WEBVTT - Lifetime Husky Status 0:00:00.560 --> 0:00:02.840 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're still 0:00:02.880 --> 0:00:06.200 in our fields thinking about Sophia Smith crying while talking 0:00:06.240 --> 0:00:09.719 about Christine Sinclair's impact on her during the duo's postgame 0:00:09.760 --> 0:00:12.280 interview Friday night. On today's show, we'll get you all 0:00:12.360 --> 0:00:14.640 up to date on the final weekend of NWSL regular 0:00:14.680 --> 0:00:18.720 season action, Who squeezed in, who got squeezed out, and 0:00:18.840 --> 0:00:21.959 the playoff seating ahead of this weekend's quarterfinals. Plus the 0:00:22.000 --> 0:00:24.840 return of No Dumb Questions, some mother daughter duos you 0:00:24.840 --> 0:00:28.000 should Know, and Sneaky Rips. It's all coming up right 0:00:28.040 --> 0:00:42.319 after this Welcome Back, Happy Monday. Here's what you need 0:00:42.360 --> 0:00:47.519 to know today at NWSL News. The playoff picture is 0:00:47.600 --> 0:00:50.159 complete and it came down to the wire. Here's how 0:00:50.200 --> 0:00:52.800 the final seeding and the last two playoff spots shook 0:00:52.800 --> 0:00:55.360 out in the final weekend of the season. First, the 0:00:55.360 --> 0:00:58.279 Portland Thorns beat Angel City three nil on Friday. They 0:00:58.320 --> 0:01:01.560 end up grabbing the sixth seed. BAFC locked up the 0:01:01.640 --> 0:01:03.360 seventh seed with a three to two win over the 0:01:03.400 --> 0:01:06.240 Houston Dash on Saturday. That was their eleventh win of 0:01:06.240 --> 0:01:08.679 the year, the most regular season wins in an expansion 0:01:08.720 --> 0:01:12.040 season in NWSL. History, and they became just the second 0:01:12.080 --> 0:01:15.760 expansion team to qualify for the playoffs in their first year. Meantime, 0:01:15.760 --> 0:01:18.160 the Chicago Red Stars lost to the Kansas City Current 0:01:18.200 --> 0:01:20.520 three to one on Sunday. That drops the Red Stars 0:01:20.560 --> 0:01:23.520 down to the eighth and final seed. Now that things 0:01:23.560 --> 0:01:26.640 are set in stone, this weekend's quarterfinal matchups look like this. 0:01:27.200 --> 0:01:30.320 Number one Orlando Pride versus number eight Chicago Red Stars, 0:01:30.400 --> 0:01:34.120 Number two Washington Spirit versus number seven BFC, number three 0:01:34.160 --> 0:01:37.440 got them FC versus number six Portland Thorns, and number 0:01:37.440 --> 0:01:40.800 four Kansas City versus number five North Carolina Courage. We'll 0:01:40.840 --> 0:01:43.160 link to the full standings and the first round schedule 0:01:43.200 --> 0:01:45.959 in our show notes. Okay, back to Friday and that 0:01:46.120 --> 0:01:49.240 Portland postseason clinching win. It was a special game for 0:01:49.320 --> 0:01:53.880 reasons beyond that playoff berth Legendary Canadian forward Christine Sinclair, 0:01:53.920 --> 0:01:56.880 the greatest scorer in the history of the game, was 0:01:56.920 --> 0:01:59.800 playing in the last regular season NWSL match of her 0:01:59.800 --> 0:02:02.320 career for the Thorns and her last game in Portland, 0:02:02.600 --> 0:02:07.160 and both she and Nike met the moment first. Sinclair, Okay, so, 0:02:07.200 --> 0:02:09.160 she scored a goal in the sixteenth minute of the game, 0:02:09.440 --> 0:02:11.880 a perfect bookend for her regular season career in the 0:02:11.960 --> 0:02:15.079 NWSL because she scored in her very first game and 0:02:15.320 --> 0:02:18.160 her last, which happened to be her two hundredth. We 0:02:18.200 --> 0:02:21.280 love those round numbers, and we love the emotion from 0:02:21.320 --> 0:02:25.079 Sophia Smith postgame, as Sinclair and her little triple Espresso 0:02:25.120 --> 0:02:28.160 protege tried to get through an interview together without crying 0:02:28.560 --> 0:02:31.440 but couldn't take a listen the brief pauses you hear 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:36.560 are Soph's crying breaks. I mean there's yeah, there's not 0:02:36.680 --> 0:02:37.400 a lot of words. 