13,880 Speaker 2: very fortunate. I've never been told to write something, and 528 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:18,120 Speaker 2: just as importantly, I've never been told not to write something. Now, 529 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:21,720 Speaker 2: if I am writing, especially these days, something about the 530 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 2: president and you know, him turning his little interview during 531 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 2: the National Football Championship game into a campaign spot, do 532 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,359 Speaker 2: my editors take a closer look at it? Does it 533 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:36,679 Speaker 2: get maybe a second or third read? Of course, But 534 00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 2: you know, I'm okay with that. But no one is saying, oh, 535 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 2: you can't write that, or we just had somebody write that, 536 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 2: so you can't write that. I mean, there's there is 537 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:47,719 Speaker 2: none of that. There is a you know, yeah, if 538 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:49,640 Speaker 2: you want to take on tough issues, if you want 539 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:54,160 Speaker 2: to take on tough topics, go for it. Just we'll 540 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 2: just make sure that you know every I is dotted 541 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 2: in there, every T is crossed. 542 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 1: We recently have this hockey writer from the Athletic Kaylee Salviannon. 543 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 1: She's one of the few like major women Talkeey writers, 544 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: and we talked about how she has to be thoughtful 545 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:11,920 Speaker 1: about her coverage because her impact is outsized as one 546 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 1: of the few go to voices in the space, And 547 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 1: I wonder how you think your role has a columnist 548 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: on women's sports has changed as the women's sports space 549 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 1: has changed. How much do you have to be aware 550 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:25,720 Speaker 1: of how what you say, or your reporting or your 551 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 1: journalism is impacted by the space in which it lives. 552 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 2: I don't know how much I think about that because 553 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 2: I never really want to think about the potential impact, 554 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:42,080 Speaker 2: because I don't want to make myself pull back or 555 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 2: you know, think twice about saying something for fear of 556 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:49,159 Speaker 2: either pissing somebody off or you know it. Obviously, if 557 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:51,439 Speaker 2: I'm going to be causing harm, that's a completely different story. 558 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 2: But I don't want to. I'm not going to. I'm 559 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:58,399 Speaker 2: not going to not take a tough stance because I 560 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:00,679 Speaker 2: worry that it might damage the women's game or you know, 561 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 2: a women's sport or a female athlete. And to me, 562 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:07,400 Speaker 2: that's hopefully aside of the growth of the game that 563 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:12,440 Speaker 2: I write the same way about women's athletes, women's teams, 564 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:15,520 Speaker 2: women's leagues as I do and have written about men, 565 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:17,600 Speaker 2: and I think we should. I think that's the way 566 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,679 Speaker 2: that we should be handling it. So I tend not 567 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:23,960 Speaker 2: to think about those types of things. Again, like if 568 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:26,000 Speaker 2: it's the potential to do harm, that is a completely 569 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 2: different conversation. 