WEBVTT - Basksoccerey Season with Big Citrus 0:00:00.520 --> 0:00:03.160 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we've officially 0:00:03.320 --> 0:00:10.600 entered basque soccery season, hawk, socket ball, sock baskiddy, whatever, 0:00:10.760 --> 0:00:13.160 whatever you call it. It's the magical week long period 0:00:13.200 --> 0:00:17.400 when the WNBA and WSL and PWHL are all in action. 0:00:18.000 --> 0:00:19.080 What a time to be alive. 0:00:19.600 --> 0:00:21.680 It's Monday, May nineteenth, and on today's show we'll be 0:00:21.720 --> 0:00:24.680 getting into all of that action with Big Citrus joining 0:00:24.680 --> 0:00:27.880 me to discuss everything from the WNBA's season opening weekend, 0:00:28.200 --> 0:00:31.640 including my adventures at the Valkyrie debut to the PWHL 0:00:31.640 --> 0:00:33.960 playoffs and the final two facing off in the Walter 0:00:34.040 --> 0:00:38.360 Cup Finals, plus celebrating with banners and rings, an Italian sweep, 0:00:38.560 --> 0:00:41.640 and some unanswered questions. It's all coming up right after 0:00:41.640 --> 0:00:49.080 this happy Monday slices. Welcome back. 0:00:49.120 --> 0:00:50.400 Here's what you need to know today. 0:00:52.360 --> 0:00:55.480 Let's start with the PWHL where the Walter Cup Finals 0:00:55.520 --> 0:00:58.000 are set with the Ottawa Charge preparing to take on 0:00:58.040 --> 0:01:01.880 the defending champs, the Minnesota Frost. Ottawa clinched a spot 0:01:01.880 --> 0:01:03.520 in the best of five finals with a two to 0:01:03.520 --> 0:01:06.559 one win over Montreal on Friday, winning that semi final 0:01:06.680 --> 0:01:09.440 series three to one. You remember earlier last week, the 0:01:09.440 --> 0:01:13.040 Minnesota Frost upended the Toronto Scepters for a second straight year, 0:01:13.319 --> 0:01:15.560 bouncing them and finding their way back to the finals. 0:01:15.720 --> 0:01:19.039 Finals get underway with Game one on Tuesday night in Ottawa. 0:01:19.240 --> 0:01:21.400 The Charge will host Games one and two at TD 0:01:21.520 --> 0:01:24.280 Place before the series heads to Minnesota for Game three. 0:01:24.600 --> 0:01:27.000 More on the PWHL a little later in the show 0:01:27.680 --> 0:01:30.319 to the WNBA, where the twenty twenty five season tipped 0:01:30.319 --> 0:01:32.920 off this weekend with a couple close games, a few blowouts, 0:01:32.959 --> 0:01:34.800 and lots of exciting storylines. 0:01:35.200 --> 0:01:36.119 Let's start with the game. 0:01:36.280 --> 0:01:40.320 I was at the Golden State Valkyries franchise opener on Friday, 0:01:40.600 --> 0:01:43.200 which the Valks lost eighty four to sixty seven to 0:01:43.240 --> 0:01:46.640 the Los Angeles Sparks. Yeah, they lost the game, but 0:01:46.720 --> 0:01:49.120 I have to say the night was a success. So 0:01:49.160 --> 0:01:51.920 shout out to President Jess Smith and the whole Valkyrie's team, 0:01:52.240 --> 0:01:55.639 not just for the incredible hospitality, but the absolutely killer 0:01:55.760 --> 0:02:00.120 opening night, the videos on the JumboTron, the sponsor activations, 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:02.600 the dance team that was everyone from ages ten to 0:02:02.720 --> 0:02:05.960 fifty seven, the ties to Bay Area hoops of the 0:02:06.040 --> 0:02:09.960 past e forty. It was a scene, and even though 0:02:10.000 --> 0:02:11.639 they lost, I think it's clear that the fan base 0:02:11.680 --> 0:02:13.760 are super excited to have women's hoops in the Bay 0:02:14.000 --> 0:02:16.520 and that they're going to be patient, get excited about 0:02:16.560 --> 0:02:19.520 the bright spots on the roster, and be ready for 0:02:19.600 --> 0:02:23.000 the team to get better as the franchise grows. There 0:02:23.160 --> 0:02:26.160 was one tough moment on Friday night, though. Sparks guard 0:02:26.240 --> 0:02:28.680 Ray Burrell went down in the first quarter after an 0:02:28.720 --> 0:02:31.160 awkward collision on a foul, and after the game it 0:02:31.200 --> 0:02:33.120 was announced that she'll miss six to eight weeks with 0:02:33.160 --> 0:02:36.200 a right leg injury. It was honestly super sad watching 0:02:36.240 --> 0:02:38.680 her get carried off the court just minutes into a fresh, 0:02:38.760 --> 0:02:41.400 exciting season when everyone was so pumped to be back 0:02:41.440 --> 0:02:44.080 out there. So we're wishing Ray the best in her recovery. 