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Speaker 1: Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're wondering

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Speaker 1: how much negative feedback it'll take for the new NWSL

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Speaker 1: Boston team to change its name marketing approach.

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Speaker 2: In hold general five cool colors though.

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Speaker 1: On today's show, we'll be talking with longtime ESPN writer

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Speaker 1: Michael Voppel about the WNBA Finals ahead of Game three.

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Speaker 2: Plus we ask why too many Balls dot Com is

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Speaker 2: a thing.

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Speaker 1: In twenty twenty four, we hear from you Slices, and

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Speaker 1: we embrace the beginning of hoodie season. It's all coming

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Speaker 1: up right after this. Welcome back, Orange Slices. Here's what

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Speaker 1: you need to know today in WNBA News. Game three

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Speaker 1: of the Finals is tonight and the Minnesota Links are

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Speaker 1: at home for the first time in the series. They'll

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Speaker 1: try to avoid drop it a game in front of

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Speaker 1: the crowd at Target Center after they stole one on

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Speaker 1: New York Liberty Turf in Game one of the series.

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Speaker 1: Coverage begins with WNBA Countdown on ESPN at seven thirty

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Speaker 1: East and the game tips at eight. We'll have more

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Speaker 1: on that matchup with our interview later in the show.

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Speaker 1: A cool note, by the way, the duel between Minnesota

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Speaker 1: and New York is currently on pace to set a

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Speaker 1: viewership record for a five game series, so last Thursday's

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Speaker 1: game on ESPN had the largest audience for Game one

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Speaker 1: of a WNBA Finals series in league history, with one

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Speaker 1: point one four million viewers.

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Speaker 2: Pretty awesome.

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Speaker 1: In NWSL news, NWSL Boston, set to begin play in

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Speaker 1: twenty twenty six, has a name Boss Nation Football Club BOS.

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Speaker 1: It's an anagram for the term Bostonian. The team revealed

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Speaker 1: that championship green will be the primary color, with several

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Speaker 1: accent colors per news release, quote Relentless, Raspberry, Loyal, Charcoal, Daring, pink, Rise, yellow,

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Speaker 1: and orange press, which speak to the rich diversity of

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Speaker 1: Boston's neighborhoods and the team's values and signal a new

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Speaker 1: era in the city's sports landscape. The name, the hype

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Speaker 1: video the landing page, which was too many balls dot

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Speaker 1: com are getting mixed reviews to put a kindly more

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Speaker 1: on that in a moment. Meantime, more soccer news, we

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Speaker 1: told you about the three point deduction and two hundred

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Speaker 1: thousand dollars fine Angel CITYFC received for exceeding the league's

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Speaker 1: salary cap this season, while on Monday, the club pushed

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Speaker 1: back a little. ACFC released a statement expressing disappointment with

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Speaker 1: the three point deduction and more. The statement reads, in part, quote,

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Speaker 1: we disagreed with one aspect of the league's conclusions. Our understanding,

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Speaker 1: based on the league's salary cap rules, was that childcare

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Speaker 1: payments do not count against the salary cap. The statement continued,

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Speaker 1: we believe that ACFC did not exceed the salary cap

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Speaker 1: and formally requested a reconsideration of the three point reduction

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Speaker 1: end quote. The league stood firm on the deduction, denying

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Speaker 1: acfc's appeal, and the NWSL rules are actually pretty clear

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Speaker 1: cut on this, so it's surprising that ACFC used this defense.

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Speaker 1: According to step Young of the Athletic per last year

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Speaker 1: and this year's competition manual, it hasn't changed. Players with

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Speaker 1: kids can receive a dependent care stipend up to the

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Speaker 1: IRS maximum five thousand dollars without a hit to the

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Speaker 1: salary cap, but quote any amount in excess of the

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Speaker 1: IRS annual maximum will count against the team's salary cap.

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Speaker 2: End quote.

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Speaker 1: We'll keep you updated on this story as more reporting

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Speaker 1: comes out in hockey news. The PWHL just released its

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Speaker 1: regular season schedule and the season gets underway one month

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Speaker 1: earlier than last year. The first puck drops November thirtieth,

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Speaker 1: and the league's six teams will each play thirty games

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Speaker 1: in the regular season. That's six more than last year.

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Speaker 1: Regular season wraps up on May third, twenty twenty five.

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Speaker 1: Last season, Minnesota won the Walter Cup, beating Boston in

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Speaker 1: a five game final series for the Ages, and I'm

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Speaker 1: expecting more drama this season and hoping for some fresh

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Speaker 1: jerseys along with the new team names and logos that

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Speaker 1: dropped in the offseason. College hoops were getting close to

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Speaker 1: one of the most anticipated women's college basketball seasons ever,

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Speaker 1: and the AP dropped its preseason top twenty five list.

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Speaker 1: Don Staley's reigning champions South Carolina game Cocks are in

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Speaker 1: the top spot, followed by Yukon, USC and Texas. Notably, Iowa, Stanford,

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Speaker 1: and Tennessee all received votes but didn't crack the list.

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Speaker 1: This year feels primed for some historic for mitzs and

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Speaker 1: don't worry, we'll get you all the news and notes

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Speaker 1: you need before the season tips off on November fourth,

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Speaker 1: just nineteen days from today. Also interesting tidbit conferences are

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Speaker 1: releasing their picks for preseason player awards and the SEC

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Speaker 1: has three, yes, three co preseason Players of the Year.

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Speaker 1: There was a three way tie in the voting between

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Speaker 1: Texas's Madison Booker and Flaje Johnson and Anissa Morro, both

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Speaker 1: from LSU. Morow and Johnson were number two and number

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Speaker 1: three in scoring behind Angel Reese for the Tigers last season,

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Speaker 1: and Booker.

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Speaker 2: Led the way for the Longhorns.

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Speaker 1: Five other players in the conference also received Player of

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Speaker 1: the Year votes.

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Speaker 2: Finally, a quick correction.

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Speaker 1: The other day we said the Seattle rain hadn't missed

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Speaker 1: the postseason since twenty thirteen. They were actually last on

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Speaker 1: the outside looking in in twenty seventeen. We apologize for

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Speaker 1: the error. Those responsible have been sacked.

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Speaker 2: And another note from me here.

