WEBVTT - When It’s Time To Leave with Callie Brownson 0:00:00.840 --> 0:00:03.159 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're fifty 0:00:03.200 --> 0:00:06.680 percent Pym's Cup and fifty percent Purple Drink, but we 0:00:06.760 --> 0:00:09.920 still haven't gotten our hands on a ben yet. It's Friday, 0:00:09.920 --> 0:00:12.280 February seventh, and on today's show, we'll be kicking it 0:00:12.280 --> 0:00:16.000 with Callie Bronson, former Cleveland Brown's assistant coach now senior 0:00:16.079 --> 0:00:19.640 director of High Performance and USA National Football Operations. We'll 0:00:19.640 --> 0:00:22.239 talk about getting the US ready for flag football in 0:00:22.320 --> 0:00:25.439 the Olympics, getting to contribute to a global movement, what 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:28.080 she learned from the NFL, and how she handled being 0:00:28.080 --> 0:00:31.800 on a staff with a problematic, high profile player, plus 0:00:31.840 --> 0:00:34.760 how not to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports 0:00:34.840 --> 0:00:39.239 Day and NWSL WNBA crossover in the Rose City, and 0:00:39.400 --> 0:00:42.720 bracket season is back, Baby, It's all coming up right 0:00:42.760 --> 0:00:59.840 after this Welcome back slices, Happy Friday. Here's what you 0:01:00.000 --> 0:01:05.360 need to know today in idiotic news. Trump signed an 0:01:05.360 --> 0:01:09.160 executive order on Wednesday banning transgender athletes from participating in 0:01:09.200 --> 0:01:12.560 Girls in Women's sports. The quote keeping Men Out of 0:01:12.560 --> 0:01:17.200 Women's Sports order mandates that schools and institutions receiving federal 0:01:17.200 --> 0:01:20.840 funding must abide by the new administration's interpretation of Title 0:01:20.959 --> 0:01:24.160 nin where quote unquote, sex is defined as the gender 0:01:24.240 --> 0:01:27.440 a person is assigned at birth, worth noting. On his 0:01:27.520 --> 0:01:30.440 first day in office, Trump issued an executive order declaring 0:01:30.440 --> 0:01:34.440 that the US government would only recognize two sexes, limiting 0:01:34.480 --> 0:01:37.400 the definition of a male or female to a person's 0:01:37.400 --> 0:01:40.559 reproductive cells at conception, and requiring that the federal government 0:01:40.640 --> 0:01:43.480 used the term sex instead of gender. Trump will allegedly 0:01:43.560 --> 0:01:46.000 lean on the Department of Education to help investigate and 0:01:46.120 --> 0:01:49.400 enforce this new executive order, presumably the same Department of 0:01:49.480 --> 0:01:53.040 Education he's seeking to dismantle. Also no word yet on 0:01:53.080 --> 0:01:55.920 how they plan to investigate whether someone is a girl 0:01:56.000 --> 0:01:58.880 or a boy and how to enforce that. In a 0:01:58.920 --> 0:02:03.080 statement about the executive order, NCAA President Charlie Baker said, quote, 0:02:03.080 --> 0:02:07.120 we strongly believe that clear, consistent, and uniform eligibility standards 0:02:07.320 --> 0:02:10.440 would best serve today's student athletes instead of a patchwork 0:02:10.480 --> 0:02:13.639 of conflicting state laws and court decisions. To that end, 0:02:13.720 --> 0:02:16.359 President Trump's order provides a clear national standard. 0:02:16.600 --> 0:02:17.480 Baker continued. 0:02:17.560 --> 0:02:20.440 The NCAA Board of Governors is reviewing the executive order 0:02:20.440 --> 0:02:23.200 and will take necessary steps to align NCAA policy in 0:02:23.240 --> 0:02:26.119 the coming days. Subject to further guidance from the administration, 0:02:26.320 --> 0:02:29.120 the Association will continue to help foster welcoming environments on 0:02:29.200 --> 0:02:31.120 campuses for all student athletes. 0:02:31.360 --> 0:02:33.120 We stand ready to assist. 0:02:32.760 --> 0:02:35.120 Schools as they look for ways to support any student 0:02:35.120 --> 0:02:37.240 athletes affected by changes in the policy. 