1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're in 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: Los Angeles for the US women's national team PA players ball, 3 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 1: cozying up to Leslie Jones, and mentally preparing for another 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: epic rose Leavel lipsyn performance. It's Tuesday, July fifteenth, and 5 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:17,119 Speaker 1: on today's show, we'll be skipping the need to know 6 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: and getting straight to my conversation with the Athletics Ben Pickman, 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: talking all things WNBA. 8 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 2: I caught up with them on Sunday to chat. 9 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: About the league's three newly announced expansion teams, Dwana Bonner's 10 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: mid season move to Phoenix, his MVP and Rookie of 11 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 1: the Year front runners, and what to expect at this 12 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: weekend's All Star Game. That conversation's coming up right after this, 13 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: joining us. 14 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 2: For a triumphant return. 15 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: He's a staff writer at The Athletic covering the WNBA 16 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: and women's college basketball, and one of the hosts of 17 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: the Athletic Women's Basketball podcast. He's a Wisconsin alum, an 18 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: elite camp counselor, and a marathon runner. 19 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 2: He walks the WNBA. 20 00:00:57,120 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: Orge carpet every year, hoping to be drafted, but a 21 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: last not yet. 22 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 2: It's Ben Pickman, Welcome. 23 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 3: Back, Ben, thanks a lot, Sarah. Yeah, I think my 24 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 3: goals of being drafted it's been. It'll never change. I 25 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 3: fear at this point in my life. 26 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 2: Keep walking the carpet though you have nice fits, you 27 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 2: look good. 28 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 3: Thank you. I appreciate that a. 29 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: Lot has happened since our show went on summer break 30 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: in the w and so you are here to walk 31 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:22,839 Speaker 1: us through all of it before we go. 32 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 2: To the All Star Game this weekend. 33 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 1: And I want to start with something that our show 34 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: discussed yesterday. Caitlin Clark ranking ninth in voting for guards 35 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: among her peers first and fan voting third, from the media, 36 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: ninth from players. What percentage of that do you think 37 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: is just that she wasn't playing that well and it 38 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: only played nine games at that point, wasn't putting up 39 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:42,960 Speaker 1: huge numbers, And how much do you think might have 40 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: actually been something else? 41 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a really good question. I think certainly it 42 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 3: could have been just the fact that she was not available. 43 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 3: I want to say she had played fewer than ten 44 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 3: games at the time that players were supposed to submit, 45 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 3: and as a result, like the sample wasn't there and 46 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 3: she had just been pretty good. But not necessarily like 47 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 3: truly you know, transforming the league, blowing the league out 48 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 3: in those games that she had played. I also think 49 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 3: there's two other potential factors. Number One, with the All 50 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 3: Star Game being an indie, with the fan voting return 51 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 3: vote being what they were, it's like, you know, I 52 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 3: think maybe there might have been some malaise is the 53 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 3: right word. But just like she was getting in, like 54 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 3: Caitlin Bork was going to be an All Star, she 55 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 3: was almost definitely gonna be an All Star captain, So 56 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 3: I think that is a factor too. The other thing 57 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 3: is players couldn't vote for their teammates in the voting process, 58 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 3: so we actually don't know, for instance, like you know, 59 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 3: how many Fever players voted or didn't vote, how what 60 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 3: was participation around the league, Like you know, I think 61 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 3: there are some swings that could just be a result 62 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 3: of just like who votes, like in any other kind 63 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 3: of election, that can impact the result, And it's a 64 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 3: potentially small sample depending on just how many people submit ballots. 65 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 3: So I think it really is a combination of those things. 66 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 3: I didn't read too too much into it, but you know, 67 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,079 Speaker 3: she's the All Star captain and it's gonna be a 68 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 3: great weekend, and I think we should all keep it moving. 69 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, it all worked out, keep it moving. So we 70 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 2: do now have the All Star Game rosters, Team Clark, 71 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: Team Collier. Who you got and why? 72 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,079 Speaker 3: I like Team Clark mostly because I think All Star 73 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 3: Games are won by guard play and shooting, and that 74 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 3: is historically just like how this works, and I do 75 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 3: like the pair of I think Caitlin Clark is due 76 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 3: for a big game, not surprisingly. I also like the 77 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 3: fact that she chose Sabrine and Escu, who you know, 78 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,360 Speaker 3: I think is poised to have another big weekend and 79 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 3: light it up in any events in which she participates. 