570 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:29,439 Speaker 1: But just right, I think that's where we're kind of 571 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:33,239 Speaker 1: in a sticky spot right now, because agreed, yes, we 572 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:35,120 Speaker 1: need to get past the cheerleader phase and be able 573 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:36,919 Speaker 1: to be honest and critical because that's a space that 574 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 1: sports needs. And also, to your point, if there is 575 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: harm caused because of an misunderstanding about the space or 576 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 1: the nuance that's required to work in it, it is 577 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:49,760 Speaker 1: different than men's sports, where, for instance, the safety of 578 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:53,800 Speaker 1: women athletes, they have less money for security, or there's 579 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 1: more intersectional issues around race, gender identity, sexuality in the 580 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: way in space, So if you're not aware of those 581 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 1: when you're asking questions or setting up interviews, you might 582 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 1: potentially cause harm to your point, So yeah, it's like this, 583 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 1: just the more people have been in the space and 584 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:14,719 Speaker 1: know it, the better usually because usually they're coming to 585 00:29:14,760 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: it with an understanding. Versus if you parachute in for 586 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,479 Speaker 1: your one story and you don't know how it works, 587 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: it can be sometimes insulting to the athletes. I know. 588 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: Sue Bird has talked about how our interviews are sometimes 589 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 1: just the same four pop points off our Wikipedia, and 590 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:30,760 Speaker 1: she can just tell immediately, oh good, thank you for reading. 591 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:33,680 Speaker 1: And here comes the question about something wacky in there 592 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 1: that everybody thinks they're the only one to ask me about. Yeah, 593 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:40,560 Speaker 1: it's complicated. I mean, you know, we've had other journalists 594 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:44,480 Speaker 1: in here that I think their approach of everything should 595 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:47,040 Speaker 1: be the same as the men's game can be harmful, 596 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: and so it's it's how do I make sure I'm 597 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 1: being fair and critical without making a space that's already 598 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 1: subject to so much toxicity even more poisoned. 599 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I I do this. I've done this 600 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:04,680 Speaker 2: since the beginning of my career in sports. Is I 601 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 2: kind of go into it assuming that I don't know 602 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:11,760 Speaker 2: much because like, for example, I never played football, and 603 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 2: so when I started covering Notre Dame, which was my 604 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:17,520 Speaker 2: first like full time beat, there were a lot of 605 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 2: things obviously that I didn't know. So I asked a 606 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 2: lot of questions and things that never made it into print. 607 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 2: If they weren't questions from an interview perspective, they were 608 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 2: a hey, help me understand this, or what am I 609 00:30:30,680 --> 00:30:32,800 Speaker 2: not seeing? Or how should I be looking at that? 610 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:34,680 Speaker 2: And I've kind of you. I've kind of carried that 611 00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:37,240 Speaker 2: forward with the rest throughout the rest of my career. 612 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 2: So especially because I do cover a lot of different things, 613 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 2: so I might not be necessarily parachuting in, but I'm 614 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 2: not in that space day to day, so I make 615 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 2: sure to ask people like, Hey, what do you know 616 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:51,720 Speaker 2: about this person? Or what should I know when I'm 617 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:56,320 Speaker 2: covering this or about this? Or I didn't know about that? 618 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:58,640 Speaker 2: Can you explain that to me? So I'm in addition 619 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:01,640 Speaker 2: to being a sports junkie, I'm just like an information jockie. 