0:02:44.800 --> 0:02:47.240 Let's add east to New York, where the Liberty got 0:02:47.280 --> 0:02:50.919 their season started in style, handing out rings and raising 0:02:51.000 --> 0:02:54.800 last year's championship banner into the rafters at Barclays. Did 0:02:54.880 --> 0:02:59.800 y'all see these rings? These rings are huge and beautiful, 0:03:00.000 --> 0:03:02.239 and of course even Ellie got a ring, which we love. 0:03:02.680 --> 0:03:05.680 This team was fresh off the franchise's first ever WNBA 0:03:05.800 --> 0:03:08.720 title and proved they still got it. They defeated the 0:03:08.800 --> 0:03:12.000 Las Vegas Aces ninety two seventy eight, with Brianna Stewart 0:03:12.040 --> 0:03:14.680 recording twenty five points and Natasha Cloud putting on a 0:03:14.720 --> 0:03:18.600 show in her Liberty debut, contributing twenty two points, nine assists, 0:03:18.760 --> 0:03:22.280 three steals, and two blocks. Asia Wilson had thirty one 0:03:22.280 --> 0:03:24.760 points in the loss, all while rocking her new signature 0:03:24.840 --> 0:03:25.799 A one shoes. 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:28.359 Of course, let's head to Dallas. 0:03:28.000 --> 0:03:31.239 Where Paige Becker's Welcome to the WNBA party was spoiled 0:03:31.320 --> 0:03:34.840 by fellow Yukon grad Nofisa Collier, who scored thirty four 0:03:34.840 --> 0:03:36.920 points to lead the Minnesota Links to a ninety nine 0:03:37.040 --> 0:03:39.640 eighty four win. Beckers finished the night with ten points, 0:03:39.680 --> 0:03:43.080 shooting three for ten from the field. Ari k Agunbawallee 0:03:43.160 --> 0:03:45.120 led the way for the Wings with sixteen points, while 0:03:45.200 --> 0:03:48.880 DJ Carrington looked strong in her Dallas debut, adding fifteen. 0:03:49.440 --> 0:03:51.880 There was also allegedly a little bit of drama in 0:03:51.960 --> 0:03:55.040 this game, as Tara McCown left the game before the 0:03:55.040 --> 0:03:55.800 clock hit. 0:03:55.640 --> 0:03:57.640 All zeros with her team still in the huddle. 0:03:57.840 --> 0:04:00.280 She only played five minutes in that one, and if 0:04:00.320 --> 0:04:02.560 social media accounts are to be believed, she did not 0:04:02.640 --> 0:04:04.200 look happy when she was heading out. 0:04:04.360 --> 0:04:06.120 We'll keep you updated on that story. 0:04:06.680 --> 0:04:09.240 To the Midwest, where the Indiana Fever opened their season 0:04:09.280 --> 0:04:12.360 with a ninety three fifty eight blowout win over My 0:04:12.520 --> 0:04:16.120 Chicago Sky. Caitlyn Clark a triple double in the first 0:04:16.120 --> 0:04:18.440 game of the season. The thirty five point win is 0:04:18.440 --> 0:04:21.400 tied for the second largest Fever win in franchise history, 0:04:21.640 --> 0:04:23.800 but lots of attention after the game was focused on 0:04:23.839 --> 0:04:27.320 a chippy moment that happened between Caitlin and Angel Reese. 0:04:27.640 --> 0:04:28.880 We all love this rivalry. 0:04:28.920 --> 0:04:31.440 We are looking for this rivalry to grow, but sometimes 0:04:31.480 --> 0:04:33.680 maybe we're getting a little too excited about what happens 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:36.440 between these two players. This wasn't that big of a deal. 0:04:36.480 --> 0:04:39.160 Reese was going for a layup. Clark committed a hard 0:04:39.200 --> 0:04:42.200 foul and then pushed her, causing her to fall. Reese 0:04:42.200 --> 0:04:44.640 got quickly to her feet and yelled at Clark and 0:04:44.640 --> 0:04:47.000 then Aleah Boston tried to keep the two players apart. 