0:02:37.560 --> 0:02:38.239 End quote. 0:02:38.600 --> 0:02:40.600 It's not lost on us, y'all that Trump announced this 0:02:40.680 --> 0:02:43.320 executive order on National Girls and Women in Sports Day. 0:02:43.760 --> 0:02:45.200 The cruelty is the point. 0:02:46.000 --> 0:02:48.359 Even though we had a feeling this was coming, even 0:02:48.360 --> 0:02:50.160 though we dreaded that this might be coming, it is 0:02:50.200 --> 0:02:53.359 still extremely upsetting. We're sending love to all the athletes 0:02:53.400 --> 0:02:56.119 and all the families affected, and we will certainly still 0:02:56.160 --> 0:02:58.680 be covering this issue more in the future. Trans Girls 0:02:58.720 --> 0:03:01.560 and Women in Sport are girls and women in Sport. 0:03:02.440 --> 0:03:05.440 In NWSL news, the Denver expansion franchise has become the 0:03:05.560 --> 0:03:08.960 fastest new side in league history to reach five thousand 0:03:09.000 --> 0:03:12.000 season ticket deposits. Denver received fifty two hundred and eighty 0:03:12.040 --> 0:03:15.800 deposits only three days after being named the NWSL's sixteenth 0:03:15.840 --> 0:03:19.680 team on January thirtieth. That's a huge show of support 0:03:19.760 --> 0:03:22.160 and further proof that fans in the Mile High City 0:03:22.200 --> 0:03:24.560 were eager for their first women's pro sports team in 0:03:24.600 --> 0:03:25.760 a major national league. 0:03:26.040 --> 0:03:27.360 Do you live in the Denver area? 0:03:27.720 --> 0:03:29.200 We'll link to the site where you can sign up 0:03:29.200 --> 0:03:32.880 for season tickets in our show notes in NWSL and 0:03:33.360 --> 0:03:36.640 WNBA news, it was announced on Thursday that the Portland 0:03:36.640 --> 0:03:39.400 Thorns and the Cities yet to be named WNBA expansion 0:03:39.440 --> 0:03:42.360 team will train together at a brand new seventy five 0:03:42.400 --> 0:03:45.520 million dollar training facility that's expected to open ahead of 0:03:45.560 --> 0:03:48.480 the twenty twenty six WNBA season, part of a larger 0:03:48.520 --> 0:03:51.520 one hundred and fifty million dollar project. Both teams are 0:03:51.520 --> 0:03:54.040 owned by the Bethal family, who purchased the Thorns in 0:03:54.120 --> 0:03:56.280 January of twenty twenty four and then won the bid 0:03:56.320 --> 0:03:59.480 for the WNBA's fifteenth team in September of the same year. 0:04:00.000 --> 0:04:02.600 Struction will take place in stages, with the training facility 0:04:02.600 --> 0:04:04.680 coming first, but eventually the family hopes to build out 0:04:04.680 --> 0:04:07.240 a broader campus that will function as a dedicated center 0:04:07.280 --> 0:04:10.640 for women's sports performance and recovery. Per Thorn's release, the 0:04:10.680 --> 0:04:13.920 completed twelve acre campus will include a sixty three thousand 0:04:14.000 --> 0:04:17.000 square foot training facility, a seventeen thousand square foot practice 0:04:17.040 --> 0:04:19.800 gym with two full sized basketball courts, two full sized 0:04:19.800 --> 0:04:22.560 soccer pitches with an outdoor training zone, a five thousand 0:04:22.560 --> 0:04:24.800 square foot strength and training facility with top of the 0:04:24.839 --> 0:04:28.360 line equipment, an outdoor turf zone and a yoga pilate's room. 0:04:28.680 --> 0:04:32.359 Dedicated dressing rooms for THORNSFC and WNBA Portland, a dining 0:04:32.400 --> 0:04:34.960 room with a full time chef and nutritionist, dedicated rooms 0:04:34.960 --> 0:04:38.159 for players, families and team meeting rooms and social media. 0:04:37.880 --> 0:04:39.279 Content rooms, and more. 0:04:39.760 --> 0:04:42.760 One other cool tidbit, the Bethals are working with Workspace 0:04:42.839 --> 0:04:46.719 Property Trust to repurpose a former Nike office complex west 0:04:46.720 --> 0:04:50.080 of Portland in order to minimize environmental impact While building 0:04:50.080 --> 0:04:52.280 out this vision, We'll link to the Thorns release and 0:04:52.360 --> 0:04:55.440 mockups for the facility in our show notes. We love 0:04:55.560 --> 0:04:59.159 these facility wars. Y'all keep battling to be the best teams. 