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Speaker 3: When we talked Liberty on Monday, I mentioned Benijelni Hamilton

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Speaker 3: played for the Libs during their Westchester County Center days,

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Speaker 3: but she actually got to New York in twenty twenty one,

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Speaker 3: one year after the franchise started laying a Barclay Center.

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Speaker 3: We apologize again for the error. Those responsible for sacking

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Speaker 3: the people who have just been sacked have been sacked.

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Speaker 1: And if you're confused, watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

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Speaker 2: You Heathens.

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Speaker 1: All right, before we get to today's interview, we have

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Speaker 1: to talk Boss Nation real quick.

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Speaker 2: Okay, the team name, the logo of the brand.

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Speaker 1: They were all introduced using the campaign too Many Balls

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Speaker 1: upun about the number of famous men's sports teams in

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Speaker 1: Boston and the need.

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Speaker 2: For more women's sports.

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Speaker 1: Now. First, the video is conspicuously missing any mention of

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Speaker 1: the town's women's professional hockey team, PWHL Boston.

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Speaker 2: And the unusual team name Boss Nation.

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Speaker 1: It's, like I said, an anagram of Bostonian and per

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Speaker 1: statement quote doesn't just represent the fans, it signifies a

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Speaker 1: collective identity made up entirely of its fan base. Hmmm, Alex,

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Speaker 1: We're gonna get into more of this tomorrow, but as

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Speaker 1: a greater Boston area fan, I'm gonna need your first

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Speaker 1: reaction to me.

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Speaker 4: My first thought was, this is the bad name that

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Speaker 4: you put in the mix to make your good name

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Speaker 4: or your mediocre name stand out and really shine.

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Speaker 2: Right.

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Speaker 4: It's like the throwaway, like I just need some fluff

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Speaker 4: in here to make sure the people like the thing.

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Speaker 4: I like that being said Jennifer Epstein was on CBS

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Speaker 4: Morning's Plus to announce it. Wearing I thought a pretty

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Speaker 4: cool jacket with the Boss Nation logo in a circle,

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Speaker 4: Like I like that branding. I think the name is weird.

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Speaker 4: I'm not usually somebody that feels really strongly one way

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Speaker 4: or the other about new names, you know, I think

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Speaker 4: it's hard actually to come up with a team name

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Speaker 4: in the year twenty twenty four. We look back on

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Speaker 4: old men's team names and it's like, if you were

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Speaker 4: to name a team the Red Sox this year, like

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Speaker 4: people would be so mad, like what a stupid name.

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Speaker 4: So I think the bar is a lot higher. That

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Speaker 4: being said, I think the campaign is way worse than

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Speaker 4: the name. The fact that PWHL Boston is totally erased,

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Speaker 4: the fact that bos and it has been a women's

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Speaker 4: hockey city even before the PWHL, with the Boston Pride

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Speaker 4: winning titles and having banners like it just is so

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Speaker 4: bad to me that they erased another women's pro team

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Speaker 4: in order to focus on a too Many Balls campaign.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, the name's just weird to me. I

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Speaker 1: don't hate it. I'm not like offended by it, but

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Speaker 1: it's just weird. It makes me think it'd be like

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Speaker 1: sponsored by like Hugo Boss. It just sounds like it'd

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Speaker 1: be more of like a a like a fashion campaign

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Speaker 1: than a sports team like Boss Nation. Also, I agree

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Speaker 1: with you on the too Many Balls, it feels like

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Speaker 1: we're so far past that, Like that feels very late nineties,

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Speaker 1: early two thousands, like fempower was about, like we.

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Speaker 2: Don't need that anymore now.

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Speaker 1: Not only does it feel like there's so much for

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Speaker 1: women's sports to stand on on its own that doesn't

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Speaker 1: have to be a pushing back on men, but also,

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Speaker 1: like with the whole trans conversation, like getting rid of

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Speaker 1: balls thing also just feels touchy and unnecessary. Like I

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Speaker 1: said this on tw but like for the olds among us,

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Speaker 1: it feels like there'd be a website called too Many

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Speaker 1: Balls dot com that would be competing with the other

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Speaker 1: BROI sports blogs that were like the beginning of the

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Speaker 1: wild Wild West of sports blogs back in the day

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Speaker 1: the Kissing Susie Colber with Leather Sports by Brooks, where

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Speaker 1: it was like half hot chicks and half sports content.

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Speaker 1: Like it feels of that time, so it's very strange

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Speaker 1: to see it right now. And like I'm all for

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Speaker 1: dick jokes and ball jokes, it just doesn't feel like

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Speaker 1: the way to best professionally and maturely and in a

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Speaker 1: cool way offer up a new product, so that I

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Speaker 1: didn't like. I do love the colors, but I'm confused

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Speaker 1: because they look like they're black and green, and then

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Speaker 1: based on the press release, it's green and then like

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Speaker 1: eleventeen other colors, So I'm not sure where that's gonna.

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Speaker 4: Go, which are also the same colors as PWHL Boston,

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Speaker 4: which is also now Boston Fleet. I have to get

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Speaker 4: in the habit of saying that name.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, so they picked the same colors but didn't acknowledge

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Speaker 1: their existence. And also worth noting there was a Boston

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Speaker 1: Breakers soccer team. I understand wanting to separate yourself from

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Speaker 1: that team how the franchise went everything else, but there

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Speaker 1: almost feels like there could be at least a reference

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Speaker 1: of sort of Phoenix rising from the Ashes thing, as

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Speaker 1: opposed to a complete elimination of the existence of that team.

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Speaker 2: It just the whole thing feels.

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Speaker 4: Even the press release has a line that is playfully

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Speaker 4: pointing out that in a city filled with championships, it's

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Speaker 4: sports heroes need not all be male, Like, okay, well

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Speaker 4: what about Hillary Knight?

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Speaker 2: Right?

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Speaker 4: Oh, I think it's Honestly, it's getting back to your point, Sarah,

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Speaker 4: of like what era this feels like it's from, and me,

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Speaker 4: it just feels like a red flag of if this

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Speaker 4: is the campaign, what is it signifying about? What else

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Speaker 4: is happening behind the scenes in terms of the professional

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Speaker 4: layout of this team.

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Speaker 2: Completely agree.