620 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:04,480 Speaker 2: I want to know all of the things. So I've 621 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:06,480 Speaker 2: always kind of operated that way, and I think that's 622 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,800 Speaker 2: a really I think that's an important thing with covering 623 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 2: women's sports, because you're right, you can do there is 624 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:17,880 Speaker 2: the potential for harm unintentionally, right, but you need to 625 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:18,520 Speaker 2: be aware of that. 626 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:21,120 Speaker 1: So of course, part of that is just being willing 627 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: to learn and evolve. And I when I was starting 628 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:26,200 Speaker 1: in the business, I would hear someone say that they 629 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 1: had twenty years experience, and I would be jealous. I'd 630 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:31,479 Speaker 1: be like, oh my gosh, they're insight, They're acclaim all 631 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 1: the things they've done and now that I have about 632 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:36,280 Speaker 1: twenty years experience, I realize that immediately signals to people 633 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:39,600 Speaker 1: that I'm of a certain age. Right, oh, twenty years Okay, 634 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:43,960 Speaker 1: Well you have reached thirty years experience, and I wonder 635 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 1: if you check in with yourself to be sure you're 636 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:48,800 Speaker 1: evolving with the times, applying the knowledge you've gained, while 637 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:50,959 Speaker 1: still staying open to what it is you don't know. 638 00:31:51,680 --> 00:31:55,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, you have to, because it's you know, avolve 639 00:31:55,800 --> 00:32:01,160 Speaker 2: or by basically whether it is using technology or keeping 640 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 2: up with what is currents in popular culture, all of 641 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 2: those things. It part of it is you don't want 642 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 2: to look like a dinosaur. But also you need to 643 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:14,520 Speaker 2: meet the people that you're covering where they live. And 644 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 2: in sports, we're mostly covering people who are in their 645 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 2: teams or twenties or thirties, some forties, but most people 646 00:32:22,960 --> 00:32:25,200 Speaker 2: who are much younger, and you need to have an 647 00:32:25,280 --> 00:32:28,440 Speaker 2: understanding of who they are, the challenges that they're facing, 648 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:33,320 Speaker 2: what is important to them, what things they might you know, 649 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 2: think are important that maybe my generation doesn't. You have 650 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:38,720 Speaker 2: to at least have an awareness of all that I think, 651 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 2: and not to say that you know it makes you 652 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:45,760 Speaker 2: buddies with them or anything like that, because that's not 653 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 2: a thing anyway, or that's not what you should be 654 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,239 Speaker 2: going for anyway, but to have an understanding so that 655 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:54,800 Speaker 2: you can you can go in with a base knowledge 656 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:58,800 Speaker 2: and someone have a respect for where these these people 657 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 2: might be coming from at this age or where they 658 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:01,480 Speaker 2: are in their life. 659 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 1: I completely agree that connection that comes from at least 660 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:08,640 Speaker 1: trying to get on their level. In some way. I 661 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:11,480 Speaker 1: do struggle because I don't want to spend even more 662 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: time on social media. I don't want to be on 663 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:17,120 Speaker 1: TikTok all day so that I can know what trend 664 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:19,400 Speaker 1: they're doing, but I do. I'm like, I want to 665 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 1: know why they're doing that, so I don't