0:04:47.600 --> 0:04:50.040 Clark's initial foul was upgraded to a flagrant one. It 0:04:50.080 --> 0:04:52.320 was a good take fowl to prevent a wide open 0:04:52.360 --> 0:04:54.400 bucket for Reese, but she had a little shove at 0:04:54.440 --> 0:04:56.200 the end with her left hand, and that's what made 0:04:56.200 --> 0:04:58.839 it quote unquote excessive, and it made it a good 0:04:58.839 --> 0:05:01.720 call to make it a flagrant one. Boston and Reese 0:05:01.720 --> 0:05:05.359 picked up offsetting technical fouls for the little RGI bargie afterward, 0:05:05.880 --> 0:05:08.080 but after the game, both Clark and Reese were quick 0:05:08.120 --> 0:05:10.400 to note it was just part of the game of basketball, 0:05:10.640 --> 0:05:12.640 said Reese, quote, basketball play. 0:05:12.920 --> 0:05:14.599 Ref's got it right. Move on. 0:05:15.520 --> 0:05:17.599 Honestly, I think it's as simple as that. Things get 0:05:17.600 --> 0:05:20.880 heated in the moment, they get sorted. Real competitors, keep 0:05:20.920 --> 0:05:23.720 it pushing, keep it moving. I have already seen way 0:05:23.800 --> 0:05:26.120 too many fans making a big deal out of this 0:05:26.240 --> 0:05:28.520 and making it fit the narrative of whichever quote unquote 0:05:28.600 --> 0:05:31.320 side they're on. We're not doing this this year. Okay, 0:05:31.520 --> 0:05:33.720 We're not doing it. It was a hard foul, it 0:05:33.800 --> 0:05:37.360 was a good call. We're all set. Meantime, on Sunday, 0:05:37.400 --> 0:05:40.520 the WNBA announced that it was investigating some hateful comments 0:05:40.520 --> 0:05:42.880 from a fan during that game. Now, the league hasn't 0:05:42.880 --> 0:05:45.799 publicly said the context of the comments, but multiple media 0:05:45.839 --> 0:05:49.000 outlets have reported that they were racist comments directed at 0:05:49.040 --> 0:05:51.760 Angel Reese. In a statement, the league said, quote, the 0:05:51.880 --> 0:05:56.560 WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms. 0:05:56.760 --> 0:05:59.240 They have no place in our league or in society. 0:05:59.520 --> 0:06:01.719 We are aware of the allegations and are looking into 0:06:01.760 --> 0:06:05.000 the matter. The Indiana Fever also issued a statement saying 0:06:05.040 --> 0:06:07.080 the team was working with the league to investigate the 0:06:07.080 --> 0:06:09.640 matter and was committed to providing a safe environment for 0:06:09.680 --> 0:06:12.440 all players. Good to know both the league and teams 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:16.040 are responding immediately and with intention to this kind of thing. 0:06:16.520 --> 0:06:19.920 We'll have tons more on WNBA opening weekend in segment 0:06:19.960 --> 0:06:22.440 two of today's show when Alex and Meish join me. 0:06:22.400 --> 0:06:24.320 For a good old fashioned, big Citrus chat. 0:06:25.120 --> 0:06:28.000 Moving on to the NWSL, the Utah Royals and Washington 0:06:28.000 --> 0:06:32.040 Spirit competed in a classic NWSL chaos match on Saturday 0:06:32.080 --> 0:06:34.960 at Audiefield in DC. The game opened with a league 0:06:34.960 --> 0:06:38.120 record four goals in the first twenty two minutes, with 0:06:38.240 --> 0:06:39.520 each team scoring a pair. 0:06:40.160 --> 0:06:41.839 Utah then added a third. 0:06:41.920 --> 0:06:43.720 And hung on to a three to two lead for 0:06:43.760 --> 0:06:45.960 most of the game until the very end of the 0:06:45.960 --> 0:06:49.320 second half, when Spirit defender Casey Krueger found an equalizer 0:06:49.320 --> 0:06:52.120 in the thirteenth minute of thirteen minutes of stoppage time. 0:06:52.360 --> 0:06:53.720 You can't do it any later. 0:06:54.120 --> 0:06:56.000 The game ended in a three to three draw, with 0:06:56.080 --> 0:06:59.880 both teams picking up one point. More NWSL angels sit 0:07:00.040 --> 0:07:02.839 DA defender Savvy King was discharged from the hospital on 0:07:02.920 --> 0:07:05.200 Saturday after she collapsed in a game just over a 0:07:05.200 --> 0:07:06.920 week earlier and underwent. 