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Speaker 1: We don't want to make any snap judgments, but it

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Speaker 1: does feel like it's a try hard from a different

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Speaker 1: time and it feels like we're in a different place now,

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Speaker 1: and I really hope that this is not indicative of

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Speaker 1: how the larger team and franchise will be run and managed.

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Speaker 2: Okay, much more on this tomorrow.

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Speaker 1: We got to take a quick break, But first I

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Speaker 1: want to tell y'all that we got a survey that

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Speaker 1: we want you Orange slices to fill out.

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Speaker 2: It's really important to us.

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Speaker 1: We are in the business of constant improvement here and

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Speaker 1: we need your help to do it. So if you

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Speaker 1: visit the link in the episode notes, it'll take two

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Speaker 1: minutes of your time. Alex Meisch and I would really

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Speaker 1: appreciate it, and one lucky participant will win a sports

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Speaker 1: prize pack, So you know you want to fill it

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Speaker 1: out now. I promise it's super quick, super helpful to us.

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Speaker 1: Thank you when we come back.

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Speaker 2: Michael Voppel on who's got the edge in Game three?

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Speaker 2: The Links or the Limps?

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Speaker 1: Joining us now an ESPN senior writer who has reported

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Speaker 1: on women's sports for the Worldwide Leader since nineteen ninety six.

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Speaker 1: A mazoograd that first cut his teeth in newspapers. In

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Speaker 1: twenty twenty two, he received the Kurt Gouty Media Award

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Speaker 1: for Print Media from the Nasmith Memorial Basketball Hall of

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Speaker 1: Fame for contributions to basketball media. He's a lifelong Saint

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Speaker 1: Louis Cardinals fan, but we'll try not to hold that

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Speaker 1: against them.

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Speaker 2: It's Michael Volpol what's up, Michael?

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Speaker 5: How you doing, Sarah? I think we were both equally

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Speaker 5: unhappy during this baseball season.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I heard it's still going on, but who could

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Speaker 1: eat track of those things.

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Speaker 2: I'm just ready for spring training next year.

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Speaker 1: Okay, let's talk hoops because on Monday you dropped a

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Speaker 1: comprehensive history of the Liberty franchise.

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Speaker 2: You've been covering ball.

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Speaker 1: Since the mid nineties, so I want to know what

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Speaker 1: stands out to you from those early days of the

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Speaker 1: Liberty because I loved reading about you know, Rebecca Lobo

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Speaker 1: telling you Rosy O'donald, Tyra Banks, Gregory Hines, Jone Jet,

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Speaker 1: Penny Marshall, all these folks courtside, and there were huge

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Speaker 1: fan bases then, like it was really a thing in

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Speaker 1: the nineties to be a Liberty fan.

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Speaker 2: What stands out to you from back then?

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Speaker 5: It was a lot of fun going to those games,

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Speaker 5: and I think those teams were teams that embodied New York.

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Speaker 5: And the interesting thing about that, Sarah is there was

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Speaker 5: only you know one where I say, true new york Er,

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Speaker 5: Sue Wix, who's this new York is new York gets

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Speaker 5: But you had people from all over the country, including

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Speaker 5: Teresa Weatherspoon from very little town Pineland, Texas, and they

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Speaker 5: all came to New York and became New Yorkers. Stu

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Speaker 5: Wicks told me something I thought was sort of you

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Speaker 5: could use this as an example of any occupation. She said,

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Speaker 5: people go to New York to become who they are,

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Speaker 5: and I think that's what that group did, and you're right,

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Speaker 5: there was so there were a lot of celebrities there.

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Speaker 5: They were a fun team to watch, and it was

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Speaker 5: an atmosphere that I think really helped propel the early

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Speaker 5: years of the w.

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Speaker 1: On a recent show, we talked about an excerpt from

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Speaker 1: Those Guys Have All the Fun, the book about ESPN

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Speaker 1: the Oral History, and one of the things that came

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Speaker 1: up was that a ESPN exec was intentional about trying

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Speaker 1: to bury the WNBA, wasn't a fan, wanted to put

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Speaker 1: it on the side channels, and was effective in sort

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Speaker 1: of preventing the growth that might have had happened. Do

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Speaker 1: you think that that's the main reason that when we

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Speaker 1: hear some of these statistics like biggest audience sense and

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Speaker 1: it's usually the late nineties or highest attendance sense, and

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Speaker 1: it's sometimes back in the early years that those Halcyon

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Speaker 1: DAEs for the Liberty and other teams that were early

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Speaker 1: in the WRE could have. You know, it resulted in

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Speaker 1: even more growth, and we could be even further along

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Speaker 1: than we are now if not for some of the

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Speaker 1: intention of people in holding the league back.

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Speaker 5: I think that's a fair thing to say, Sarah, when

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Speaker 5: you understand the culture that we were dealing with, which

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Speaker 5: was openly hostile. It's one thing for television executives to say,

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Speaker 5: you know what, I'm not sure this is going to

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Speaker 5: work we've got to make business decisions. I don't feel

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Speaker 5: like a lot of the decisions that got made and

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Speaker 5: unfortunately sometimes still get made with women's sports is coming

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Speaker 5: all the time from people who don't have other agendas.

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Speaker 5: They may not, I will give them some credit. They

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Speaker 5: may not always understand their own biases, but there's definitely biases.

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Speaker 5: And I found it interesting people. You know, you mentioned

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Speaker 5: that people can figure out who this was because this

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Speaker 5: gentleman was right.

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Speaker 2: We already mentioned it on the show. Yeah.

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Speaker 5: What I find interesting in sort of a fun ironic

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Speaker 5: way is he went to the University of Iowa, and

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Speaker 5: I think we know that somebody from the University of

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Speaker 5: Iowa has really helped these days. Sometimes I'm not sure

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Speaker 5: it would go the same, Yeah, exactly, but the way

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Speaker 5: that you described that, which is very true, that at

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Speaker 5: least initially there was so much positive forward momentum and

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Speaker 5: then there was some intentional actions that stopped.