0:02:37.440 --> 0:02:41.080 I just sink has mentored me in so many ways. 0:02:41.120 --> 0:02:48.400 I don't even think she knows it. Look what you did. Sorry, 0:02:49.520 --> 0:02:53.200 It's okay. 0:02:54.240 --> 0:02:57.400 She's the best for a reason and she's I mean, 0:02:57.480 --> 0:02:59.000 she is Portland and it's not going. 0:02:59.000 --> 0:03:06.440 To be the same. I'm not like dying. As for Nike, 0:03:06.760 --> 0:03:09.000 the brand stepped up. They sent out t shirts to 0:03:09.080 --> 0:03:12.320 some of the keepers who are undoubtedly celebrating the all 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:16.440 time leading international goal scorers retirement. Houston dashkeeper Jane Campbell 0:03:16.480 --> 0:03:19.240 posted hers to Instagram, and the tea read quote It's 0:03:19.240 --> 0:03:22.240 a great day to be a keeper. Sinclair is retiring 0:03:22.639 --> 0:03:25.200 with a card that said, in part, cheers hope you 0:03:25.280 --> 0:03:27.680 find comfort in knowing that sink will never score on 0:03:27.720 --> 0:03:31.160 you again. Ugh, it's so good. Also a record of 0:03:31.200 --> 0:03:33.320 note in the Kansas City Current Red Stars game we 0:03:33.400 --> 0:03:36.400 mentioned the regular season finale gave the Current something to 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:39.520 celebrate as the team set a new NWSL single season 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:42.640 team scoring record, adding three goals on Sunday to reach 0:03:42.720 --> 0:03:46.000 fifty seven, breaking the previous record of fifty four goals 0:03:46.040 --> 0:03:48.880 held by the twenty nineteen North Carolina Courage. So remember 0:03:48.960 --> 0:03:51.240 during the WNBA when there was records being broken, we 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:53.280 told you about the context of how many games they 0:03:53.280 --> 0:03:56.320 were broken in. That's worth noting here too, because teams 0:03:56.360 --> 0:03:59.800 played twenty six matches this season in the NWSL. That's too, 0:04:00.000 --> 0:04:02.480 more than the twenty nineteen season that saw the Courage 0:04:02.480 --> 0:04:05.960 set that record for goals. And also that expansion team 0:04:06.000 --> 0:04:08.880 record we mentioned from BFC that was done in four 0:04:08.920 --> 0:04:10.880 more games than when the Waves said it last year. 0:04:11.160 --> 0:04:14.400 Still impressive, but good context to have. Casey Current also 0:04:14.400 --> 0:04:16.560 set another record in yesterday's game. That was for the 0:04:16.640 --> 0:04:19.560 number of different goal scorers they've had this season. Eighteen 0:04:19.760 --> 0:04:21.560 different players have put the ball in the back of 0:04:21.600 --> 0:04:25.000 the net. Some more NWSL congratulations are in order for 0:04:25.040 --> 0:04:28.120 Red Stars midfielder Shay Groom, who has celebrated yesterday for 0:04:28.200 --> 0:04:31.480 hitting one hundred and fifty regular season appearances in her 0:04:31.560 --> 0:04:35.560 nine year NWSL career. She suited up for four other squads, FC, 0:04:35.720 --> 0:04:40.320 Kansas City, Skyblue, FC, RAINFC, and the Houston Dash. Some 0:04:40.480 --> 0:04:43.520 NWSL attendance news to report. In the last week of 0:04:43.560 --> 0:04:47.039 the regular season, the league officially passed two million regular 0:04:47.080 --> 0:04:49.960 season attendees for the first time in league history. A 0:04:50.040 --> 0:04:53.120 sellout crowd at Providence Park for that last regular season 0:04:53.160 --> 0:04:55.640 match for Christine Sinclair that we mentioned that helped put 0:04:55.680 --> 0:04:57.680 the league over the two milli mark. According to a 0:04:57.760 --> 0:05:00.200 league statement, eighty nine matches this year have se seen 0:05:00.240 --> 0:05:03.719 over ten thousand fans compared to just fifty five last year, 0:05:04.000 --> 0:05:07.240 and league wide average attendants exceeds eleven thousand fans per 0:05:07.279 --> 0:05:10.080 match for the very first time in history. Keep showing 0:05:10.160 --> 0:05:13.320 up and showing out people. Finally, not all good news 0:05:13.320 --> 0:05:16.400 in the NWSL. Due to concerns around player well being 0:05:16.440 --> 0:05:19.440 and safety. Regarding field conditions, the league and the Players 