0:07:06.600 --> 0:07:08.120 Subsequent heart surgery. 0:07:08.560 --> 0:07:11.040 On Saturday, as Angel City returned to competition for a 0:07:11.040 --> 0:07:13.880 match against AFC, players from both teams took the field 0:07:13.960 --> 0:07:17.920 wearing black shirts with King's initials and number SK three. 0:07:18.360 --> 0:07:21.440 King posted an update to Instagram on Sunday, writing quote, 0:07:21.560 --> 0:07:23.600 I'm still finding the words to express just how much 0:07:23.640 --> 0:07:25.480 your love and support have meant to me over these. 0:07:25.360 --> 0:07:26.200 Past few days. 0:07:26.440 --> 0:07:28.280 What I do know is that I wouldn't be getting 0:07:28.280 --> 0:07:31.080 through this without my incredible family by my side, my 0:07:31.160 --> 0:07:33.400 amazing teammates who have shown up for me and prayed 0:07:33.400 --> 0:07:36.600 for me, the fans, the entire soccer community, and the 0:07:36.640 --> 0:07:40.080 outstanding medical team here at ACFC who saved my life 0:07:40.360 --> 0:07:42.640 and cared for me every step of the way. I 0:07:42.680 --> 0:07:44.960 know God's got me, and I'm looking forward to recovering 0:07:45.160 --> 0:07:46.040 and getting back out. 0:07:45.960 --> 0:07:47.600 On the field. End quote. 0:07:47.680 --> 0:07:50.160 We also have an update on how the NWSL plans 0:07:50.200 --> 0:07:53.960 to address similar situations moving forward. We mentioned last week 0:07:54.000 --> 0:07:57.360 that the NWSL Players Association issued a statement saying that 0:07:57.400 --> 0:07:59.560 the game between Angel City and Utah should not have 0:07:59.600 --> 0:08:02.440 been allowed to continue following King's collapse on the field. 0:08:03.000 --> 0:08:04.640 On Friday, the league issued its. 0:08:04.560 --> 0:08:07.120 Own statement, saying it regretted that the game had been 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:10.280 allowed to continue and vowing that any future game involving 0:08:10.320 --> 0:08:14.320 a similar situation would be abandoned. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, 0:08:14.360 --> 0:08:17.200 League Commissioner Jessica Berman was asked about the incident, and 0:08:17.240 --> 0:08:19.600 while she committed to ensuring the league was better prepared 0:08:19.600 --> 0:08:22.440 moving forward, she offered very little insight on why the 0:08:22.480 --> 0:08:25.160 match involving King was allowed to continue in the first place. 0:08:25.200 --> 0:08:27.600 On Friday, she didn't provide an answer to a question 0:08:27.640 --> 0:08:29.640 from the athletics to Maria Griffin about whether she was 0:08:29.680 --> 0:08:31.640 awake at the time of the incident, which was after 0:08:31.640 --> 0:08:33.960 eleven pm Eastern, nor did she have an answer to 0:08:33.960 --> 0:08:36.319 whether the league had a replacement ambulance in place when 0:08:36.320 --> 0:08:39.120 the game resumed. Now, listen, I don't expect a commissioner 0:08:39.200 --> 0:08:41.480 to have the answer to every single thing or know 0:08:41.559 --> 0:08:44.560 exactly what to do in every tricky situation, but she 0:08:44.640 --> 0:08:46.720 does have to answer those questions to the best of 0:08:46.760 --> 0:08:50.920 her ability, and it stood out that she didn't more NWSL. 0:08:51.160 --> 0:08:54.400 Kansas City center back Kayla Sharples joined the NWSL's five 0:08:54.480 --> 0:08:58.320 thousand club on Friday, playing her five thousandth minute in 0:08:58.360 --> 0:09:00.920 a one to zero win over the Orlando Prize Sharp Bulls, 0:09:00.960 --> 0:09:02.960 who joined the league in twenty nineteen, has played for 0:09:03.040 --> 0:09:05.480 Kansas City for just under a year. She was traded 0:09:05.480 --> 0:09:08.800 to the Current from BFC last August. Prior to joining Bay, 0:09:08.840 --> 0:09:11.320 she was a member of the Chicago Stars Slash Red 0:09:11.440 --> 0:09:15.560 Stars Slash Color Neutral Stars. To Tennis, where some cool 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:18.120 history was made at the Italian Open this weekend. Italy's 0:09:18.120 --> 0:09:21.400 owned Jasmin Pallini won the singles tournament, defeating Coco Goff 0:09:21.440 --> 0:09:24.199 in two sets on Saturday to become the first home 0:09:24.240 --> 0:09:27.360 player to win an Italian Open singles title in forty years. 