say something 666 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:23,280 Speaker 1: dumb around these younger athletes, but also like I have 667 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:25,840 Speaker 1: shit to do. I don't have time to pay attention 668 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:29,360 Speaker 1: to that. You know, your bio at USA Today reads 669 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:31,920 Speaker 1: in part I definitely know I don't have all the answers, 670 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:34,600 Speaker 1: but I'm always looking for more of them, And that 671 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:36,800 Speaker 1: seems to me at the heart of most great journalists, 672 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 1: both curiosity and a desire to learn more, but a 673 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:42,000 Speaker 1: desire to learn, evolve and get answers, even if you 674 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:46,400 Speaker 1: know they might change. So I wonder about questions and answers. 675 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:48,360 Speaker 1: If you can think of a question you've changed your 676 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 1: answer to as a result of research or time or experience. 677 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 2: A question that I answered differently now because you can 678 00:33:54,920 --> 00:34:00,160 Speaker 2: see the impact is why why does it matter that, 679 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:03,960 Speaker 2: particularly in women's sports, that so many of the coaches 680 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:08,239 Speaker 2: are male? What is what's the reasoning for that? And 681 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:11,920 Speaker 2: I think originally I would have I looked at it 682 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:16,759 Speaker 2: as you want to have a coach who can relate 683 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:19,799 Speaker 2: to their athletes. And obviously, and you know, not to 684 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:22,000 Speaker 2: say that that's goingted to be the case for everybody, 685 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:25,319 Speaker 2: but a female coach is probably going to be able 686 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:28,000 Speaker 2: to relate to female athletes a little bit better because 687 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:31,799 Speaker 2: they have experienced some of the same things. But I 688 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:34,759 Speaker 2: think now I look at it more of you know, 689 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:38,759 Speaker 2: like when Muffatt MacGraw went off on her you know 690 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:42,480 Speaker 2: thing about not hiring male coaches at the Final Four 691 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:44,960 Speaker 2: a few years ago. It really made me made me 692 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:47,239 Speaker 2: think about it and look at if we are not 693 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:53,319 Speaker 2: in we meaning like the coaching people, If if the 694 00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:58,480 Speaker 2: younger generation, if the next generation is not being trained, 695 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:02,560 Speaker 2: is not being you know, put in place to succeed 696 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:07,040 Speaker 2: that that has a detrimental effect in a number of 697 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:12,359 Speaker 2: different areas. You know, Mikayla Schiffrin two years ago said specifically, 698 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:15,560 Speaker 2: I am hiring a woman coach, a female coach, because 699 00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:18,400 Speaker 2: we need to have more women coaches in skiing, and 700 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:22,439 Speaker 2: hopefully this will, you know, inspire other people to hire 701 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:25,120 Speaker 2: women coaches or inspire other women to get into coaching. 702 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:29,000 Speaker 2: And so I think the way that I look at 703 00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:32,279 Speaker 2: the importance of having women coaches in women's sports has 704 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:36,200 Speaker 2: has changed or has expanded from what I would have 705 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:36,879 Speaker 2: initially thought. 