0:05:19.480 --> 0:05:23.039 Association moved Sunday's game between San Diego Wave and Racing 0:05:23.080 --> 0:05:26.760 Louisville from the Wave's snap Dragon Stadium to Racing's Lynn 0:05:26.760 --> 0:05:30.360 Family Stadium, now attacking third at CBS. Sportswriter Sandra Herrera 0:05:30.440 --> 0:05:32.880 is reporting on x that the Wave has quote accruede 0:05:32.920 --> 0:05:36.480 finds throughout the twenty twenty four NWSL season due to 0:05:36.600 --> 0:05:40.680 ongoing field concerns, Snap Dragon Stadium has been asked for 0:05:40.800 --> 0:05:44.840 changes timing and consistent poor conditions led to a last 0:05:44.880 --> 0:05:46.880 minute change in venue for the final week of regular 0:05:46.920 --> 0:05:49.679 season play end quote. Glad to see a strong stance 0:05:49.680 --> 0:05:52.880 against unacceptable playing conditions by both the league and the PA, 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:55.960 and this is yet another reminder that teams and organizations 0:05:56.000 --> 0:05:58.599 will be expected to step things up as the level 0:05:58.600 --> 0:06:01.159 of play, the popularity of the game, and the amount 0:06:01.200 --> 0:06:05.680 of investment keeps growing. College hoops news, Yeah that's right, baby, 0:06:05.920 --> 0:06:09.600 College basketball is back. Two season opening matchups are going 0:06:09.600 --> 0:06:11.800 to be played at Paris, France today as part of 0:06:11.839 --> 0:06:17.600 the AFLAC WE Play event OHI we Number twenty Mississippi 0:06:17.600 --> 0:06:20.160 will take on number three USC and then number seventeen 0:06:20.240 --> 0:06:23.360 Louisville will face number five UCLA. Both games are at 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:26.320 Adidas Arena, the eight thousand seat home for the EuroLeague's 0:06:26.360 --> 0:06:29.279 Paris Basketball. You can watch the action on ESPN starting 0:06:29.279 --> 0:06:32.280 at noon Eastern today and lots more to come this 0:06:32.320 --> 0:06:35.120 week on one of the most highly anticipated college basketball 0:06:35.160 --> 0:06:39.799 seasons maybe ever. In WNBA news on Friday, the Indiana 0:06:39.839 --> 0:06:42.760 Fever announced that Stephanie White will be the franchise's next 0:06:42.760 --> 0:06:45.400 head coach. This comes, of course, after the Fever parted 0:06:45.440 --> 0:06:48.280 ways with Christy Sides last week, followed by the news 0:06:48.279 --> 0:06:51.120 that White was leaving the Connecticuts on you remember anti costable. 0:06:51.240 --> 0:06:54.080 Chicago Sun Times reported this a couple of weeks ago. Well, 0:06:54.160 --> 0:06:56.320 it came to fruition, and it's really not a surprise. 0:06:56.520 --> 0:06:59.599 White is no stranger to Indiana or to the Fever organization. 0:07:00.080 --> 0:07:02.680 She's homegrown. In nineteen ninety five, she was named Miss 0:07:02.760 --> 0:07:05.360 Basketball for the state of Indiana. She stuck around and 0:07:05.400 --> 0:07:07.800 played at Purdue, helping them to a national championship in 0:07:07.880 --> 0:07:10.040 nineteen ninety nine, and then was a member of the 0:07:10.040 --> 0:07:13.080 Fever's inaugural roster in two thousand, playing there through two 0:07:13.120 --> 0:07:15.600 thousand and four. White was part of the coaching staff 0:07:15.600 --> 0:07:17.960 for the Fever from twenty eleven to twenty sixteen, serving 0:07:18.000 --> 0:07:20.239 as head coach for the last two years of her tenure, 0:07:20.640 --> 0:07:22.440 and now she's back in a statement white set of 0:07:22.480 --> 0:07:25.160 the new gig. Quote, I am incredibly proud and honored 0:07:25.200 --> 0:07:27.680 to return home to Indiana and lead the Fever during 0:07:27.680 --> 0:07:30.520 such a pivotal moment in this franchise's history, as well 0:07:30.520 --> 0:07:34.120 as during such an important time throughout women's athletics, She continued. 