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Speaker 2: That moment Yeah.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it's interesting, and we talked about it

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Speaker 1: when I was still full time at ESPN and now

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Speaker 1: even part time at ESPN, that it's both such a

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Speaker 1: massive part of the rights packages and highlighting women's athletes

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Speaker 1: and giving amazing storytelling, and also it feels like there

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Speaker 1: are other ways that it could be using its power

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Speaker 1: and its influence, and certainly feels like maybe it did

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Speaker 1: at that time. And so we're looking at incredible, huge

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Speaker 1: growth now, but we also maybe could be further along

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Speaker 1: if not for some of those stretches where people were

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Speaker 1: acting with intention to hold it back. In that Liberty

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Speaker 1: story that you wrote, you accurately dubbed the Liberty franchise

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Speaker 1: history as tortured. Nineteen playoff appearances, five finals appearances, and

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Speaker 1: no titles yet for the Libs, what has to change

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Speaker 1: for New York to finally get the victory this year?

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Speaker 5: They have the talent, you know, we've seen that the

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Speaker 5: last two years by bringing in especially bringing in bringing

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Speaker 5: a store, you know, at in her prime years, the

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Speaker 5: biggest free agent signing we've seen in the league. And

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Speaker 5: the fact that you have an another MVP and John

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Speaker 5: will Jones who's really adjusted her game to play well

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Speaker 5: with Brionna scort. I think Sabrina Yanesque has grown up

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Speaker 5: so much right before our eyes in her game, Sarah,

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Speaker 5: because you know how good she was in college, but

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Speaker 5: that game had to evolve. She's done that and I

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Speaker 5: also think she's just a really good, smart leader for

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Speaker 5: this group. Can they get past the can they get

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Speaker 5: past their history? And this is what I think. You

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Speaker 5: know this as a fan. It's almost, I would say,

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Speaker 5: eerie sometimes how franchise is in different sports. Even though

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Speaker 5: everybody who was involved in that history twenty five thirty

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Speaker 5: years ago is no longer with the team, those histories

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Speaker 5: can still weigh on teams and it can take a while.

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Speaker 5: They have slain one demon, if you will. They got

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Speaker 5: past the Las Vegas asis, but that didn't get him

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Speaker 5: a championship, right. They still have to jump one more hurdle.

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Speaker 1: It's interesting you say that because I actually remember on

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Speaker 1: Around the Horn talking about the Cubs during their twenty

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Speaker 1: sixteen World Series run and saying to all the fans

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Speaker 1: who were losing their minds about the deficit they had

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Speaker 1: dug for themselves and how they were all going to

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Speaker 1: feel the weight of one hundred plus years of not

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Speaker 1: having won. And I said, the longest tenured person on

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Speaker 1: the team is Anthony Rizzo, which I believe at the

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Speaker 1: time was eight years. He is not carrying around your

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Speaker 1: seventy years of disappointed fandom, right, like most of these

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Speaker 1: people have only been around for a couple years, and

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Speaker 1: of course they get it, but it's not the same.

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Speaker 1: And I hope that that's the case for the Liberty

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Speaker 1: as well, that yes, they know that they're trying to

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Speaker 1: end this streak of no franchise titles, but also they

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Speaker 1: in particular folks like Brianna Courtney Vanderslo like people have

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Speaker 1: won elsewhere and they come to this perhaps with a

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Speaker 1: little bit less of these sphincter tightening than the fans

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Speaker 1: of the Liberty who have felt this way for the

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Speaker 1: entirety of the franchise's existence.

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Speaker 2: You know you mentioned Sabrina and Nescu. Gosh, you're so right.

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Speaker 1: Her game has changed this year in ways that have

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Speaker 1: been so important to this team, and in this series.

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Speaker 1: She was decent numbers in Game one, but terrible shooting percentage,

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Speaker 1: and then in Game two effective as a scorer in

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Speaker 1: the first half and then became a facilitator and defender

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Speaker 1: in the second half, which was just what the team

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Speaker 1: needed as other folks like Benija Laney Hamilton and Brianna

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Speaker 1: Stewart were scoring well. Can you put in perspective how

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Speaker 1: important her improvement was for this year's team, particularly during

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Speaker 1: stretches where Courtney Vanderslut had to be out and wasn't

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Speaker 1: available for the team, and sab stepped up as more

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Speaker 1: of a point guard type player.

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Speaker 5: That's exactly what happened, you know. Unfortunately, very sadly, Courtney

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Speaker 5: Vanderslute lost her mom did have a long battle with cancer.

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Speaker 5: So Courtney was out for several games, and during that time, Sabrina,

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Speaker 5: you know, really had to be a rock for the

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Speaker 5: franchise in terms of playing the point guard role. Is

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Speaker 5: it is so insightful that you bring up the differences

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Speaker 5: between in games one and two because you could look

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Speaker 5: at I think Sabrina only took one shot in the

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Speaker 5: second half and in tours and some people, if you

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Speaker 5: just look at a box score, you might say, oh, well,

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Speaker 5: you know what happened, she had fourteen points. Well what

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Speaker 5: happened is she adjusted to the defense that Minnesota was playing,

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Speaker 5: and as you said, she became a facilitator and defender.

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Speaker 5: I think that made a big difference, because when you're

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Speaker 5: somebody who can score the way she does, sometimes you

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Speaker 5: have to realize they're really selling out on me. I

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Speaker 5: can I can help this team win other ways? And

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Speaker 5: she said something actually today, right before the Liberty practice,

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Speaker 5: she said, I don't want to be the type of

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Speaker 5: player that teams can say, if we stop her from shooting,

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Speaker 5: we can beat the Liberty And that is exactly what

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Speaker 5: you're talking about.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, being a multi threat. Yep, yep, that's great that

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Speaker 2: she gets that. All right.

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Speaker 1: Game three shifts to Minneapolis. What do you see changing

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Speaker 1: as the target center?

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Speaker 5: Obviously you're going to have the different vibe, but this

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Speaker 5: is a Liberty team that had the best road record

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Speaker 5: in the league, So I think that they're not, you know,

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Speaker 5: going in intimidated, but it is going to be very loud,

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Speaker 5: very huge crowd. I think they're hoping they're going to

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Speaker 5: get a sell out for this. But from a strategy standpoint,

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Speaker 5: it'll be interesting to see what Minnesota tries to do

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Speaker 5: in this case. Two take away Sabrina's facilitating, Like you know,

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Speaker 5: they're going to say, look, maybe now we're going to

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Speaker 5: try to force her back into a little bit more

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Speaker 5: of a scoring rule. What are they going to do

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Speaker 5: with Benije Lani who turned out to be, you know,

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Speaker 5: a player who really really hurt them in Game two.