0:09:27.840 --> 0:09:30.520 After the win, Paulini said, it didn't feel real. Quote 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:32.600 I came here as a kid to see this tournament, 0:09:32.720 --> 0:09:35.440 but winning it and holding up this trophy wasn't even 0:09:35.480 --> 0:09:38.560 in my dreams end quote. Then on Sunday, Paulini won 0:09:38.600 --> 0:09:42.520 the doubles title two competing alongside partner Sarah Irani. That 0:09:42.600 --> 0:09:45.440 final was a nail bier with Paulini and Irani needing 0:09:45.480 --> 0:09:47.760 to mount comebacks after starting each. 0:09:47.679 --> 0:09:49.280 Set with a four to zero deficit. 0:09:49.679 --> 0:09:51.719 With her second win of the tournament, Paulini became the 0:09:51.720 --> 0:09:53.840 first player to win both the singles and doubles titles 0:09:53.880 --> 0:09:58.240 at a WTA one thousand tournament since two thousand and nine. Also, 0:09:58.280 --> 0:10:01.360 we had tons of NCAA SOPT action going on this weekend. 0:10:01.440 --> 0:10:06.000 We'll have your update on that and tomorrow show. All right, y'all, 0:10:06.040 --> 0:10:07.960 we got to take a quick break. When we come back. 0:10:08.080 --> 0:10:10.959 Big Citrus jumps on to discuss the opening weekend of 0:10:11.040 --> 0:10:20.360 the WNBA season. Welcome back, y'all. 0:10:20.520 --> 0:10:23.080 Hope you had as much fun as we did watching 0:10:23.240 --> 0:10:25.360 all of the WNBA action this weekend. 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:26.160 It's kind of hard to. 0:10:26.080 --> 0:10:27.840 Believe that it's already back, like it felt like a 0:10:27.840 --> 0:10:30.920 long break before we got our WNBA hoops. But also 0:10:30.960 --> 0:10:34.360 between Unrivaled and March Madness that everything else, it just 0:10:34.440 --> 0:10:35.240 never stops. 0:10:35.320 --> 0:10:37.520 There's always some good hoops to be talking about. 0:10:37.840 --> 0:10:40.440 And I have to say my trip to the Bay 0:10:40.480 --> 0:10:44.559 Area for the Valkyries opening night was so awesome. Not 0:10:44.600 --> 0:10:46.320 only did I get there for the game, but there 0:10:46.360 --> 0:10:48.520 was a dinner the night before a JP Morgan Chase 0:10:48.559 --> 0:10:51.520 Dinner with Deep Blue, and it was in this beautiful 0:10:51.600 --> 0:10:54.839 room in the Chase Center with views across the Bay 0:10:55.480 --> 0:10:59.280 and some really awesome partners and women in investment and 0:10:59.640 --> 0:11:02.240 lots of There was a panel with Jess Smith among others, 0:11:02.640 --> 0:11:04.880 and a gorgeous dinner of course Bay Area, so it 0:11:04.920 --> 0:11:07.680 was all real fancy with silver Oak and Toomey wines 0:11:07.679 --> 0:11:10.480 and oysters and gorgeous soured oat bread and this amazing 0:11:10.480 --> 0:11:13.240 female chef. I just love how the Bay does their 0:11:13.280 --> 0:11:15.360 food and drink right because I'm. 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:16.360 Super into that stuff. 0:11:16.600 --> 0:11:18.960 So that was super fun and great to talk to 0:11:19.000 --> 0:11:21.480 so many people that were really interested in the investment side. 0:11:21.480 --> 0:11:23.839 And there was something I heard in the panel from 0:11:23.920 --> 0:11:26.160 Jess that I thought was worth sharing. And I think 0:11:26.200 --> 0:11:28.720 she's mentioned this potential on the show before, but it 0:11:28.760 --> 0:11:30.480 really stood out to me the way she talked about 0:11:30.520 --> 0:11:32.040 how they recognized it in. 0:11:32.000 --> 0:11:32.680 The Bay Area. 0:11:32.880 --> 0:11:35.840 There are so many basketball fans, but they are really 0:11:35.920 --> 0:11:39.000 distinct fans who are looking for an experience that's different 0:11:39.000 --> 0:11:41.080 from what they get from the Golden State Warriors. 