0:04:59.240 --> 0:05:02.279 We love to see it more. WNBA News free agent 0:05:02.320 --> 0:05:05.200 Tiffany Hayes is headed to the Golden State Valkyries. The 0:05:05.200 --> 0:05:07.200 twenty twenty four to sixth Woman of the Year signed 0:05:07.200 --> 0:05:10.240 with the WNBA's thirteenth team and will rock Valkyrie Violet 0:05:10.240 --> 0:05:13.279 this upcoming season. After coming out of WNBA retirement last 0:05:13.320 --> 0:05:15.680 year to join the Las Vegas Aces. She's a twelve 0:05:15.720 --> 0:05:18.160 year vet and is currently hooping in the Unrivaled Basketball 0:05:18.160 --> 0:05:20.640 three on three League with former Aces teammate Kate Martin, 0:05:20.839 --> 0:05:23.280 who also moved from Vegas to the Bay this offseason. 0:05:23.680 --> 0:05:26.520 Hayes brings flat out scoring ability and a veteran presence 0:05:26.560 --> 0:05:28.840 to a team that's mostly composed of youngsters and some 0:05:28.880 --> 0:05:31.839 excellent glue players, led by first time WNBA head coach 0:05:31.960 --> 0:05:35.560 Natalie Nicasse. In Unrivaled News, the bracket for the league's 0:05:35.560 --> 0:05:38.800 Won on one tournament dropped, and mile my, there are 0:05:38.880 --> 0:05:43.240 some intriguing matchups coming our way. Kaylea McBride versus d 0:05:43.360 --> 0:05:48.479 Jna Carrington, Jackie Young versus Rakia Jackson, Tiffany Hayes versus 0:05:48.480 --> 0:05:51.120 Courtney Williams, and those are all just the first round. 0:05:51.120 --> 0:05:53.479 We can't wait to see where this tournament goes. It 0:05:53.520 --> 0:05:55.840 starts on Monday, and while originally it was billed as 0:05:55.880 --> 0:05:57.680 a winner take all, the site now reads that the 0:05:57.720 --> 0:06:00.320 winner will earn two hundred thousand dollars for them sols 0:06:00.640 --> 0:06:03.880 and ten thousand dollars for each player on their basketball club, 0:06:04.160 --> 0:06:07.080 plus runner up gets fifty k and semi finalists get 0:06:07.120 --> 0:06:09.800 twenty five thousand. Of course, because the folks behind the 0:06:09.800 --> 0:06:13.280 scenes know we welcome the possibility of maximum chaos. Co 0:06:13.360 --> 0:06:16.560 founders Defisa Collier and Brianna Stewart are on opposite sides 0:06:16.600 --> 0:06:19.800 of the bracket. And get this, there's even a bracket challenge, 0:06:19.839 --> 0:06:22.520 just like in college hoops, but with a twist. We'll 0:06:22.520 --> 0:06:24.440 link to the instructions on how to fill yours out 0:06:24.440 --> 0:06:26.599 in our show notes. We happen to notice that the 0:06:26.680 --> 0:06:29.919 version on the Unrivaled website has a super dark background, 0:06:29.920 --> 0:06:32.080 so if you print it out, you're not gonna be 0:06:32.080 --> 0:06:34.840 able to see what you write. But thankfully, super Slice 0:06:34.920 --> 0:06:38.760 Joey Maldonado saves the day again. He independently of the 0:06:38.839 --> 0:06:42.040 Unrivaled one being posted, made one himself and it has 0:06:42.080 --> 0:06:44.239 a white background, So if you go to My Blue 0:06:44.240 --> 0:06:46.000 Sky you'll find it, or we'll put the link in 0:06:46.040 --> 0:06:47.880 my show notes. That's an easier one to print and 0:06:47.960 --> 0:06:51.320 fill out and share. Some Unrivaled games tonight two. We 0:06:51.400 --> 0:06:53.680 love these Friday night faceoffs. First up, it's the six 0:06:53.760 --> 0:06:56.560 and zero Lunar Owls versus My Phantom BC at seven 0:06:56.600 --> 0:06:59.880 to fifteen pm Eastern, followed by roseby C versus Miss BC. 0:07:00.440 --> 0:07:02.320 More games Saturday too, we'll link to the schedule in 0:07:02.360 --> 0:07:05.560 our show notes. The college softball season kicked off yesterday, 0:07:05.640 --> 0:07:08.120 so there are a bunch of teams ranked and unranked 0:07:08.160 --> 0:07:10.600 hitting the diamond today. Too many to preview, so we'll 0:07:10.600 --> 0:07:13.120 link to the day's full schedule. You guessed it in 0:07:13.200 --> 0:07:17.080 our show notes to pro Vibes. League one Volleyball is 0:07:17.120 --> 0:07:19.960 back tonight. Love Atlanta faces Love Salt Lake at nine 0:07:20.000 --> 0:07:22.680 pm Eastern at Maverick Center in Salt Lake City. You 0:07:22.720 --> 0:07:25.840 can watch that live on Love dot com and Dezone. 