0:07:34.320 --> 0:07:36.760 This franchise has and always will be committed to winning, 0:07:36.800 --> 0:07:38.680 and I look forward to working every day to help 0:07:38.720 --> 0:07:42.120 deliver another WNBA title to the greatest basketball fans in 0:07:42.160 --> 0:07:44.720 the world. End quote. Can't wait to see how she 0:07:44.840 --> 0:07:48.440 and this young, hungry Fever squad mesh. In twenty twenty five, 0:07:49.080 --> 0:07:52.040 more WNBA news, the Chicago Sky filled their head coach 0:07:52.120 --> 0:07:55.160 vacancy as well. The organization announced that Tyler Marsh will 0:07:55.200 --> 0:07:58.400 be the team's fourth head coach in three years. Yep, 0:07:58.480 --> 0:08:02.200 you heard that right. This Marsh's first professional head coaching job, 0:08:02.240 --> 0:08:05.080 but his resume is full. He most recently spent three 0:08:05.120 --> 0:08:08.040 seasons as an assistant on Becky Hammond's staff and won 0:08:08.120 --> 0:08:10.880 back to back WNBA titles with the Aces. He was 0:08:10.920 --> 0:08:12.760 the head of player development there as well, and has 0:08:12.800 --> 0:08:15.360 been credited for helping players like Asia Wilson and Jackie 0:08:15.360 --> 0:08:18.000 Young hone their skills He's also done stints with the 0:08:18.080 --> 0:08:21.520 mnba's Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors, as well as four 0:08:21.640 --> 0:08:24.440 G League teams now. Shortly after the news broke, sky 0:08:24.520 --> 0:08:26.800 Forward Angel Rees took to Twitter to approve of the move, 0:08:26.840 --> 0:08:31.200 posting a tweet that read just w In response, friend 0:08:31.240 --> 0:08:34.400 of the Show and Aces guard Sidney Colson quoted Reese's 0:08:34.440 --> 0:08:38.400 tweet and typed, excuse me, we're grieving. Have some respect. 0:08:38.880 --> 0:08:41.559 Sid fired off a barrage of other cackleworthy tweets and 0:08:41.600 --> 0:08:43.800 responses after the news broke. So we'll link to our 0:08:43.800 --> 0:08:45.360 account on x in our show notes so you can 0:08:45.400 --> 0:08:48.480 take a look for yourself. More hoops. Unrivaled, the new 0:08:48.480 --> 0:08:51.480 three on three league coming in twenty twenty five, announced 0:08:51.480 --> 0:08:54.520 that it's expanding from thirty players to thirty six for 0:08:54.600 --> 0:08:57.679 season one. Per co founder and Ifisa Collier, the league 0:08:57.679 --> 0:09:01.000 out did expected financial projections and can afford to carry 0:09:01.000 --> 0:09:03.400 more players in its first season instead of having to 0:09:03.440 --> 0:09:06.400 wait to expand as initially planned. The league will still 0:09:06.440 --> 0:09:10.640 have the same six teams excuse me, sorry, basketball clubs, 0:09:10.960 --> 0:09:13.840 but each club is gaining an extra player. The news 0:09:13.880 --> 0:09:16.640 came just before Unrivaled unveiled the thirtieth player to join 0:09:16.679 --> 0:09:19.680 the league, Aliah Boston. So buckle up, folks, this means 0:09:19.720 --> 0:09:22.400 we still have six more names to go. We'll link 0:09:22.440 --> 0:09:25.720 to the first thirty in our show notes more basketball news. 0:09:25.760 --> 0:09:27.920 A week ago, you may recall that I conducted a 0:09:28.160 --> 0:09:31.040 very scientific poll about whether it's possible to be both 0:09:31.080 --> 0:09:34.160 a superstar and a dog, and a fair number y'all 0:09:34.200 --> 0:09:37.600 weighed in saying that only Kelsey Plum aka Plum Dog 0:09:37.960 --> 0:09:42.679 can be both. And now Plum is gaining lifetime dog status, 0:09:43.120 --> 0:09:46.839 specifically lifetime Husky status. That's because her alma mater, the 0:09:46.920 --> 0:09:49.640 University of Washington, announced over the weekend they are retiring 0:09:49.679 --> 0:09:53.319 her jersey number ten. She's the first women's hoops player 0:09:53.360 --> 0:09:57.080 to receive that honor from the school. Volleyball. On Friday, 0:09:57.120 --> 0:09:59.920 for the first time in eleven years, Nebraska volleyball beat 0:10:00.080 --> 0:10:03.760 Wisconsin in Madison. The number two Huskers swept number seven 0:10:03.800 --> 0:10:07.160 Wisconsin at the UW Fieldhouse twenty five, twenty one, twenty five, 0:10:07.240 --> 0:10:10.800 twenty two, twenty five nineteen, ending the Badger's twenty five 0:10:10.920 --> 0:10:13.200 match win streak at home while they were at it. 0:10:13.480 --> 0:10:15.640 Nebraska followed that up with another three zero sweep on 0:10:15.720 --> 0:10:18.320 Sunday