706 00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:40,719 Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree. I think also I used to push 707 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:46,799 Speaker 1: back on statements like muffets about over corrections sometimes because 708 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,120 Speaker 1: I would think it was about fairness, and fairness would 709 00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:51,239 Speaker 1: be whoever the best person for the job is, and 710 00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 1: you can't even decide in advance by gender, because then 711 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:55,200 Speaker 1: that's not the way we want them. To look at 712 00:35:55,239 --> 00:35:57,480 Speaker 1: it in reverse, when you're looking at women for predominantly 713 00:35:57,480 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 1: male jobs, or even something like you know Ruth bay 714 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:02,640 Speaker 1: Ginsburg saying like how many women on the Supreme Court 715 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:04,520 Speaker 1: is enough? And she's like all of them? 716 00:36:04,920 --> 00:36:05,120 Speaker 2: Right? 717 00:36:05,239 --> 00:36:07,600 Speaker 1: There were there were these things that felt extreme to me, 718 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:10,400 Speaker 1: And I think there's a joke that you know, everybody 719 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:13,800 Speaker 1: gets more conservative as they get older, except for progressive 720 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:16,560 Speaker 1: women who just become more and more radicalized. And I'm 721 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:19,080 Speaker 1: I'm definitely like living that because now I'm at the 722 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:22,680 Speaker 1: point where, like all of this overcorrect until we die, 723 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:26,120 Speaker 1: because at this point it's not working to be fair 724 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:28,640 Speaker 1: and equal when we know that one half of not 725 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:31,160 Speaker 1: one half of the population, not all men hashtag, but 726 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 1: that there is a massive part of the population that 727 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:36,879 Speaker 1: would push back on anything that changes the status quo. 728 00:36:37,239 --> 00:36:39,439 Speaker 1: And it is as much an agenda to want things 729 00:36:39,480 --> 00:36:41,239 Speaker 1: to say the same as it is an agenda to 730 00:36:41,239 --> 00:36:44,320 Speaker 1: want them to change. But we get demonized for desiring 731 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:46,799 Speaker 1: change way more than people get demonized for wanting them 732 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:48,600 Speaker 1: to stay the same. And so at this point we 733 00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:51,759 Speaker 1: do kind of have to just start over correcting like 734 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 1: mad in order to try to get to a space 735 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:56,960 Speaker 1: not only where there's a better equality of representation, but 736 00:36:57,000 --> 00:36:59,000 Speaker 1: to your point where young people growing up see it, 737 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:01,879 Speaker 1: and then it becomes the norm without needing to overcorrect, 738 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:05,200 Speaker 1: because it's established as something that is more all Right, 739 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:07,040 Speaker 1: I just went on a rant. Sorry, I've been thinking 740 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:07,800 Speaker 1: about that lately. 741 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 2: No, I totally agree with you, and I think there's 742 00:37:11,080 --> 00:37:14,000 Speaker 2: so much power. Like I went to Kansas City last 743 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:17,360 Speaker 2: year for the first game in the current stadium, which 744 00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:19,960 Speaker 2: again twenty twenty four, and it's the first time we 745 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,799 Speaker 2: have a purpose built stadium for women's sports, Like that's 746 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:25,800 Speaker 2: just absurd. But the current had a player who I 747 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:27,719 Speaker 2: think she was sixteen at the time or had maybe 748 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:32,160 Speaker 2: just turned seventeen. It was her first NWSL game and 749 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:37,160 Speaker 2: she will never know a time in her career where 750 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:39,960 Speaker 2: there was not at least one stadium built specifically for 751 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:43,000 Speaker 2: a women's team, and that that might not sound like 752 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:45,759 Speaker 2: a huge deal, but it is. Like and when we 753 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:49,560 Speaker 2: were talking before about not being able to backslide, things 754 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:52,399 Speaker 2: like that matter. There are stakes in the ground. There 755 00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:56,120 Speaker 2: is concrete that has been over that you cannot you know, 756 00:37:56,280 --> 00:37:58,640 Speaker 2: you can't just knock that down, or you can, but 757 00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:02,680 Speaker 2: it's gonna be freaking expensive, right, And that's how you 758 00:38:02,719 --> 00:38:07,000 Speaker 2: get changed when you have things like that. And I 759 00:38:07,040 --> 00:38:11,680 Speaker 2: think it's yeah, so if we don't over correct it, 760 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:14,760 Speaker 2: if we don't make this an emphasis, we're never ever 761 00:38:15,080 --> 00:38:18,040 Speaker 2: going to get permanent change, or we might get it 762 00:38:18,040 --> 00:38:21,280 Speaker 2: for a year or two and then it could backside. 