0:07:26.040 --> 0:07:28.000 Love's got two other games tomorrow as well. We'll link 0:07:28.040 --> 0:07:30.320 to the schedule in our show notes. And don't forget 0:07:30.400 --> 0:07:34.360 it's Love with the BLOVB. Don't be don't be googling 0:07:34.560 --> 0:07:37.000 Love dot com. I don't know what's on that site. 0:07:37.040 --> 0:07:39.840 More vibes. The Pro Volleyball Federation's got two games tonight. 0:07:39.920 --> 0:07:42.320 First up is Grand Rapids Rise versus Club is Fury 0:07:42.360 --> 0:07:45.640 at seven Eastern, streaming live on YouTube. Then it's Vegas 0:07:45.640 --> 0:07:48.400 Thrill at San Diego Mojo, starting at ten oh five 0:07:48.400 --> 0:07:50.320 pm Eastern on Volleyball World TV. 0:07:50.800 --> 0:07:52.360 PVF has two other games tomorrow. 0:07:52.400 --> 0:07:55.200 We'll link to the schedule in our show notes elsewhere 0:07:55.240 --> 0:07:58.240 in the sport adjacent sphere, The met Gala's reviving its 0:07:58.280 --> 0:08:00.720 host committee tradition this year, and a few of our 0:08:00.760 --> 0:08:04.880 faves were tapped to service members. Team USA gymnasts Simone Biles, 0:08:05.040 --> 0:08:08.920 wnba U, Unrivaled player Angel Reese, and Team USA sprinter 0:08:08.960 --> 0:08:12.160 Shkari Richardson all made the list, which also includes folks 0:08:12.200 --> 0:08:15.160 like mister Biles, Regina King, Jenell Money and Moore. 0:08:15.240 --> 0:08:16.840 Lebron James is the honorary chair. 0:08:16.960 --> 0:08:19.600 The committee will support the evening's festivities and help set 0:08:19.640 --> 0:08:22.120 the tone for this year's dress code. Tailored for You 0:08:22.600 --> 0:08:25.920 a nod to the museum's super fine tailoring Black Style 0:08:26.120 --> 0:08:29.160 Costume Institute exhibit. Can't wait to see what looks they 0:08:29.160 --> 0:08:32.520 put together. Finally, in college hoops, a couple of big matchups 0:08:32.559 --> 0:08:35.080 going down this weekend. On Saturday, number eight Ohio State 0:08:35.120 --> 0:08:37.720 tries to bounce back from a sixty five fifty two 0:08:37.760 --> 0:08:38.199 loss to. 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:39.600 Top ranked UCLA the other night. 0:08:39.840 --> 0:08:41.920 They traveled just a few more miles to play number 0:08:41.960 --> 0:08:44.959 seven USC and then on Sunday, Number four Texas host 0:08:45.080 --> 0:08:48.120 number two South Carolina for an SEC showdown. We'll link 0:08:48.160 --> 0:08:53.319 to the full weekend schedule in our show notes finished 0:08:53.360 --> 0:08:55.680 up Day two of Radio Row Slices, and I have 0:08:55.760 --> 0:08:58.720 to say I'm leaving the ick behind and finding just joy. 0:08:58.920 --> 0:09:01.680 So many old friends and colleagues, athletes that I've covered 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:03.520 in the past, and people that I am so glad 0:09:03.520 --> 0:09:06.320 to finally meet in person. As long as I steer 0:09:06.360 --> 0:09:09.360 clear of that outkickstage, just joy the rest of the 0:09:09.440 --> 0:09:11.840 way out. Also, I got to quickly chat with Sabrina 0:09:11.840 --> 0:09:14.439 and Escu. We talked unrivaled in Phantom BC as she 0:09:14.520 --> 0:09:15.640 hustled between interviews. 0:09:16.000 --> 0:09:17.840 Try to get her. We'll be sure to grab. 0:09:17.600 --> 0:09:19.680 Her for the show soon when she's not hawking products 0:09:19.720 --> 0:09:23.360 and overscheduled. As for last night, I continued to take 0:09:23.440 --> 0:09:25.680 all the res and bop around the French Quarter, heading 0:09:25.720 --> 0:09:27.439 back to see my guy at Aaron Rose for another 0:09:27.480 --> 0:09:30.800 frozen Irish coffee, then off to the Davenport Lounge at 0:09:30.840 --> 0:09:34.280 the Ritz for a Pims cup that's a New Orleans specialty. 