take it out Northwestern. They improved a twenty two 0:10:18.360 --> 0:10:20.679 to one on the year. Wisconsin bounced back with the 0:10:20.679 --> 0:10:23.320 sweep of Illinois yesterday. They are now sixteen to five 0:10:23.360 --> 0:10:27.200 and zero. Meantime, another disappointing outing for the defending national 0:10:27.240 --> 0:10:30.360 champion Texas Longhorns, as they dropped a five setter to 0:10:30.440 --> 0:10:33.800 unranked Oklahoma. The Longhorns have gone to five sets in 0:10:33.840 --> 0:10:36.160 their last three home games against Texas, A and M, 0:10:36.200 --> 0:10:40.199 Missouri and Oklahoma, and have lost each time. They started 0:10:40.200 --> 0:10:42.880 the season at number one after winning it all last year, 0:10:43.320 --> 0:10:45.920 and now they're number nine in the AVCA Coaches pol 0:10:46.000 --> 0:10:48.320 likely to drop even further after the loss to the 0:10:48.360 --> 0:10:53.480 Sooners on Sunday. Finally, baseball news women's baseball is joining 0:10:53.480 --> 0:10:56.559 the US pro sports scene. The Women's Pro Baseball League 0:10:56.600 --> 0:10:59.559 WPBL announced in a statement that the league will launch 0:10:59.559 --> 0:11:01.920 in twenty twenty six and is working to secure a 0:11:02.000 --> 0:11:04.800 national broadcast deal for its inaugural season, which will include 0:11:04.800 --> 0:11:08.440 a regular season, playoffs and championship throughout the summer. While 0:11:08.440 --> 0:11:10.920 the WPBL seeks to be a national league with teams 0:11:10.960 --> 0:11:13.559 based across the US in the future, for the twenty 0:11:13.600 --> 0:11:16.520 twenty sixth season, It will consist of six teams, predominantly 0:11:16.559 --> 0:11:19.360 in the Northeast. The league is co founded by Justine Siegel, 0:11:19.440 --> 0:11:21.760 the first woman to coach professional men's baseball in the 0:11:21.840 --> 0:11:25.319 US when she joined the MLB's Oakland Athletics in twenty fifteen. 0:11:25.559 --> 0:11:28.360 She's also the founder of a nonprofit organization called Baseball 0:11:28.400 --> 0:11:31.200 for All, which helps girls play in coach baseball across 0:11:31.240 --> 0:11:35.520 the country. We got to take a quick break when 0:11:35.520 --> 0:11:44.040 we come back the latest edition of No Dumb Questions. 0:11:44.800 --> 0:11:48.280 Welcome back, Slices. We have been so busy over here 0:11:48.280 --> 0:11:52.120 with post finals, liberty celebrations, the NWSL playoff push, and 0:11:52.200 --> 0:11:54.400 my trip out to the espnW summit, so we haven't 0:11:54.400 --> 0:11:57.199 had time to tie up some final WNBA related questions. 0:11:57.280 --> 0:11:59.199 Y'all sent in, but we would never leave you hang in. 0:11:59.720 --> 0:12:06.680 Here is the latest edition of No Dumb Questions. All right, meshe, 0:12:06.640 --> 0:12:08.240 we're dealing with hoops here, so I'm calling you in 0:12:08.280 --> 0:12:10.440 to help me answer this very not dumb question from 0:12:10.520 --> 0:12:13.960 certified slice Alyssa Obradovich. She's full of good questions, and 0:12:14.000 --> 0:12:17.440 this time, she says quote. After an amazing w season 0:12:17.520 --> 0:12:20.400 and nail biting finals, there's a lingering question that keeps 0:12:20.400 --> 0:12:22.760 bugging me. How are we talking about the need for 0:12:22.760 --> 0:12:26.440 the league to expand the talent that gets cut and 0:12:26.640 --> 0:12:29.760 the lack of bench depths on teams like Las Vegas, Phoenix, Chicago, 0:12:29.800 --> 0:12:32.000 et cetera. If the league is as talented as it's 0:12:32.040 --> 0:12:34.400 ever been, and so talented to expand to at least 0:12:34.440 --> 0:12:36.640 three new teams, how are we still discussing the lack 0:12:36.679 --> 0:12:39.800 of benches? Y'all make it make sense. Thank you, Melissa 0:12:39.800 --> 0:12:43.240 as always for the question. Meche. My thought on this 0:12:43.720 --> 0:12:46.360 is that's a really good question and very not dumb, 0:12:46.679 --> 0:12:50.079 and I don't have the specific answer that maybe an 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:54.120 expert on expansion and league bench depths would have. But 0:12:54.240 --> 0:12:56.800 my hunches that some of those players that we see 0:12:56.840 --> 0:12:59.360 sitting there that are not getting in in those big 0:12:59.400 --> 0:13:02.520 games in the playoffs are young players that still need 0:13:02.559 --> 0:13:04.880 time to develop that those teams want to have on 0:13:04.920 --> 0:13:07.840 their roster and claim the rights to and develop, but 0:13:07.920 --> 0:13:10.120 they don't feel are ready to go in those moments. 