763 00:38:21,320 --> 00:38:22,920 Speaker 2: So yeah, I'm right there with. 764 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:26,080 Speaker 1: You all right, we write it. Don We write it. 765 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:29,160 Speaker 1: Don Nancy, Thank you so much for the time, Thank 766 00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:31,520 Speaker 1: you for joining, for you're inside, thanks for continuing to 767 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:35,640 Speaker 1: write great stuff. We'll keep reading it. We got to 768 00:38:35,680 --> 00:38:38,360 Speaker 1: take another break when we return. A moment that didn't 769 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:40,359 Speaker 1: take long to earn a spot in the Good Game 770 00:38:40,440 --> 00:38:50,839 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame. Welcome back, now slices. When it comes 771 00:38:50,840 --> 00:38:53,880 Speaker 1: to sports, every hall of fame has different rules. Almost 772 00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:56,319 Speaker 1: all of them required that an athlete be retired in 773 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:59,000 Speaker 1: order to be eligible for induction, while some require a 774 00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:02,319 Speaker 1: waiting period of ye three years or more. But here 775 00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:04,959 Speaker 1: a Good Game we make our own rules, which means 776 00:39:04,960 --> 00:39:06,879 Speaker 1: we're allowed to induct a player whose Hall of Fame 777 00:39:06,920 --> 00:39:10,080 Speaker 1: worthy moment happened just a few days ago. That brings 778 00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:12,480 Speaker 1: us to the latest edition of the Good Game Hall 779 00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:17,279 Speaker 1: of Fame. Yes, the Good Game Hall of Fame, where 780 00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:20,640 Speaker 1: we celebrate women's sports lore, the kind of legendary stories 781 00:39:20,640 --> 00:39:22,480 Speaker 1: we should all know by heart, just like we know 782 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:26,240 Speaker 1: about Babe Ruth's called Shot, Bill Buckner's Air, and Merkles 783 00:39:26,239 --> 00:39:30,000 Speaker 1: Boner Google it your pervs. We've got some catching up 784 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:32,120 Speaker 1: to do in women's sports, though, so grab another plaque 785 00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:34,080 Speaker 1: and find a good place on the wall. Today we've 786 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:38,719 Speaker 1: got another inductdee. Last weekend's NCAA Hockey Championship featured the 787 00:39:38,719 --> 00:39:41,600 Speaker 1: Wisconsin Badgers and Ohio State Buckeyes, and it came down 788 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:44,000 Speaker 1: to the wire, featuring one of the most chaotic endings 789 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:46,640 Speaker 1: we've seen in a long time. Trailing three to two 790 00:39:46,640 --> 00:39:49,480 Speaker 1: with under two minutes left, the Badger's got two lucky breaks, 791 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:51,960 Speaker 1: first when Ohio State got hit with the penalty for 792 00:39:52,040 --> 00:39:54,400 Speaker 1: too many players on the ice, and then with just 793 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:57,960 Speaker 1: eighteen seconds left, when an Ohio State defender covered the 794 00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:00,800 Speaker 1: puck in the crease and Wisconsin was given a choice 795 00:40:00,920 --> 00:40:03,920 Speaker 1: to assess Ohio State with another minor penalty or take 796 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:08,080 Speaker 1: a penalty shot. That choice was easy. Legendary Wisconsin coach 797 00:40:08,120 --> 00:40:10,680 Speaker 1: Mark Johnson told the ref they'd take the penalty shot, 798 00:40:10,920 --> 00:40:13,640 Speaker 1: and then he turned to his players, asking who wants 799 00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:16,279 Speaker 1: it now. It's worth noting here that Johnson knows a 800 00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:19,360 Speaker 1: little something about pressure himself. He was a member of 801 00:40:19,400 --> 00:40:21,640 Speaker 1: the nineteen to eighty US Olympic men's team that won 802 00:40:21,719 --> 00:40:25,160 Speaker 1: gold and defeated the Soviet Union. He scored two goals 803 00:40:25,200 --> 00:40:27,200 Speaker 1: in that game that earned the title