0:09:34.360 --> 0:09:36.880 That's the spot where the chiefs are stay in this year, 0:09:37.120 --> 0:09:40.439 and listen to some jazz from local legend trumpeter Jeremy Davenport. 0:09:40.920 --> 0:09:42.600 Then it was off to hear some live piano at 0:09:42.679 --> 0:09:46.480 Lafitte's blacksmith's shop built in nearly seventeen hundreds. It's alleged 0:09:46.520 --> 0:09:48.800 to be the oldest structure used as a bar in 0:09:48.840 --> 0:09:51.880 the US. Good times always there. I took a risk. 0:09:51.920 --> 0:09:55.520 I ordered the frozen foodoo Dackery, which is called Purple Drink. 0:09:55.880 --> 0:09:59.280 It is made with bourbon and ever Clear, but somehow 0:09:59.360 --> 0:10:01.400 just tastes like a purple jolly rancher. 0:10:01.640 --> 0:10:03.040 Very dangerous. Just had one. 0:10:03.240 --> 0:10:05.800 I did some sightseeing on Bourbon Street. Always some good 0:10:05.800 --> 0:10:08.240 people watching there, grab some food, hung out with some friends. 0:10:08.360 --> 0:10:11.000 Enjoyed the scene and things are only going to get 0:10:11.080 --> 0:10:13.680 hotter and busier and crazier as we get closer to 0:10:13.720 --> 0:10:15.200 the weekend and the big game. 0:10:15.440 --> 0:10:17.959 And speaking of the big game, quick props. 0:10:18.000 --> 0:10:20.720 Two former Cornell football players are facing off on Sunday, 0:10:20.960 --> 0:10:23.079 Hunter Nours out of the Chiefs and Jalx Hunt of 0:10:23.080 --> 0:10:25.720 the Eagles, both in their rookie NFL season. So either 0:10:25.800 --> 0:10:30.920 way this weekend Cornell wins. Hope y'all enjoyed the game. 0:10:31.000 --> 0:10:32.360 We're going to take a quick break and when we 0:10:32.400 --> 0:10:35.000 come back. Callie Bronson joined me on Radio Row to 0:10:35.040 --> 0:10:36.800 talk about what she learned from the NFL that she's 0:10:36.840 --> 0:10:39.559 brought with her to the world of women's flag football. 0:10:46.720 --> 0:10:47.360 Joining US now. 0:10:47.400 --> 0:10:50.040 She's a barrier breaking coach at the college and professional 0:10:50.120 --> 0:10:52.920 levels who just joined USA Football as the Senior Director 0:10:52.960 --> 0:10:56.080 of High Performance and National Team Operations after spending five 0:10:56.120 --> 0:10:58.680 seasons with the Cleveland Browns in the NFL, acting as 0:10:58.760 --> 0:11:01.320 chief of staff and assistant wide receivers coach. She's the 0:11:01.320 --> 0:11:03.400 first woman ever to coach an NFL position group in 0:11:03.400 --> 0:11:05.600 a regular season game. She was a two time champion 0:11:05.600 --> 0:11:08.560 with the DC Divas in the Women's Football Alliance as 0:11:08.559 --> 0:11:10.079 a free safety and running back, and a two time 0:11:10.120 --> 0:11:13.120 gold medalist with the US women's National American Football team. 0:11:13.280 --> 0:11:14.920 It's Calie Bronson. What's up, Callie? 0:11:15.360 --> 0:11:18.400 Well, that's a lot DC Divas. Yeah, how'd you feel 0:11:18.400 --> 0:11:18.720 about that? 0:11:18.800 --> 0:11:18.959 Name? 0:11:19.400 --> 0:11:20.480 Was favorite? 0:11:20.679 --> 0:11:22.920 Yeah, let's just say I wasn't on a lot of 0:11:22.920 --> 0:11:26.040 the advertisements. I didn't fit the Diva mold, but I 0:11:26.120 --> 0:11:27.160 still repped when I had to. 0:11:27.280 --> 0:11:28.920 You know. Is that the same league that had the 0:11:29.000 --> 0:11:30.679 Philadelphia Lady Bells. 0:11:30.520 --> 0:11:33.240 Or that Yeah, a long time for two years. Yeah, 0:11:33.360 --> 0:11:34.880 and now they're the fansoms I believe. 0:11:34.960 --> 0:11:37.880 Okay, Well, shout out to my sister. Katie always weasel 0:11:37.920 --> 0:11:39.280 it in. I don't think she talks enough about how 0:11:39.320 --> 0:11:42.560 cool it was that she played professional football for two years. Okay, 0:11:42.559 --> 0:11:44.440 I want to first start with this new gig because 0:11:44.480 --> 0:11:47.000 you're overseeing USA Football's US national team program. 