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Speaker 5: That's what's so interesting about series, isn't it. It's like

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Speaker 5: you really do see well team. Teams will talk about

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Speaker 5: adjustments sometimes and you're like, I'm sure what they adjusted

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Speaker 5: in this series, we really have seen them adjust both

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Speaker 5: game to game and in the course of games. So

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Speaker 5: that'll be really interesting to see because you know, whoever

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Speaker 5: wins this game obviously then becomes a favorite because it's

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Speaker 5: a fine series.

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Speaker 2: Yeah.

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Speaker 1: New York Liberty are a super team, and you kind

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Speaker 1: of just alluded to that, like good luck, am I

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Speaker 1: going to stop sab or Brienna or John Quell or.

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Speaker 2: Even Salute or Bendija.

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Speaker 1: They are a constellation of stars that excelled in Seattle

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Speaker 1: and Connecticut and Chicago before joining the Liberty.

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Speaker 2: The Links are a more balanced roster.

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Speaker 1: These are great players that are supporting one true superstar

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Speaker 1: in Nafisa Collier. Can you talk about the job that

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Speaker 1: Cheryl Reeve has done with this team making it to

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Speaker 1: the finals tied one one so far with a very

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Speaker 1: different kind of team than what the Liberty have.

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Speaker 5: Yeah, you know, they started the free agency. You look

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Speaker 5: at what they were facing, which is they bring five

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Speaker 5: players back. You know, those are five good players because

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Speaker 5: they include Nafisa Collier and Calea McBride and Bridget Carlton,

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Speaker 5: but they had to make the right decisions in free agency.

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Speaker 5: And Cheryl Reeve has you know, she's been in her

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Speaker 5: her job for fifteen years, which, as we know now

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Speaker 5: in pro sports is you know, several feels like several lifetimes.

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Speaker 5: There are very few coaches in any of the other

437
00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:25,560
Speaker 5: sports pro sports in the United States that have been around

438
00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:29,320
Speaker 5: that long. She has stayed true to this philosophy that

439
00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,679
Speaker 5: you need to play our style of basketball. When she

440
00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:37,159
Speaker 5: went away from that, it's kind of burned her. And

441
00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,960
Speaker 5: I think she realized that she went to Courtney Williams

442
00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:43,560
Speaker 5: and said, I know you don't think your point guard.

443
00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:45,159
Speaker 5: I think you are and I want you to be

444
00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:50,280
Speaker 5: our point guard. And that she's responded, you know, fantastically

445
00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:52,879
Speaker 5: to that same way with somebody like Alana Smith. She

446
00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:56,480
Speaker 5: understond Alana Smith was a really really good defensive player

447
00:22:56,520 --> 00:23:00,400
Speaker 5: coming into her own. So the bottom line is, are

448
00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:04,960
Speaker 5: they a super team? Maybe not as one word super team,

449
00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:06,840
Speaker 5: but are they a super team?

450
00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:09,600
Speaker 2: You can describe them as such. Absolutely.

451
00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,360
Speaker 1: This series features two teams with a bunch of long

452
00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:16,960
Speaker 1: athletic players six four and up running the floor, making

453
00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:19,800
Speaker 1: graceful plays hitting threes. You know, you got Brianna Stewart

454
00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,560
Speaker 1: bringing the ball up the court, Leoni Phoebich strain in

455
00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:25,119
Speaker 1: threes and if you sa Kyle your effortless fadeaway js

456
00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:27,879
Speaker 1: that I call feed aways. Are we looking at the

457
00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:29,719
Speaker 1: future of the W in this series, Like, is it

458
00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:32,920
Speaker 1: going to be a necessity to have these unicorns going

459
00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:34,359
Speaker 1: forward in order to be successful?

460
00:23:35,359 --> 00:23:39,879
Speaker 5: I think so. And I think those unicorns again, like

461
00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:43,879
Speaker 5: with any other sport, they start popping up, you know,

462
00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:47,879
Speaker 5: they become less rare because people pattern their games after

463
00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:51,560
Speaker 5: those types of players that they see. And you know

464
00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:55,119
Speaker 5: it also we're seeing we saw this with the Aces

465
00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:57,159
Speaker 5: two star in the last two years. You have to

466
00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:59,600
Speaker 5: have five scorers on the court. Now you can say

467
00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:03,280
Speaker 5: with the Ace since Stokes wasn't really that, but it's

468
00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:06,640
Speaker 5: almost like their four scores are so good it made

469
00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:09,800
Speaker 5: up for her not being a fifth scorer. I think

470
00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:12,000
Speaker 5: that's part of it. You have to have, you know,

471
00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:15,600
Speaker 5: those scoring threats from every position and stretch the defense

472
00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:17,920
Speaker 5: out the way that I think both of these teams

473
00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:18,600
Speaker 5: are able to do.

474
00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:19,800
Speaker 4: Hmm.

475
00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:25,280
Speaker 1: Yeah, it is interesting how even Fee has talked about

476
00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:27,480
Speaker 1: how watching maya more help to turn her into the

477
00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:29,399
Speaker 1: player that she is, and now there will be players

478
00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:32,600
Speaker 1: coming up watching players like Fee and pri and everybody

479
00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:34,400
Speaker 1: else and realizing that that's going to.

480
00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:36,800
Speaker 2: Be a necessity. I wish i'd had that when I

481
00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:38,000
Speaker 2: was coming up. I was so tall.

482
00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:39,919
Speaker 1: They were like, just stand in the paint, you'll figure

483
00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:41,960
Speaker 1: it out. We don't need to work on your ball handling.

484
00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:43,960
Speaker 1: Would have been would have been helpful.

485
00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:47,119
Speaker 5: Yeah, that's exactly what it was like. They wouldn't They

486
00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:49,720
Speaker 5: wouldn't let you do anything else. I would imagine.

487
00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:53,480
Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, Cheryl reeves so much turnover in the

488
00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:55,280
Speaker 1: w and we've seen it even this season as we

489
00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:57,320
Speaker 1: wait the news of some new coaches at some at

490
00:24:57,400 --> 00:24:59,880
Speaker 1: some at some teams. But she's managed to stick around

491
00:24:59,920 --> 00:25:03,320
Speaker 1: for fifteen seasons in Minnesota. How does she keep winning

492
00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,080
Speaker 1: with different players and stars and looks.