of Miracle on 804 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:30,319 Speaker 1: Ice a performance that helped him earn induction into just 805 00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:33,120 Speaker 1: about every hockey Hall of Fame. But let's get back 806 00:40:33,120 --> 00:40:35,879 Speaker 1: to the present. So Johnson posed the question and down 807 00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:38,560 Speaker 1: on the ice in front of him, Kirsten Simms hand 808 00:40:38,719 --> 00:40:42,480 Speaker 1: shot up. That was that. The twenty year old from Plymouth, Michigan, 809 00:40:42,719 --> 00:40:45,160 Speaker 1: skated confidently to the center of the ice, and her 810 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:48,760 Speaker 1: penalty shot was a butte the definition of a dangle. 811 00:40:49,160 --> 00:40:51,600 Speaker 1: With the game tied three to three and headed to overtime, 812 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:54,200 Speaker 1: and he guesses who scored the game winner just two 813 00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:59,040 Speaker 1: forty nine into sudden death overtime, yep Sims again asked 814 00:40:59,080 --> 00:41:02,040 Speaker 1: about the hand raised. In the postgame presser, Sims, like 815 00:41:02,080 --> 00:41:05,240 Speaker 1: a true hockey player, credited her teammates with the decision 816 00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:08,000 Speaker 1: take a listen. I mean, I can't really say it 817 00:41:08,040 --> 00:41:10,560 Speaker 1: was like initially my choice. I had everyone on the 818 00:41:10,560 --> 00:41:12,719 Speaker 1: bench screaming sim Simms, you do it, you do it. 819 00:41:12,719 --> 00:41:14,480 Speaker 1: So I was like, you know what, whatever, I was like, 820 00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:16,239 Speaker 1: coach is gonna need to see my hand go up 821 00:41:16,239 --> 00:41:18,959 Speaker 1: for me to actually go so and what about our coach? 822 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:21,720 Speaker 1: Would Mark Johnson of Miracle on ice Fame have raised 823 00:41:21,760 --> 00:41:22,880 Speaker 1: his hand in that moment? 824 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:26,399 Speaker 3: I was asking several people after. I don't know if 825 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:29,200 Speaker 3: I wanted, if I was playing, I would take the shot, 826 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:33,440 Speaker 3: just because again, it's like nothing. You got to be 827 00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:35,520 Speaker 3: as free as you can be right in that moment. 828 00:41:35,560 --> 00:41:38,160 Speaker 3: You can't be thinking about anything other than I'm going 829 00:41:38,239 --> 00:41:38,640 Speaker 3: to score. 830 00:41:39,280 --> 00:41:42,600 Speaker 1: Talk about pressure. Welcome to the Good Game Hall of Fame, 831 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:45,560 Speaker 1: Kirsten Simms. We'll find a nice spot for that plaque. 832 00:41:47,960 --> 00:41:49,600 Speaker 1: By the way, we love that you're listening. But you 833 00:41:49,600 --> 00:41:50,839 Speaker 1: know we want you to get in the game every 834 00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:53,440 Speaker 1: day too. And this one's easy. If you bought some merch, 835 00:41:53,880 --> 00:41:56,000 Speaker 1: send us a photo. We've already gotten a handful of 836 00:41:56,000 --> 00:41:58,960 Speaker 1: people sending us pictures wearing their T shirts and sweatshirts 837 00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:01,480 Speaker 1: from Breaking Tea, but if you got one, we want 838 00:42:01,480 --> 00:42:03,480 Speaker 1: to see it. It makes us so happy every time 839 00:42:03,480 --> 00:42:06,000 Speaker 1: we get sent one. And if you haven't yet, obviously 840 00:42:06,040 --> 00:42:09,040 Speaker 1: go to Breakingtea dot com slash Spain and get you 841 00:42:09,040 --> 00:42:11,640 Speaker 1: a good gay merch rocket, take a photo, set it 842 00:42:11,680 --> 00:42:14,400 Speaker 1: to us, and don't forget to subscribe, rate and review. 843 00:42:14,719 --> 00:42:19,920 Speaker 1: It's easy. Watch Boss Nation. Sorry. Boston Legacy FC once 844 00:42:19,960 --> 00:42:23,000 Speaker 1: again using men's sports to hype their new women's team, 845 00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:27,760 Speaker 1: rating five out of five. Eye rolls review. Now listen, 846 00:42:27,840 --> 00:42:30,239 Speaker 1: the Boston folks have taken more than enough of a 847 00:42:30,280 --> 00:42:32,920 Speaker 1: beating for their slip ups during this ramp up to 848 00:42:32,960 --> 00:42:37,040 Speaker 1: an active team. Need a reminder the name, the too 849 00:42:37,040 --> 00:42:40,400 Speaker 1: many Balls campaign, the long delay before this rebrand, the 850 00:42:40,440 --> 00:42:44,080 Speaker 1: ongoing issues with their stadium plans, not mentioning the Boston 851 00:42:44,120 --> 00:42:46,840 Speaker 1: Fleet or any other women's sports teams past or present 852 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:50,680 Speaker 1: in that infamous intro video that featured every men's pro 853 00:42:50,719 --> 00:42:53,799 Speaker 1: team in Beantown, and also, weirdly, Tom Brady reacting to 854 00:42:53,840 --> 00:42:56,880 Speaker 1: a goat balls reference. So I hate to pile on, 855 00:42:57,200 --> 