0:11:47.200 --> 0:11:47.800 What does that mean? 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:48.280 What do they do? 0:11:48.400 --> 0:11:48.600 Yeah? 0:11:48.679 --> 0:11:50.880 Okay, Well, so obviously the big news that came out 0:11:50.920 --> 0:11:53.960 was flag footballs in the Olympics. I think to preface 0:11:54.000 --> 0:11:55.960 that and rewind like there's always been We've always had 0:11:56.040 --> 0:11:58.200 national teams. I played for the women's sacle national team, 0:11:58.240 --> 0:12:00.240 and obviously in the past few years we fielded flag 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:03.600 national teams both men and women, adult and junior national teams. Well, 0:12:03.600 --> 0:12:06.120 obviously now it's in the Olympics. Everybody's talking about it. 0:12:06.160 --> 0:12:08.480 Big deal. Men and women adult national teams are in 0:12:08.480 --> 0:12:09.000 the Olympics. 0:12:09.040 --> 0:12:11.480 So with that happening, we're seeing such a shift and 0:12:11.520 --> 0:12:13.560 a growth in the sport. So really my job is 0:12:13.600 --> 0:12:18.120 to figure out our process, both player evaluations, to player selection, 0:12:18.679 --> 0:12:22.160 to coach selection, to how we practice, how we train. 0:12:22.559 --> 0:12:25.959 So we're really kind of taking our operation and souping 0:12:25.960 --> 0:12:27.760 it up to get to the point where over the 0:12:27.800 --> 0:12:30.920 next few years we're putting together the perfect operation for 0:12:30.920 --> 0:12:31.920 our national teams. 0:12:31.640 --> 0:12:33.439 To go and win gold in LA. 0:12:33.080 --> 0:12:35.360 And You're coming from the NFL, so they want someone 0:12:35.400 --> 0:12:37.920 that knows how things run at the very highest level 0:12:37.920 --> 0:12:40.800 of football and to bring those standards to flag exactly. 0:12:40.880 --> 0:12:43.320 Yeah, you know, and I always I've already done it, 0:12:43.320 --> 0:12:46.520 you know, I'm in week three. So I go back 0:12:46.520 --> 0:12:47.720 to a lot of the stuff I dealt with as 0:12:47.720 --> 0:12:50.160 a chief of staff, you know, putting these processes in place, 0:12:50.200 --> 0:12:53.040 and understanding what's going to be the best and really 0:12:53.080 --> 0:12:55.000 like the role all of us, everybody on the high 0:12:55.000 --> 0:12:57.720 performance team, our job is to just create the best 0:12:57.760 --> 0:13:00.000 possible environment for our players and our coaches. 0:13:00.480 --> 0:13:00.920 That's sick. 0:13:01.280 --> 0:13:03.280 How do you feel about the timing of the Olympics, 0:13:03.320 --> 0:13:06.240 Because whenever I talk to women athletes, like you know, 0:13:06.360 --> 0:13:08.560 Sue Bird is like, of course, I'm jealous that right 0:13:08.600 --> 0:13:10.640 now people are making millions of dollars and they have 0:13:10.679 --> 0:13:13.720 the best resources that they're flying charter and they're you know, 0:13:13.920 --> 0:13:15.720 do you wish that you would have had a shot 0:13:15.720 --> 0:13:16.120 at it. 0:13:16.280 --> 0:13:18.160 At the Olympics. I think about it all the time. 0:13:18.240 --> 0:13:20.120 Yeah, you know, just just in general, I think about 0:13:20.160 --> 0:13:22.920 sports for women right now and how amazing it is. 0:13:23.000 --> 0:13:26.840 I mean, what an awesome time to be a female athlete, 0:13:27.000 --> 0:13:28.800 Like whether it be Olympic level or even what we're 0:13:28.800 --> 0:13:30.960 seeing in a WNBA, Like, it's so cool to see. 0:13:31.000 --> 0:13:32.640 So yeah, I mean, of course those of us who 0:13:32.679 --> 0:13:35.000 are competitors and put our bodies on the line are 0:13:35.000 --> 0:13:38.160 a little jealous, but I'm also so excited. It's so 0:13:38.240 --> 0:13:40.560 cool to see how this has grown. And it's late, 0:13:40.600 --> 0:13:43.040 it's overdue, but it's happening, and we have to keep 0:13:43.120 --> 0:13:44.520 driving that momentum. 