0:13:10.320 --> 0:13:13.800 So it's accurate to say in those games they don't 0:13:13.840 --> 0:13:15.520 have a bench to go to, or there's a big 0:13:15.600 --> 0:13:18.280 drop off when they go to the bench, And that 0:13:18.320 --> 0:13:21.199 doesn't necessarily mean that there isn't talent that's growing there, 0:13:21.200 --> 0:13:24.600 it's just not quite ready yet. I think the request 0:13:24.679 --> 0:13:28.480 for more bench spots on w teams tends to be 0:13:29.080 --> 0:13:30.960 so that you can allow for that young development and 0:13:31.120 --> 0:13:33.520 also have more players that you think can impact immediately. 0:13:33.920 --> 0:13:34.840 What's your take on it. 0:13:35.160 --> 0:13:38.080 I wholeheartedly agree with that. I think that, to me, 0:13:38.240 --> 0:13:41.000 is a huge part of it. And then the other part, 0:13:41.080 --> 0:13:43.280 you know, a big part is coaches and people who 0:13:43.320 --> 0:13:47.160 are gms and making decisions for what players that team 0:13:47.200 --> 0:13:51.040 select to be on teams. Those folks are still extremely fallible, right, Like, 0:13:51.160 --> 0:13:54.360 nobody is perfect. The WNBA is still a very young 0:13:54.440 --> 0:13:56.640 league comparative lead to a lot of pro sports leagues 0:13:56.679 --> 0:14:00.360 in the US, and not to mention like even leagues 0:14:00.360 --> 0:14:03.360 and teams that have been around longer still can't seem 0:14:03.400 --> 0:14:06.000 to get it right. For example, around here, we have 0:14:06.080 --> 0:14:08.800 this MNBA team called the Wizards, and it feels like 0:14:08.840 --> 0:14:10.439 they haven't gotten anything right since the. 0:14:10.400 --> 0:14:11.120 Day out we're born. 0:14:11.280 --> 0:14:14.280 So it's just the fact of the matter is like, 0:14:14.440 --> 0:14:16.839 that's what makes sports so hard, that's what makes a 0:14:16.920 --> 0:14:20.680 championship so difficult to win. And then you know, there's 0:14:20.720 --> 0:14:24.480 also the fact that the WNBA Players Association just opted 0:14:24.480 --> 0:14:27.000 out of a CBA. A lot of what people are 0:14:27.000 --> 0:14:29.120 talking about right now is pay. How much money are 0:14:29.160 --> 0:14:32.800 these players making. Yes, we've seen improvements, but for those 0:14:32.840 --> 0:14:35.800 middle tier players that don't necessarily come and expecting to 0:14:35.800 --> 0:14:38.640 be a star, or you know, that don't necessarily stick 0:14:38.680 --> 0:14:41.440 on a roster, they still don't really get paid the 0:14:41.520 --> 0:14:43.080 kind of money that they need to be able to 0:14:43.120 --> 0:14:45.600 sustain themselves. And some of those folks still opt to 0:14:45.600 --> 0:14:48.560 play overseas. So if we want to talk about talent, 0:14:49.400 --> 0:14:51.840 there's still plenty of talent out there that's been on tap. 0:14:51.920 --> 0:14:53.920 You look at AU, you know a lot of the 0:14:53.920 --> 0:14:56.160 players that have played in there that aren't in WNBA 0:14:56.480 --> 0:14:57.440 rosters right now. 0:14:57.760 --> 0:15:00.440 Like, there's still so many different buttons that can be pressed. 