00:42:59,960 Speaker 1: but after one post on Instagram announcing the new name, 856 00:43:00,239 --> 00:43:03,480 Speaker 1: the next post, a shared post with the team's supporters group, 857 00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:07,160 Speaker 1: read can't wait to support the home team. Everyone loves 858 00:43:07,160 --> 00:43:10,360 Speaker 1: a good comeback story, right with a screenshot of the 859 00:43:10,440 --> 00:43:13,759 Speaker 1: old name Boss Nation aligned next to the Super Bowl 860 00:43:13,840 --> 00:43:16,440 Speaker 1: score from twenty seventeen from the third quarter when the 861 00:43:16,480 --> 00:43:18,839 Speaker 1: New England Patriots were down against the Atlanta Falcons twenty 862 00:43:18,880 --> 00:43:22,040 Speaker 1: eight to three. Below that, the new name Boston Legacy, 863 00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:24,319 Speaker 1: next to an aligned with the final score of that 864 00:43:24,400 --> 00:43:26,960 Speaker 1: Super Bowl, the Patriots winning thirty four to twenty eight, 865 00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:31,319 Speaker 1: a legendary comeback win. I get it. Sports law in 866 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:33,640 Speaker 1: any town is just sort of a universal language that 867 00:43:33,719 --> 00:43:36,680 Speaker 1: everybody speaks, and that comeback win was one of the 868 00:43:36,719 --> 00:43:40,279 Speaker 1: most legendary games in sports history. And they're poking fun 869 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:43,479 Speaker 1: at their own terrible start, which I like. But when 870 00:43:43,560 --> 00:43:46,560 Speaker 1: so many of the complaints about your initial rollout involved 871 00:43:46,600 --> 00:43:49,880 Speaker 1: centering men's teams in the video, centering the idea of 872 00:43:50,000 --> 00:43:52,880 Speaker 1: men with the too many balls garbage, and not including 873 00:43:52,880 --> 00:43:56,360 Speaker 1: women's teams, then what brainiac thought rolling out Yet another 874 00:43:56,440 --> 00:44:00,880 Speaker 1: reference to men's sports was the move here. Yes, it 875 00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:03,719 Speaker 1: was a post that originated from the supporters group, but 876 00:44:03,760 --> 00:44:06,680 Speaker 1: the comments make it clear that many supporters still don't 877 00:44:06,760 --> 00:44:10,040 Speaker 1: like the constant references to men's teams. Now listen it. 878 00:44:10,080 --> 00:44:12,160 Speaker 1: They want to post this in a month or two. Absolutely, 879 00:44:12,200 --> 00:44:15,120 Speaker 1: it's funny, but for the official admin account to make 880 00:44:15,200 --> 00:44:18,840 Speaker 1: this their second post after the name change announcement, it 881 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:21,719 Speaker 1: just holds too much weight in my opinion. Also, is 882 00:44:21,760 --> 00:44:24,280 Speaker 1: the comeback really complete if you're already fumbling the rollout 883 00:44:24,320 --> 00:44:26,239 Speaker 1: of the new name with the same mistakes that you 884 00:44:26,239 --> 00:44:28,799 Speaker 1: made the first time and clearly heard from a bunch 885 00:44:28,800 --> 00:44:31,560 Speaker 1: of fans that they didn't like. Side note, the team 886 00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:33,879 Speaker 1: also posted a quote from a Wall Street Journal story 887 00:44:33,920 --> 00:44:36,319 Speaker 1: about the rebrand and the new name, titled she hit 888 00:44:36,360 --> 00:44:39,160 Speaker 1: the Button and all Hell Broke loose. How the sports 889 00:44:39,160 --> 00:44:42,920 Speaker 1: team everyone hated came back but then almost immediately deleted 890 00:44:42,960 --> 00:44:47,720 Speaker 1: that from their Instagram. Curious. Anyway, We're rooting for you, Boston. 891 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:51,280 Speaker 1: Just maybe hold back on the whole team everyone hated 892 00:44:51,320 --> 00:44:54,280 Speaker 1: coming back until you actually come back. Let's just finish 893 00:44:54,320 --> 00:44:56,320 Speaker 1: this rollout of the new name and try not to 894 00:44:56,320 --> 00:44:59,120 Speaker 1: step in anything else, and then I'll celebrate. Now it's 895 00:44:59,120 --> 00:45:02,280 Speaker 1: your jurn y'all right, thanks for listening, See you tomorrow. 896 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:07,759 Speaker 1: Good game, Nancy, Good Game, Kirsten Simms h World Athletics. 897 00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:11,640 Speaker 1: Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports 898 00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:14,880 Speaker 1: production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You 899 00:45:14,880 --> 00:45:17,759 Speaker 1: can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 900 00:45:17,800 --> 00:45:21,160 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network, 901 00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:24,400 Speaker 1: our producers are Alex Azzie and Misha Jones. Our executive 902 00:45:24,400 --> 00:45:28,040 Speaker 1: producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. 903 00:45:28,239 --> 00:45:31,320 Speaker 1: Our editors are Emily Rutterer, Britney Martinez, and Grace Lynch. 904 00:45:31,560 --> 00:45:34,520 Speaker 1: Our associate producer is Lucy Jones and I'm Your Host 905 00:45:34,800 --> 00:45:35,440 Speaker 1: Sarah Spain.