0:11:41.480 --> 0:11:43.599 So ten thousand season ticket. 0:11:43.360 --> 0:11:46.760 Holders for both the Warriors and the Valkyries, and there's 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:50.640 only ten percent crossover between the two. So only ten 0:11:50.679 --> 0:11:53.200 percent of those ten thousand are folks who have season 0:11:53.240 --> 0:11:57.200 tickets to both teams. That means that they're serving a 0:11:57.280 --> 0:11:59.839 whole bunch of people that didn't. 0:11:59.559 --> 0:12:01.440 Feel like they were served by the Warriors. 0:12:01.440 --> 0:12:03.439 Maybe they still root for them, maybe they still want 0:12:03.440 --> 0:12:06.560 to go, but especially with ticket prices the way they 0:12:06.559 --> 0:12:09.560 are for the Warriors at this point, it is frankly 0:12:10.120 --> 0:12:13.000 untenable to expect to go for anything less than five 0:12:13.080 --> 0:12:15.840 hundred dollars. And that's even if you already have paid 0:12:15.920 --> 0:12:18.360 for the right to have season tickets and everything else. 0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:21.160 So for there to be an option for fans who 0:12:21.160 --> 0:12:22.640 are in the Bay who want to catch them good 0:12:22.640 --> 0:12:25.360 basketball and maybe fans who don't feel served by the 0:12:25.480 --> 0:12:28.400 NBA or men's sports, that's really cool and I think 0:12:28.400 --> 0:12:30.640 it's something we probably haven't talked about as much in 0:12:30.720 --> 0:12:34.680 this is how much you are potentially reaching a fan 0:12:34.760 --> 0:12:37.400 base that feels like they haven't been thought of. And 0:12:37.440 --> 0:12:40.600 that was what was noticeable on opening night was it was, 0:12:40.679 --> 0:12:42.760 of course similar in a lot of other ways to 0:12:42.800 --> 0:12:43.680 a basketball game. 0:12:43.920 --> 0:12:44.520 Right there was. 0:12:45.160 --> 0:12:49.280 Intros with a really elaborate video, There was a merch 0:12:49.360 --> 0:12:51.520 on the seats for everybody that was the intendance for 0:12:51.559 --> 0:12:54.640 the very first game, but it also felt very specific 0:12:54.720 --> 0:12:58.480 and special to women's basketball. For instance, they have this 0:12:58.640 --> 0:13:01.520 opening drum, giant drum that someone hits to kind of 0:13:01.520 --> 0:13:04.320 get the game going, and they had Anna Johnson, who 0:13:04.400 --> 0:13:07.880 was from the San Francisco Pioneers, the very first professional 0:13:07.920 --> 0:13:10.480 women's basketball team in the Bay Area, be the first 0:13:10.480 --> 0:13:14.000 person to bang that drum. It felt very intentional, It 0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:16.280 felt very specific for them to acknowledge the history of 0:13:16.280 --> 0:13:18.800 women's basketball in the area. And then there were a 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:21.560 lot of Bay Area touches during the opening intros. It 0:13:21.600 --> 0:13:24.480 was too short from the Bay blow the whistle, which 0:13:24.520 --> 0:13:27.559 was pretty rad. During halftime, of course, E forty came 0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:30.800 out and did a live performance, and it just really 0:13:30.840 --> 0:13:33.080 felt like they tied in the elements of what makes 0:13:33.120 --> 0:13:36.760 the Bay special with this brand new opportunity to touch 0:13:36.800 --> 0:13:42.200 fans and as far as the basketball man, there's some 0:13:42.240 --> 0:13:44.480 work to be done, let's just say that, but still 0:13:45.000 --> 0:13:47.080 a good effort from the team, and it seems like 0:13:47.080 --> 0:13:48.880 a fan base that's going to be really excited about 0:13:48.920 --> 0:13:49.800 watching them develop. 