493
00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:12,000
Speaker 5: She's a really good coach who's spent, you know, most

494
00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,040
Speaker 5: of her career at the professional level. She started like

495
00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:19,479
Speaker 5: most coaches do, so certainly most women coaches her age.

496
00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,919
Speaker 5: You know, there wasn't a pro league to go to,

497
00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:26,840
Speaker 5: so she started in college, but then made that transition

498
00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:30,280
Speaker 5: and really believed that that was that was where she

499
00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:32,159
Speaker 5: was going to make her mark as a coach. So

500
00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:36,280
Speaker 5: she's worked with you know, you look back to, you know,

501
00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:40,320
Speaker 5: early in her career working with Bill Lambier. She's worked

502
00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,080
Speaker 5: with a lot of different types of coaches, and I

503
00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:48,560
Speaker 5: think it just the way she breaks down gains. I mean,

504
00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:52,040
Speaker 5: I feel like Cheryl could coach anybody at any level

505
00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:56,480
Speaker 5: because she just understands basketball that well. But she's also

506
00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,560
Speaker 5: has a really good relationship obviously with Glenn Taylor, the

507
00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:04,280
Speaker 5: owner of the Timberwolves and the Lynx, and you know,

508
00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:09,560
Speaker 5: she's been able to as an executive help shape the

509
00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:13,320
Speaker 5: team that she coaches. So it's worked well.

510
00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:13,520
Speaker 3: Now.

511
00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,240
Speaker 5: I know she's not the GM now, she's President of

512
00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:18,639
Speaker 5: Basketball Operations, but she was in a GM role and

513
00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:21,320
Speaker 5: she still obviously has a lot to do with the

514
00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:22,480
Speaker 5: makeup of the months.

515
00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:25,159
Speaker 1: When that works, it works great when you've got the

516
00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:27,280
Speaker 1: person deciding the talent they want and how to work

517
00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:29,760
Speaker 1: with it, and then working with it well. Before Game

518
00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,879
Speaker 1: one of the WNBA Finals, commissioner Kathy Engelbert announced that

519
00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,879
Speaker 1: the final starting next season will be best of seven.

520
00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:38,000
Speaker 2: Do you approve of that change?

521
00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:38,760
Speaker 4: I do.

522
00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:41,679
Speaker 5: I think it's nice to have it be uniform. You

523
00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:45,000
Speaker 5: know with the other pro sports men's coat books leets

524
00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:46,040
Speaker 5: in the United States.

525
00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:49,120
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I just want more basketball, especially the way

526
00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:51,680
Speaker 1: this series has been so far. The first round is

527
00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:53,239
Speaker 1: still a best of three, but the format is going

528
00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:55,440
Speaker 1: to be one one one, giving each team at least

529
00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:57,959
Speaker 1: one home playoff game. A lot of folks are going

530
00:26:58,000 --> 00:26:59,840
Speaker 1: to say this is the Caitlin Clark effect, and that's

531
00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:00,800
Speaker 1: probably part of it.

532
00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:01,960
Speaker 2: But I've been rallying for this.

533
00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:05,320
Speaker 1: For years, I feel like, and I was only a

534
00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:08,200
Speaker 1: couple of years in an ownership role with a team,

535
00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:10,399
Speaker 1: but being in the meetings and talking about what a

536
00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:12,439
Speaker 1: big deal it is for the bottom line when you

537
00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,000
Speaker 1: can host a playoff game, make playoff merch, get fans

538
00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:18,280
Speaker 1: through the doors for the playoff experience, and make them

539
00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:20,240
Speaker 1: want to come back to the regular season because they

540
00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:22,320
Speaker 1: remember what it was like during those heightened moments of

541
00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:23,080
Speaker 1: playoff play.

542
00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:24,240
Speaker 2: Is huge.

543
00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:27,440
Speaker 1: And I think this is an absolutely slam dunk decision.

544
00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:30,200
Speaker 1: Now that they have an ability to travel and they've

545
00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:31,919
Speaker 1: got the charter flights and more money for it, do

546
00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:32,520
Speaker 1: you agree with that?

547
00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:34,000
Speaker 2: Changed to yeah?

548
00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:37,760
Speaker 5: One hundred percent, as you know, you know, when they started,

549
00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:41,080
Speaker 5: you know, because the league's had a couple of different

550
00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:44,800
Speaker 5: playoff formats. When they started, it was you started the

551
00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:47,919
Speaker 5: lower seed and then games two and three would be

552
00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,200
Speaker 5: at the higher seed, and that way you guaranteed you'd

553
00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:54,320
Speaker 5: have games at both places. But that really didn't it

554
00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:57,720
Speaker 5: didn't seem really fair when no higher seed you have

555
00:27:57,800 --> 00:27:58,880
Speaker 5: to start out on the road.

556
00:27:59,000 --> 00:27:59,320
Speaker 2: Yeah.

557
00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,400
Speaker 5: Then they went to the format in twenty sixteen when

558
00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:05,639
Speaker 5: they stopped having the conference the conferences be split, so

559
00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:07,800
Speaker 5: you just took top eight seeds and they went with

560
00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:11,000
Speaker 5: a single elimination game in the first two rounds. And again, Sarah,

561
00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:13,919
Speaker 5: that's a problem because there's no guarantee of having a

562
00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:17,159
Speaker 5: home game. Then this year, you know, then when they

563
00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:21,000
Speaker 5: switched back and made it you know, got rid of

564
00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:24,600
Speaker 5: the single elimination, which I never liked the single elimination

565
00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:29,359
Speaker 5: no format. Then they have the issue of, like you said,

566
00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:33,800
Speaker 5: not only do you you maybe you have to go

567
00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:36,160
Speaker 5: three in order to get a home game if you're

568
00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:38,200
Speaker 5: the lower seed. Then if you're the higher seeds, you

569
00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:41,120
Speaker 5: might have to win a series on the road, you know,

570
00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:44,240
Speaker 5: best of three. This is the best way to do it.

571
00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:49,400
Speaker 5: It's more travel. But as you said, you really don't

572
00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:51,120
Speaker 5: want to have a team make a playoffs and their

573
00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:53,160
Speaker 5: fans don't even get to see them played.