0:15:00.480 --> 0:15:02.800 But I'm hoping that, you know, with this new CBA, 0:15:02.880 --> 0:15:04.400 we'll see a little bit of that change as well. 0:15:04.720 --> 0:15:08.000 I think also worth noting if you were watching, particularly 0:15:08.080 --> 0:15:10.520 at the end of the season, there are also injuries 0:15:10.800 --> 0:15:14.240 that really change the players that are available. So when 0:15:14.280 --> 0:15:16.920 you look at people getting pulled off the bench and 0:15:16.960 --> 0:15:20.320 the drop off in quality that might be just by 0:15:20.400 --> 0:15:22.680 virtue of not being as talented, not having as many 0:15:22.680 --> 0:15:25.000 minutes not being as comfortable and crunch time, especially big 0:15:25.080 --> 0:15:27.280 pressure games. But it also might be players that you 0:15:27.320 --> 0:15:30.200 normally wouldn't be going to if everybody was healthy, So 0:15:30.280 --> 0:15:32.240 that's worth considering as well. It's a great question, and 0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:36.600 I do think I know that there are players that 0:15:36.640 --> 0:15:38.840 are a little bit worried about the potential drop off 0:15:38.880 --> 0:15:41.560 in quality when we do expand in the next two 0:15:41.640 --> 0:15:44.440 years three full teams, and that's something to keep an 0:15:44.480 --> 0:15:47.120 eye on. I also we are looking at this upcoming 0:15:47.160 --> 0:15:54.360 college basketball season as an unbelievable batch of talent, both 0:15:54.400 --> 0:15:56.120 in the kinds of players that will be coming into 0:15:56.160 --> 0:16:00.640 the league next year in pagebackers, but also the sophomore class. 0:16:00.880 --> 0:16:01.040 Yeah. 0:16:01.080 --> 0:16:02.480 I mean, we were talking about this on the show 0:16:02.560 --> 0:16:05.120 last week. The kind of swagger and confidence and style 0:16:05.160 --> 0:16:07.400 of play we're seeing from young players and young athletes 0:16:07.400 --> 0:16:10.240 coming up across sports, but particularly in basketball, where they're 0:16:10.280 --> 0:16:12.240 training to dunk in high school, not because of what 0:16:12.280 --> 0:16:14.520 they're watching at the pro level. We're just in a 0:16:14.560 --> 0:16:16.720 different league than we used to be, and I think 0:16:16.760 --> 0:16:18.640 with each passing year we are going to see the 0:16:18.680 --> 0:16:21.160 influx of talent coming in being more ready. We talked 0:16:21.200 --> 0:16:22.840 about that with the rookie class this year in the 0:16:22.960 --> 0:16:25.360 w you know, these are players with nil deals that 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:28.640 are essentially already almost behaving as professionals at the collegiate level, 0:16:28.640 --> 0:16:31.120 and the expectation for their talent and their skill set 0:16:31.800 --> 0:16:34.200 makes them much more ready to make a difference in 0:16:34.200 --> 0:16:36.720 the league right when they arrive than before. And I 0:16:36.720 --> 0:16:38.800 think we're going to see that probably made even more 0:16:38.840 --> 0:16:41.400 clear with the incoming classes over the next couple of years. 0:16:41.720 --> 0:16:45.000 Oh yeah, I feel like from when I first came 0:16:45.040 --> 0:16:48.200 to consciousness, because the league started basically the same year 0:16:48.240 --> 0:16:51.240 I was born, to now, the level has only gotten 0:16:51.280 --> 0:16:52.480 better exponentially. 0:16:52.560 --> 0:16:53.560 It seems like every year. 0:16:53.880 --> 0:16:55.920 I think this season, at the beginning of the season, 0:16:56.000 --> 0:16:57.680 one of the things I was saying was the middle 0:16:57.800 --> 0:17:00.640 was so wide because we had never seen seen that 0:17:00.800 --> 0:17:05.320 much depth, the opportunity for so much parity. Because another 0:17:05.359 --> 0:17:07.600 thing we need to be looking at is the franchises 0:17:07.680 --> 0:17:08.439 that this league has. 0:17:08.520 --> 0:17:09.840 Right There's some franchises like. 0:17:09.840 --> 0:17:13.080 The Phoenixes, the Vegases, you know, the ones that are 0:17:13.119 --> 0:17:16.560 able to give players everything they need to be functioning 0:17:16.600 --> 0:17:19.440 professionals without having to worry about X, Y and Z. 0:17:19.760 --> 0:17:21.919 We're also seeing a discrepancy in that as well, So 0:17:22.000 --> 0:17:24.080 I think that also plays into what kind of players 0:17:24.080 --> 0:17:25.400 you can bring into your organization. 0:17:25.520 --> 0:17:28.439 But yeah, I'm. 0:17:27.600 --> 0:17:31.240 So excited for the next about three years of WBA basketball, folks. 