0:13:50.480 --> 0:13:53.160 Let's get to the basketball of this weekend, not. 0:13:53.120 --> 0:13:55.280 Just that game, but all the other games that we 0:13:55.320 --> 0:13:57.880 got to watch the first looks at players on new teams, 0:13:58.160 --> 0:14:01.040 players who came back and reasserted themselves from day one. 0:14:01.480 --> 0:14:03.560 So I want to bring in producer Alex and producer 0:14:03.600 --> 0:14:04.280 Meiche for this. 0:14:04.280 --> 0:14:05.760 This is a big Citrus. 0:14:05.440 --> 0:14:07.560 Chat about all the games that we got to see 0:14:07.559 --> 0:14:11.439 this weekend. Let's get a couple of takeaways from each person. Alex, 0:14:11.520 --> 0:14:13.439 Let's start with you, what's something that stood out to 0:14:13.559 --> 0:14:14.240 from this weekend? 0:14:14.640 --> 0:14:16.719 Man, I think the number one thing that stood out 0:14:16.720 --> 0:14:20.040 to me is this is Nafisa Collier's season and her 0:14:20.160 --> 0:14:25.400 MVP race is truly already on, both in her performance 0:14:25.520 --> 0:14:28.040 but also I think in the way that she is 0:14:28.120 --> 0:14:31.920 treating the season. After that win against Dallas, she was like, yep, 0:14:31.960 --> 0:14:35.080 forty three more games and explicitly said, we are here 0:14:35.120 --> 0:14:37.720 to win a championship this season. And you know, it's 0:14:37.720 --> 0:14:40.760 one thing to internally believe, hey, it's our here to 0:14:40.760 --> 0:14:43.080 win a championship, and it's another thing to be gutsy 0:14:43.200 --> 0:14:45.520 enough after game one to say we are. 0:14:45.360 --> 0:14:46.640 Here to win a championship. 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:50.040 And so I think her teammates are also very much 0:14:50.120 --> 0:14:52.560 on the Nafisa Collier MVP train and are going to 0:14:52.680 --> 0:14:55.000 do whatever it takes to make sure that happens. 0:14:55.440 --> 0:14:58.080 Yeah, this is something I talked about during our previews 0:14:58.080 --> 0:15:01.640 of the Links and said, listen and Fee was second 0:15:01.800 --> 0:15:04.200 only to Asia Wilson last year, and Asia had the 0:15:04.280 --> 0:15:07.360 greatest season in the history of women's basketball. That was 0:15:07.360 --> 0:15:10.120 not a debate. She deserved that MVP last year, but 0:15:10.200 --> 0:15:12.880 Fee was close. And then Fee comes up just short 0:15:12.920 --> 0:15:18.760 in the finals, starts unrivaled, wins unrivaled MVP, wins unrivaled 0:15:18.800 --> 0:15:22.320 one v one, has a postseason with the most points 0:15:22.880 --> 0:15:26.360 ever in the history of the WNBA postseason, leads her 0:15:26.360 --> 0:15:28.920 team in every single category, like she is putting up 0:15:28.920 --> 0:15:32.000 a case for being the MVP. And if you're gonna 0:15:32.080 --> 0:15:34.040 argue with me about Asia deserving it again, if she 0:15:34.080 --> 0:15:36.640 has another season like that, she probably will deserve it again. 0:15:36.800 --> 0:15:38.320 Will they give it to her again? 0:15:38.720 --> 0:15:41.760 Is my argument, because you saw back in the day 0:15:41.800 --> 0:15:44.080 in the NBA the Jordan years, he should have won 0:15:44.120 --> 0:15:46.520 the MVP every single year. They started to spread it around, 0:15:46.720 --> 0:15:50.080 and so if they decided somebody else's turn, I think 0:15:50.080 --> 0:15:51.280 it's the feasier. 0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:54.960 Yeah. I hate the fact that that's even a thing. Also, Yeah, 0:15:54.960 --> 0:15:59.520 because that should have not anything to do with the decision, 0:15:59.640 --> 0:16:01.400 but you know, inevitably it does. 0:16:01.520 --> 0:16:04.120 Every year we're proven that it does. 0:16:04.320 --> 0:16:09.360 And Fee she is she to me, is paralleling Asia 0:16:09.400 --> 0:16:11.720 because Asia is coming off and off season where all 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:14.520 these things are going right for her. She's in the spotlight, 0:16:14.600 --> 0:16:16.960 she's on commercials. Fee you might not have seen her 0:16:17.120 --> 0:16:19.480 in as many commercials, but just signed with Jordan Brand, right, 0:16:19.520 --> 0:16:22.400 so she's got her own stuff popping off. And when 0:16:22.960 --> 0:16:25.280 the thing I love about, when you get more publicity, 0:16:25.360 --> 0:16:27.720 more exposure, it's time to put up her shut up, right, 0:16:27.720 --> 0:16:31.080 And so the both of them are just really showing 0:16:31.120 --> 0:16:33.200 the evidence as to why we need to be treating 0:16:33.200 --> 0:16:33.880 in like stars. 