574
00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:56,640
Speaker 1: Once at I like the decision. I also think, you know,

575
00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:59,120
Speaker 1: you're moving to forty four games. We're trying to keep

576
00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:02,600
Speaker 1: up with textualizing all the records being broken as they

577
00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:04,840
Speaker 1: change the number of games being played. But they keep

578
00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:07,280
Speaker 1: moving it on us forty four games starting next year.

579
00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,960
Speaker 1: But it feels necessary with the expansion that's coming next year.

580
00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:13,440
Speaker 1: We're gonna have Golden State Valcyiriees, We're gonna have two

581
00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:16,200
Speaker 1: more teams in twenty six. So does that also feel

582
00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:17,959
Speaker 1: like sort of a necessity for the league to keep

583
00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:19,600
Speaker 1: expanding the length of the regular season.

584
00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:25,920
Speaker 5: Yes, it does, And I thought for a while maybe

585
00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:30,000
Speaker 5: fifty is like an ultimate sweet spot for the league.

586
00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:36,000
Speaker 5: It you know, it's unless the league changed the calendar completely.

587
00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:39,280
Speaker 5: They're never going to go to like an eighty game, right,

588
00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:44,800
Speaker 5: the eighty two game like the NBA. But it's it's

589
00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:46,920
Speaker 5: still gonna be tough, Like, you know, you're still talking

590
00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,440
Speaker 5: about having to start you know, mid maybe even they

591
00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:52,760
Speaker 5: may move it up a week to the first week

592
00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:56,520
Speaker 5: of May and then ending you know at the at

593
00:29:56,560 --> 00:30:00,200
Speaker 5: the end of October. And the women obviously a also

594
00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:02,880
Speaker 5: have to deal with the Olympics and the World Championship,

595
00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:05,720
Speaker 5: so every other year you have an international event that

596
00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:09,840
Speaker 5: you have to work into the schedule as well. But yeah,

597
00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:13,600
Speaker 5: I think I think the expansion of games, expansion of

598
00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:18,520
Speaker 5: the lead, those are all things that show a healthy growth.

599
00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:21,280
Speaker 1: Michael, you have been at it for a very very

600
00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,240
Speaker 1: long time, and I don't think you get the credit

601
00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:25,080
Speaker 1: you deserve for all the work you've done, so at

602
00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:27,360
Speaker 1: least on our show, we're giving you all the flowers.

603
00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:30,479
Speaker 1: I mean, working in women's sports since ninety six and

604
00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:33,560
Speaker 1: holding it down at ESPN while plenty of other people

605
00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:37,280
Speaker 1: get a little bit more shine, you are doing yeomen's work.

606
00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:38,680
Speaker 2: So thank you so much for coming on.

607
00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:42,600
Speaker 5: Well, thank you, Sarah, and you didn't call me a tomatohead,

608
00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:49,200
Speaker 5: which a lot of my all time Cubs fan friends did. Okay, Yeah,

609
00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:52,360
Speaker 5: thank you, Thank you very much for having me. I

610
00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:53,480
Speaker 5: appreciate it.

611
00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:57,120
Speaker 1: Thanks so much to Michael for hopping on with us.

612
00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,400
Speaker 1: Excited for the game tonight, we have to take another break,

613
00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:01,560
Speaker 1: but when we come back, porta potty run ins of

614
00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:11,280
Speaker 1: the pleasant variety stick around. Welcome back orde slices we've

615
00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:13,680
Speaker 1: been hearing from y'all a lot, and we absolutely love it.

616
00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:17,200
Speaker 1: The other day, Alex asked whether you've overheard some unexpected

617
00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:19,400
Speaker 1: folks talking about women's sports. We still want more of

618
00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:21,520
Speaker 1: those stories, but Stacy wrote in with a story that's

619
00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:25,520
Speaker 1: a little less eavesdropping, more participating. She says, I went

620
00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:27,680
Speaker 1: to the Gotham game recently and stayed in a hotel

621
00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:30,120
Speaker 1: in New Jersey near the stadium. I met two women

622
00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:32,240
Speaker 1: in the hotel elevator who clearly were also going to

623
00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:34,560
Speaker 1: the game. We set our pleasantries go bats and that

624
00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:36,800
Speaker 1: was kind of bit. After the game, I ran into

625
00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:38,320
Speaker 1: one of the women in the lobby and we started

626
00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:40,440
Speaker 1: talking about the game. Turns out she lives a few

627
00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:42,600
Speaker 1: miles from me in Boston and doesn't have anyone in

628
00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:44,880
Speaker 1: her immediate life to talk women's sports with, so of

629
00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:47,880
Speaker 1: course we became instant pals and are now texting during

630
00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:50,640
Speaker 1: the WNBA games and catching up on the NWSL and

631
00:31:50,760 --> 00:31:53,600
Speaker 1: soon to start up PWHL, making plans to watch a

632
00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:56,000
Speaker 1: game out soon. She is my first three hundred and

633
00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:57,760
Speaker 1: sixty degree women's sports friend.

634
00:31:58,240 --> 00:31:59,840
Speaker 2: Stacy. We freaking love this.

635
00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:02,840
Speaker 1: Also, Alex and Misha heard from Twitter user at lac

636
00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:04,720
Speaker 1: nine who made friends with the guy while waiting for

637
00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:07,560
Speaker 1: the porta potty at a music festival in Boise, Idaho.

638
00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:10,840
Speaker 1: She wrote, quote, neither of us have any South Carolina connections.

639
00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:13,640
Speaker 2: Just both really love Asia Wilson. Love that.

640
00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:16,920
Speaker 1: Send us more folks also in parent Trap and I'm

641
00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:20,320
Speaker 1: not alone here updates. Shout out to at Saffron Monsoon

642
00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:22,760
Speaker 1: one on Twitter who wrote to me quote, I was

643
00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:25,560
Speaker 1: also horrified Misha and Alex were too young or something

644
00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,000
Speaker 1: for parent Trap, but wanted to let you know. Hailey

645
00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:30,160
Speaker 1: Mills was at the D twenty three Disney Expo this

646
00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:33,640
Speaker 1: summer and sang Let's Get Together live on stage. Lots

647
00:32:33,680 --> 00:32:36,120
Speaker 1: of people uploaded it on YouTube. I think you'd enjoy it.