0:17:31.560 --> 0:17:33.800 Get ready gonna be awesome. By the way, I heard 0:17:33.840 --> 0:17:35.200 you try to sneak in how young you are, and 0:17:35.320 --> 0:17:37.000 it's been a real long time since we hit you 0:17:37.160 --> 0:17:39.159 with that baby noise, So let's go ahead and do 0:17:39.200 --> 0:17:39.640 that right now. 0:17:39.920 --> 0:17:42.520 I'm editing today's episode for those who are on the so, 0:17:42.520 --> 0:17:45.040 so this is this is doubly cruel, actually. 0:17:44.680 --> 0:17:51.760 Baby noise going in. We got another question from Alexandra 0:17:51.840 --> 0:17:55.040 Hand who wrote new w Fan. But my quick analysis 0:17:55.080 --> 0:17:56.879 is Connecticut it's a hard place to have a team, 0:17:57.080 --> 0:17:59.639 a place with not tons to do or amenities. Arena 0:17:59.680 --> 0:18:01.439 that's not very big, and after seeing them in a 0:18:01.440 --> 0:18:04.640 community gym before the playoff game, seems to facilities aren't 0:18:04.640 --> 0:18:07.240 as good as some other teams. Considering travel bringing in 0:18:07.320 --> 0:18:10.080 fans and players, has there been consideration to move to 0:18:10.080 --> 0:18:13.120 a bigger city sort of nearby, like Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland. 0:18:13.359 --> 0:18:16.560 I get Yukon and their dominance being initial reasoning, wondered 0:18:16.600 --> 0:18:19.320 your thoughts. First of all, I love that Cleveland is nearby. 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:22.240 That's hilarious to me. I guess it's just like all 0:18:22.400 --> 0:18:24.960 kind of in the middle. Alex We chatted with you 0:18:25.040 --> 0:18:26.479 a little bit about this after you went to the 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:28.640 W game at TD Garden in Boston. This is your 0:18:28.640 --> 0:18:30.080 neck of the woods, your nape of the neck, your 0:18:30.080 --> 0:18:31.879 neck of the nape. What are your thoughts? 0:18:32.600 --> 0:18:36.240 First off, I want clarification from slice Alexandra. She gives 0:18:36.240 --> 0:18:41.480 off such big state energy. Yes, in California, Texas, Alaska 0:18:41.560 --> 0:18:47.560 for sure, Philadelphia, far away from Connecticut. Actually, let's make 0:18:47.600 --> 0:18:51.359 this clear, Yukon in stores, also far away. It's a 0:18:51.400 --> 0:18:55.920 full forty five minute drive to get from Yukon to Uncasville, Connecticut, 0:18:56.560 --> 0:19:00.000 which is where the Sun plays. So you know, yeah, 0:19:00.200 --> 0:19:02.879 there's a Yukon connection, but it's not quite as simple 0:19:02.920 --> 0:19:05.080 as oh, we're just going down the road. Forty five 0:19:05.119 --> 0:19:07.160 minutes to me feels like long drive at this point 0:19:07.200 --> 0:19:10.639 in my life. Bigger picture though, I'm going to go 0:19:10.680 --> 0:19:13.840 back to Emily Adams, who writes for the Hartford Current, 0:19:13.880 --> 0:19:15.800 when she came on the show a couple weeks ago, 0:19:15.920 --> 0:19:18.600 and she talked about how the Sun has a really 0:19:18.680 --> 0:19:21.920 unique ownership structure, right they are owned by a tribe, 0:19:22.000 --> 0:19:24.080 and even if they weren't owned by a tribe, it's 0:19:24.680 --> 0:19:26.439 not just like, oh, let's pick up this team and 0:19:26.440 --> 0:19:29.720 move them, you know, like the owners have not only 0:19:29.800 --> 0:19:31.760 a say in it, but the say in it. 0:19:32.680 --> 0:19:33.600 And so if the. 0:19:33.840 --> 0:19:36.280 Tribe wants to keep the team right where it is, 0:19:36.320 --> 0:19:38.400 that's going to be where the team stays. 0:19:38.760 --> 0:19:39.040 Now. 0:19:39.119 --> 0:19:42.000 I don't know enough into their thinking and business decisions. 0:19:42.280 --> 0:19:44.560 I think it's likely that we will see the team 0:19:44.640 --> 0:19:47.360 continue to play more games like they did this year 0:19:47.359 --> 0:19:50.320 in Boston, given what a big success that was. But 0:19:50.359 --> 0:19:52.600 I do think that there's also an interesting point here, 0:19:52.640 --> 0:19:56.560 which is that I don't think most players for Connecticut 0:19:56.640 --> 0:20:00.239 actually live in Connecticut outside of the WNBA season. And 0:20:00.280 --> 0:20:02.679 that's probably true for a lot of WNBA teams. This 0:20:02.760 --> 0:20:06.200