0:16:34.040 --> 0:16:35.960 And by the way, the other person in the top 0:16:36.040 --> 0:16:39.640 three odds for the MVP is Caitlin Clark. And I 0:16:39.640 --> 0:16:41.520 know we're going to get to the fever, but starting 0:16:41.560 --> 0:16:44.200 off your season with a triple double and becoming the 0:16:44.280 --> 0:16:47.120 fastest player in WNB history to three triple doubles is 0:16:47.120 --> 0:16:49.600 a pretty good way to say, excuse me. I've got 0:16:49.640 --> 0:16:51.640 a lot of talent around me in another season under 0:16:51.680 --> 0:16:53.680 my belt coming here, so I think you're gonna have 0:16:53.680 --> 0:16:55.640 to be paying attention to me too. And I very 0:16:55.680 --> 0:16:58.160 much agree with that. Mesh, what's one of the things 0:16:58.200 --> 0:16:58.840 that stood out to you. 0:16:59.640 --> 0:17:02.400 I mean, let's stick with Indy, right. I think Caitlyn 0:17:02.480 --> 0:17:06.080 Clark put on a masterclass of how to fill your 0:17:06.080 --> 0:17:08.640 teammates out. I think she could have had fifteen assists 0:17:08.720 --> 0:17:10.240 right at the end of that game had there not 0:17:10.280 --> 0:17:13.800 been a couple blown bunnies, but ending that game with 0:17:14.440 --> 0:17:18.760 twenty points, ten rebounds tennisists in the way that they 0:17:18.880 --> 0:17:20.399 put her back in the game to make sure she 0:17:20.400 --> 0:17:23.280 got that last rebound, I was like, yeah, Steph White, Yeah, 0:17:23.359 --> 0:17:24.320 that's how you build the. 0:17:26.960 --> 0:17:29.320 Did Steph put her back in the game or did 0:17:29.400 --> 0:17:30.359 she ask to go in? 0:17:30.480 --> 0:17:32.239 Do you think, oh, she asked to go in, but 0:17:32.280 --> 0:17:33.679 that still had to put her back in. 0:17:33.840 --> 0:17:34.879 She had to agree. 0:17:35.080 --> 0:17:36.880 And a lot of coaches might say, listen, man, we're 0:17:36.960 --> 0:17:39.240 up by x amount. It's a long season, you're gonna 0:17:39.240 --> 0:17:43.000 get yours. But I think it's knowing your personnel kyp 0:17:43.560 --> 0:17:46.359 and Caitlyn is the kind of personnel that's going to 0:17:46.440 --> 0:17:48.520 be pretty fiery if you don't put her back in. 0:17:48.600 --> 0:17:50.760 And that's going to probably and hopefully be smart about 0:17:50.800 --> 0:17:53.520 going back in, getting the board and then being okay 0:17:53.520 --> 0:17:54.240 with coming back out. 0:17:54.720 --> 0:17:57.280 Yeah, and appreciate you that much more for caring about 0:17:57.359 --> 0:17:59.359 what she wanted to do, and not just that, but 0:17:59.400 --> 0:18:02.120 getting to want Bonner in that game so she could 0:18:02.160 --> 0:18:06.399 secure the sole possession of third overall or third leading 0:18:06.440 --> 0:18:09.480 scorer in WNBA history. Like those are little things that 0:18:09.600 --> 0:18:13.280 just build culture, that build chemistry, that build connection within 0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:16.080 a team. So Steph White, she's doing it right. From 0:18:16.080 --> 0:18:19.000 the first weekend all, she's doing it right. And based 0:18:19.040 --> 0:18:21.760 on the way they played on the court, Sarah, I'm 0:18:21.760 --> 0:18:23.560 gonna go ahead and say it now. I'm gonna go 0:18:23.600 --> 0:18:26.920 ahead and say it. They've got a championship caliber team. 0:18:26.960 --> 0:18:28.159 Oh yeah, they have a. 0:18:28.520 --> 0:18:31.080 Championship I was reluctant to say it at first because again, 0:18:31.119 --> 0:18:32.760