648
00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:38,280
Speaker 2: You know what. I did enjoy it because I looked

649
00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:40,240
Speaker 2: it up. And thank you Saffron Monsoon.

650
00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:42,800
Speaker 1: Also Veronica I, who sent me the clip of the

651
00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:45,320
Speaker 1: Hailey Mills twins singing Let's get Together on Insta.

652
00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:48,480
Speaker 2: You get it, Veronica, you really get it.

653
00:32:48,560 --> 00:32:51,560
Speaker 1: Finally, Slices Dogs, We asked you all a lot of

654
00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:55,120
Speaker 1: questions about dogs, and you had answers on Twitter. Sixty

655
00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:57,680
Speaker 1: nine percent of you said you can be a gluegal

656
00:32:57,800 --> 00:32:58,160
Speaker 1: and a.

657
00:32:58,080 --> 00:33:00,640
Speaker 2: Dog, which is wild. To me disagree.

658
00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:02,920
Speaker 1: Sixty nine percent of you said you can be a

659
00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:06,320
Speaker 1: superstar and a dog, twenty percent said dogs are role players,

660
00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:09,920
Speaker 1: eleven percent said Kelsey Plum aka plum Dog is the only.

661
00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:10,640
Speaker 2: One that can be both.

662
00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:13,520
Speaker 1: And to the question is there a place for cats

663
00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:16,000
Speaker 1: on the court, the leading vote getter with forty one

664
00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:17,520
Speaker 1: percent was Stop It.

665
00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:18,880
Speaker 2: Producer Alex.

666
00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:22,720
Speaker 1: Though I did like Randon Potkey's answer the place for

667
00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:27,160
Speaker 1: cats officiating now love that shout out to front of

668
00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:28,880
Speaker 1: the show Shimmy Gray Miller, who said she and her

669
00:33:28,880 --> 00:33:31,960
Speaker 1: wife and broadcast partner Lisa Byington talk about dogs all

670
00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:34,880
Speaker 1: the time. She said in part quote, Yes, you can

671
00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:38,120
Speaker 1: be a dog and a superstar Slash all Star, DT,

672
00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:42,080
Speaker 1: Kobe Caitlin, Sabrina, Kelsey Angel, you can be a dog

673
00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:44,880
Speaker 1: and a good or a role player Maybrey, Courtney Benija.

674
00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:47,480
Speaker 1: You can't be a dog and a glue player two

675
00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:49,719
Speaker 1: totally different categories and types of players.

676
00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:53,840
Speaker 2: Alicia Clark is a glue not a dog. FYI end quote.

677
00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:57,480
Speaker 1: Also kurf build Thrasher on Instagram said, wisely of a

678
00:33:57,520 --> 00:33:59,800
Speaker 1: place for a cat on the court, quote maybe a

679
00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:03,560
Speaker 1: cat dog like fee could be considered cat like she observes,

680
00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:06,600
Speaker 1: doesn't waste energy, carefully makes remove and goes in for

681
00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:08,000
Speaker 1: the kill before you see her coming.

682
00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:09,839
Speaker 2: But Fee still has a dog in her.

683
00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:12,960
Speaker 1: You know what You're onto something curve build thrasher because

684
00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,560
Speaker 1: Fee is basically a big cat, which is like a

685
00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:17,800
Speaker 1: cat dog, a lion, a tiger, a lynx.

686
00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:21,960
Speaker 2: Yep, Fee being on the links is perfect. Thanks y'all.

687
00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:23,600
Speaker 1: We love that you're listening and we want you to

688
00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:25,480
Speaker 1: get in the game every day too. So here's our

689
00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:26,960
Speaker 1: good gameplay of the day for today.

690
00:34:27,480 --> 00:34:28,040
Speaker 2: Easy one.

691
00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:30,239
Speaker 1: Clear your schedule tonight, make sure you're tuned in for

692
00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:34,200
Speaker 1: Game three of the WNBA Finals, and while you're watching,

693
00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:37,239
Speaker 1: fill out our survey. We've linked to it in our

694
00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:39,200
Speaker 1: show notes. You know you're gonna have a commercial break,

695
00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:41,279
Speaker 1: take two seconds fill it out for us.

696
00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:41,719
Speaker 2: Thank you.

697
00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:43,480
Speaker 1: We always love to hear from you. Hit us up

698
00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:46,200
Speaker 1: on email good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave

699
00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:48,239
Speaker 1: us a voicemail at eight seven two two o four

700
00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:50,880
Speaker 1: fifty seventy and don't.

701
00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:53,600
Speaker 2: Forget to subscribe, Rate and review. It's easy.

702
00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:57,719
Speaker 1: Watch The Arrival of Hoodie Season rating five out of five.

703
00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:02,320
Speaker 1: Cozy's review, Love Me Some summer sun. I love warm weather,

704
00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:04,680
Speaker 1: but that first stretch of fall when you throw on

705
00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:06,840
Speaker 1: a hoodie in some soft pants and take a crisp

706
00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:10,920
Speaker 1: walk outside and then don't really wear anything but.

707
00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:13,880
Speaker 2: A hoodie for like the next four months. Perfection.

708
00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:17,320
Speaker 1: Now it's your turn, rate and review. Thanks for listening, slices,

709
00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:20,640
Speaker 1: See you tomorrow. Good game, Michael, good game, all the

710
00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:24,640
Speaker 1: dogs out there, fuck you, tired old ball jokes, but

711
00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:26,120
Speaker 1: not all ball jokes.

712
00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:27,240
Speaker 2: Time and a place people.

713
00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:31,120
Speaker 1: Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports

714
00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:34,200
Speaker 1: production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You

715
00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:36,880
Speaker 1: can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or

716
00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:40,240
Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network,

717
00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:43,440
Speaker 1: our producers are Alex Azzie and Misha Jones. Our executive

718
00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:47,200
Speaker 1: producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder.

719
00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:50,640
Speaker 1: Our editors are Emily Rudder, Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch, and

720
00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:51,560
Speaker 1: Lindsay Crawdawell.

721
00:35:51,719 --> 00:35:54,720
Speaker 2: Production assistants from Lucy Jones and I'm Your Host Sarah

722
00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:55,040
Speaker 2: Spain