0:13:44.600 --> 0:13:45.840 Yeah, I'm definitely a little bittersweet. 0:13:45.880 --> 0:13:47.880 I also like to convince myself that if all these 0:13:47.880 --> 0:13:49.199 things had been around when I was a kid, I 0:13:49.200 --> 0:13:50.600 would have worked harder and then I would have been 0:13:50.640 --> 0:13:53.040 at the level of being in the Olympics, even though yeah, 0:13:53.240 --> 0:13:56.679 probably isn't true. Okay, tell me about this Champions Rising documentary. 0:13:56.800 --> 0:14:00.840 Yeah, so obviously they followed our national teams last year, 0:14:00.880 --> 0:14:03.360 going through the whole process. I love it because it's 0:14:03.360 --> 0:14:06.679 going to be a great way for the random person 0:14:06.720 --> 0:14:08.600 who wants to learn more about what the national teams 0:14:08.600 --> 0:14:11.000 are because it follows the whole journey from trials to 0:14:11.120 --> 0:14:13.280 training camp all the way through competition, so you get 0:14:13.320 --> 0:14:15.880 such a great view of what it is to be 0:14:15.920 --> 0:14:18.480 a national team player, but also what our process is. 0:14:18.800 --> 0:14:21.200 I get so many questions, especially since I took this job, 0:14:21.560 --> 0:14:23.440 on what our operation is all about, and hey, I 0:14:23.520 --> 0:14:26.600 never heard of this. This like gives such concrete legitimacy 0:14:26.920 --> 0:14:28.760 to what we do and how it works. You watch that, 0:14:28.800 --> 0:14:30.720 you're like, this is a full on operation, and it is. 0:14:30.760 --> 0:14:34.120 We're the national team. So I think it's awesome. It's 0:14:34.160 --> 0:14:36.560 coming out. It'll be on the YouTube channel. The trailer 0:14:36.560 --> 0:14:38.480 came out, I encourage everybody to watch the trailer because 0:14:38.480 --> 0:14:40.680 I think that's a great little snippet of what it's 0:14:40.680 --> 0:14:42.000 going to be about. But when it comes out on 0:14:42.040 --> 0:14:45.440 YouTube channels and through USA Football, I encourage everybody to 0:14:45.520 --> 0:14:46.000 watch it. 0:14:46.200 --> 0:14:47.600 I think if you have any. 0:14:47.480 --> 0:14:49.520 Questions about what we're about and what it is, it's 0:14:49.520 --> 0:14:53.040 a great foundation for what the national team is and 0:14:53.120 --> 0:14:55.200 you get to see the sport from some pretty cool 0:14:55.200 --> 0:14:55.760 angles too. 0:14:55.800 --> 0:14:56.800 So yeah, I mean, it. 0:14:56.800 --> 0:14:59.480 Just feels like the ability to film in places and 0:14:59.520 --> 0:15:02.360 have more documentaries of every kind has allowed us to 0:15:02.360 --> 0:15:05.160 see the legitimacy and value of things that previously weren't 0:15:05.200 --> 0:15:08.160 given that treatment because it was primarily focused on men's 0:15:08.160 --> 0:15:10.440 sports and also goes documentary is much rare, and also 0:15:10.480 --> 0:15:12.040 with streaming there's more space to put. 0:15:11.840 --> 0:15:14.160 Them, yep, and I'm looking forward to watching that. 0:15:14.200 --> 0:15:15.960 Okay, I want to I want to ask you what 0:15:15.960 --> 0:15:18.240 you find most exciting about the current moment for women's 0:15:18.240 --> 0:15:18.840 slag football. 0:15:19.600 --> 0:15:21.920 Yeah, a lot, to be honest, I'm excited about a lot. 0:15:21.960 --> 0:15:24.160 But the biggest thing is like where we are and 0:15:24.200 --> 0:15:26.920 how competitive it is, you know, watching these women play 0:15:26.920 --> 0:15:29.040 and even even the girls on the junior national team. 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:32.800 It's come such a long way and it's it's only growing. 0:15:33.040 --> 0:15:34.960 So what I'm most excited about is being at this 0:15:35.040 --> 0:15:36.440 point and looking back in a couple of years and 0:15:36.440 --> 0:15:38.480 then looking back as we go to LA and being like, wow, 0:15:38.520 --> 0:15:39.720 we we just built. 