80 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 3: So I like that pair a lot. Just pulling up 81 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 3: from thirty feet thirty five feet half four and like, 82 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 3: I think that bodes pretty well. I think if you 83 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 3: look at some of their bigs, like Asia Wilson, a 84 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 3: versatile big, we'll see how much she plays Satu a 85 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 3: versatile big. I like her ability to handle someone like 86 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 3: Kelsey Mitchell also could have a big game just as 87 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 3: a result of her being a guard. So just the 88 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 3: you know. Again, the Team Collier has some great players too, 89 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 3: so I don't want to discount them, but I think 90 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 3: the just the shooting ability of the first teams I 91 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 3: mentioned push them over the edge. 92 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: For me, Shooters and Unicorns is Team Clark's subhead. But 93 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: I do feel like I'm waiting for it to happen. 94 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: Like Unrivaled, where I picked all the guards for the 95 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: one v one and it was all the Unicorn bigs. 96 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 2: Now that was slightly different. 97 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:23,359 Speaker 1: It wasn't full court, it wasn't five on five, it 98 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: wasn't an all star game. But we'll see if the 99 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: Bigs can surprise us. Let's talk about the Fever. We 100 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 1: had big expectations for them this year based on the 101 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: talent on the roster, and we've seen that they can 102 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 1: beat good teams when things come together. 103 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 2: They also can shol and be really flat. They are 104 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 2: not in the. 105 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: Standings where they expected to be, and Caitlin hasn't played 106 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 1: sure where we'd expect her to play. Obviously, the multiple 107 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: injuries have slowed her down and made it hard to 108 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 1: get into groove. Beyond the obvious, which is they need 109 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: to be hitting shots and she needs to not be 110 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 1: like eightieth in the league in three point percentage. Well, 111 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: what else do you see as a problem for the squad? Yeah? 112 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 3: To me, It starts on the defensive end of the floor, actually, 113 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 3: and it is kind of a you know, variance in 114 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 3: discipline is often the determining factor in whether they win 115 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 3: games and have a lot of success or whether they 116 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 3: struggle in games. Right, I was at the Commissioner's Cup 117 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 3: in Minneapolis when they beat the Minnesota Linx, and that 118 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 3: was one of the most defensively disciplined performances of the season. 119 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 3: Their point of attack defense was really really strong, even 120 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,919 Speaker 3: without Kaitlin Clark playing. If you watch Aary McDonald and 121 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 3: Kelsey Mitchell and Sidney Colson in that game, how they 122 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 3: were disrupting Minnesota's guards was really really impressive and it's 123 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,840 Speaker 3: kind of set the tone for that entire game in 124 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 3: Indiana's comeback, and that is something that you know, we 125 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 3: have seen flashes of from the Indiana Fever this year, 126 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 3: but you know, the coaching staff would tell you it's 127 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,799 Speaker 3: not as consistent as they would like to this point 128 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 3: in the season. So for me, that is one big 129 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,239 Speaker 3: area of just what are you getting from the fever 130 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 3: on a defensive end of the floor. It was why, 131 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 3: you know, in Kaitlin Clark's recent return from injury against 132 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,280 Speaker 3: the Valkyries. Like again, that was a performance that was 133 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 3: pretty lackluster, and Stephanie White after called them out for 134 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,919 Speaker 3: lacking a competitive fire. And that really starts the defensive 135 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,279 Speaker 3: end of the floor. Again, Like Stephanie White, she is 136 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:06,919 Speaker 3: known as one of the best defensive coaches you know 137 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 3: in the league. That's always been a calling card of 138 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 3: her teams. You think about some of the people on 139 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 3: her staffs, someone like Pree January, a really stout defensive 140 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 3: player back when she was playing as well. Like, they 141 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 3: pride themselves in Indiana on that end of the floor, 142 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 3: and they've just been a little bit too inconsistent for 143 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 3: their liking, for fans liking, and for me, that is 144 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 3: area number one that I think will determine how successful 145 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 3: they are in the second half of the season and 146 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 3: into the playoffs quickly. 147 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: Can you tell if there's a through line of the 148 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: roster during those games when they don't show up with 149 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 1: that kind of energy. Is it when Caitlin's in or out? 150 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: Is it when sid is playing more minutes? Is it 151 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: when somebody's you know, benched or starting. 152 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 3: I think, honestly, they're still trying to figure it out. 153 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 3: And we have seen that because you know, think about 154 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 3: Caitlyn's first game back coming off the recent injury against 155 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:56,360 Speaker 3: Golden State, Steph White starts Kelsey Mitchell, Aary McDonald and 156 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:58,600 Speaker 3: Caitlin Clark together for the first time. That's the first 157 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:00,919 Speaker 3: time that those three players have played a minute together 158 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 3: all season long, trying something out. I don't fault any 159 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 3: coach for trying things out, you know, in the first 160 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 3: half of the season seeing if it works. She then 161 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 3: went back to a different starting lineup, you know, in 162 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 3: subsequent games. I think they're very much still trying to 163 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 3: figure out the rotation of how to use Lexi Hole 164 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 3: and Sophie Cunningham. I think holl has had a really 165 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 3: good first half yea, all things considered. How to use 166 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 3: Natasha Howard, who you know, has shown some flashes, and 167 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 3: then sometimes it seems like she's getting too many touches 168 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 3: and teams are almost baiting her into making plays. Like 169 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 3: I think they very much are still trying to figure 170 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 3: out all their lineups and rotations. I do think, like 171 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 3: you know, McDonald's certainly was a huge boost for them 172 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 3: in the first half, both in terms of just energy. 173 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 3: She plays with pace, she plays with defensive intensity, as 174 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 3: I was saying, that's so important. So I think they're 175 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 3: continuing to get her looks. But no, I think this 176 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 3: is a Fever team that is still trying to figure 177 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 3: out kind of the its core lineups and you know 178 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 3: in crunch time in big games, how it does want 179 00:07:57,560 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 3: to play. 180 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 1: So Dwana Batter was part of the to start the season, 181 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: She's trade nine games. She ended up getting pushed out 182 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: of the starting lineup, wasn't a fit. Now she's back 183 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: with the Phoenix Mercury, who have really outperformed most folks 184 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 1: expectations in their first year without Diana Trossi, without Britney Griner, 185 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: with a new look. 186 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 2: What's the ceiling for the Mercury and how do you 187 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 2: see Bonner sliding into that team? 188 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I think right now they are clearly 189 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 3: in the top three of the league with New York 190 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 3: and with Minnesota. I think Phoenix has positioned themselves right 191 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 3: there and they have had success. Whether Kalia Kopper is playing, 192 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 3: whether Alyssa Thomas is playing, whether it's not too Soable 193 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:34,439 Speaker 3: is playing. I mean, I think for me, the way 194 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 3: I've thought about it is when you think about roster 195 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 3: construction right now in the WNBA, the most important position, 196 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 3: or the most telling position often is your four player, 197 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 3: right your power forward. And there's so many unicorn you know, 198 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 3: so to speak, players who are so integral to team success, 199 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 3: right Asraa Wilson, Stewie Fee. And if you look at Phoenix, 200 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 3: they really have two of the six or seven players 201 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:57,560 Speaker 3: at that position that you would want, and it provides 202 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 3: them with so much versatility on a night to night basis, 203 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 3: no matter who is kind of playing around them, right, 204 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,559 Speaker 3: And so it starts with at who was just awesome 205 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 3: against Minnesota. Just watch that game and her offensive production 206 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:11,839 Speaker 3: is crazy Sa too obviously, you know, starting in the 207 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:14,199 Speaker 3: All Star Game, she has had a great first half. 208 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 3: Now to the question of Bonner, you know, she clearly 209 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 3: will help them just as another capable player off the bench. 210 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 3: We saw her close both the first and second half 211 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,559 Speaker 3: in her debut game. You know, for Phoenix, her length 212 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 3: as a rebounder, she'll be active on the boards. I'm 213 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:32,199 Speaker 3: a little more hesitant though about what she's going to 214 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 3: mean for their ceiling long term, mostly because and you 215 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 3: know this too, Sarah from you know, just covering all 216 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 3: different kinds of sports too, Like you know, in the NBA, 217 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 3: we talk a lot about buyout guys, right, players who 218 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 3: get waived in January and early February, and then they 219 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:48,599 Speaker 3: get signed and for like one or two weeks, everyone's like, 220 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 3: oh my god, this player is going to change the 221 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 3: ceiling of a you know, of the team that they 222 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 3: signed with. And historically, like that is not the case, right, Like, 223 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 3: historically that kind of buyout player who signs with the team, 224 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 3: gets waived and then resign somewhere doesn't actually change the 225 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 3: ceiling that much. I think, you know, Dowana Bonner still, 226 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 3: I think can be a very good player, but I 227 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 3: don't know how much she is going to be the 228 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,559 Speaker 3: difference in Phoenix being a you know, a second round team, say, 229 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 3: or a finals team or a champion. 