0:15:39.440 --> 0:15:40.400 Something very special. 0:15:40.880 --> 0:15:43.440 Because the other thing that's being that I take as 0:15:43.480 --> 0:15:45.560 a task of mine is yeah, we need to go 0:15:45.600 --> 0:15:47.960 win gold, right, and we need to take it. You know, 0:15:48.080 --> 0:15:50.800 a great two great teams to LA, but we want 0:15:50.800 --> 0:15:52.640 to grow this for globally. We want every team that 0:15:52.640 --> 0:15:55.200 shows up in LA to be competitive. We want every 0:15:55.240 --> 0:15:57.800 game to be you know, close and competitive in this 0:15:57.880 --> 0:16:00.000 display of the amazing athletes that are part of it. 0:16:00.120 --> 0:16:02.160 So part of our approach these next couple of years 0:16:02.200 --> 0:16:04.120 is to continue to grow the game and help in 0:16:04.160 --> 0:16:06.800 our capacity to do that and help these other countries 0:16:06.800 --> 0:16:08.480 get to a point where when we go to La 0:16:08.640 --> 0:16:09.800 everybody who watches. 0:16:09.560 --> 0:16:12.080 Flag football is like, wow, I have to tell you. 0:16:12.120 --> 0:16:15.120 The only flag football name I know men's are women's 0:16:15.280 --> 0:16:16.240 is Deanna Flores. 0:16:16.760 --> 0:16:18.600 Freaking badass. She's a friend. 0:16:18.600 --> 0:16:21.200 We were on the Gatoray Women's Advisory Board together, Mexican 0:16:21.280 --> 0:16:24.760 national team quarterback. Okay, so I'm like, Okay, Mexico's got 0:16:24.800 --> 0:16:25.920 to be great because they've got Tana. 0:16:26.080 --> 0:16:26.520 Is that true? 0:16:26.600 --> 0:16:28.800 Oh yeah, great, they got a good team and they 0:16:28.880 --> 0:16:31.680 have they have done a great job with the sport 0:16:31.720 --> 0:16:33.440 of football too, because I know when when I both 0:16:33.480 --> 0:16:35.400 coached and played on the on the tackle team, the 0:16:35.520 --> 0:16:39.800 national team have a great women's tackle team too. I mean, yeah, 0:16:39.840 --> 0:16:43.360 they definitely deserve their flowers and their respect in that regard. 0:16:43.440 --> 0:16:46.200 And it's always a pretty competitive matchup anytime the US 0:16:46.280 --> 0:16:48.760 national teams team up with with Team Mexico. 0:16:48.880 --> 0:16:52.320 So it's the win, of course. Great. Good to know 0:16:52.520 --> 0:16:52.880 it's right. 0:16:53.920 --> 0:16:56.000 You know a lot of times, when say, for instance, 0:16:56.040 --> 0:16:59.280 there's developments in the softball world, softball players are excited, 0:16:59.280 --> 0:17:02.160 but also men who play baseball don't necessarily want to 0:17:02.160 --> 0:17:04.960 be diverted to something if baseball is their love. 0:17:05.080 --> 0:17:05.480 Yeah. 0:17:05.560 --> 0:17:07.639 How do you feel about flag football being the thing 0:17:07.720 --> 0:17:10.160 that's getting pushed for women and what it might mean 0:17:10.200 --> 0:17:11.320 for tackle football for women. 0:17:11.520 --> 0:17:13.320 Yeah. Well, so one of the things I like to 0:17:13.320 --> 0:17:15.760 say when when when this comes up is they're vastly 0:17:15.760 --> 0:17:18.600 different sports, so I mean vastly tackle versus flag. 0:17:18.720 --> 0:17:20.760 So it's not gonna be for everybody, right, there are. 0:17:20.640 --> 0:17:22.959 Gonna be plenty of women who currently play in the 0:17:23.359 --> 0:17:25.600 in the tackle leagues around the US and even around 0:17:25.640 --> 0:17:28.560 the world who don't need to venture into the space. 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:28.639 Now. 0:17:28.680 --> 0:17:30.160 I know it's a feeling because it's in the Olympics, 0:17:30.200 --> 0:17:32.600 but they're vastly different sports, not going to be for everybody. 0:17:32.600 --> 0:17:33.560 But what we're we're. 0:17:33.359 --> 0:17:35.840 Looking at is the transition of athletes from every sport, 0:17:36.200 --> 0:17:39.040