230 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 1: And maybe even if she is, it will not show 231 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 1: up in the box score because you cannot put a 232 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: stat line on making your fiance play really well. Because 233 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: we mentioned that Alyssa Thomas at a career best twenty 234 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 1: nine points in the first game that Dewana was back 235 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: on the roster next to her, So yeah, it's not 236 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:36,200 Speaker 1: something that you can usually keep track of. But she 237 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,079 Speaker 1: makes Alyssa Thomas play even better than Charity is that's 238 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 1: a win for the Mercury. You just mentioned some of 239 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 1: the injuries to that team and players who have been 240 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 1: in and out, and big picture, we've heard some players 241 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: talk about fatigue this season. This is the most games 242 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 1: there's ever been in a w season. A lot of 243 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 1: players are feeling run a little ragged. Also due to scheduling. 244 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: It feels like everybody plays on the same night and 245 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:01,559 Speaker 1: then gets days off and then it's just kind of haphazard. 246 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 2: Sometimes. 247 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 1: Do you see shooting percentages, injuries, things that are often 248 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: correlated to fatigue being a factor in how these players 249 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: are playing this year. 250 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 3: I mean, you see free throw rate is up significantly 251 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:16,559 Speaker 3: this year, and so maybe you know that as a 252 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 3: result of teams fouling more, or maybe some would argue 253 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 3: that's a result of inconsistent officiating, which is a whole 254 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 3: other can of worms we can open or not if 255 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 3: you want. I mean, I think the scheduling conversation is 256 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 3: really interesting because like, one, the players did agree to 257 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:33,440 Speaker 3: the current framework of the schedule in the most recent CVA, 258 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 3: and two, with all these new teams that are coming 259 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 3: in over the next couple of years, like it is 260 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 3: going to continue to be this topic of conversation, and 261 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 3: I don't really know what the right answer is, right, 262 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 3: I mean, Sabrina and Escu talked about it at Liberty 263 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 3: practice last week that like, in her mind, she would 264 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 3: love to have the WNBA play in traditional basketball season, 265 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 3: you know, in the winter and things. That would be 266 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:58,680 Speaker 3: pretty cool and you get rookies the opportunity to rest 267 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 3: and recover, and then suddenly you start to season and 268 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 3: it would just be you know, a normal win you know, 269 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 3: a traditional kind of basketball calendar for what so many 270 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 3: people know from the NBA or college with a W 271 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 3: It's just fascinating, like how many games are going to 272 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 3: be played, probably more than fifty. What is the footprint 273 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 3: it's probably going to need you to extend into, you know, 274 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 3: late October. Does it push up even more against the 275 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 3: start of college basketball season in early November? It brings 276 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 3: in a whole media rights conversation, right, think about ESPN, 277 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 3: who is a you know, your major rights holder for 278 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 3: college games on the women's side, they're also broadcasting the finals. 279 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,440 Speaker 3: Like there's only so many windows when you factor in 280 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 3: college football arena availability, when they pick NBA teams, NBA 281 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:43,679 Speaker 3: ownership groups who then are also owning these W teams, 282 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 3: like you're sharing arena space. That was important to have 283 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,320 Speaker 3: those big arenas, but it creates another conflict. So I 284 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:53,480 Speaker 3: don't know, it's just a very murky, messy issue. I 285 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:55,840 Speaker 3: don't know what you think about, like the whole conversation. 286 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 3: More broadly, Yeah, I. 287 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: Mean, I get why they would want that, and I 288 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: also think at this point it would still be foolhardy 289 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: to try to compete with NFL, NHL, NBA, college football, 290 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 1: college basketball. I mean, there's a reason why in the 291 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 1: past folks on the media side were willing to throw 292 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: a bone to the W because there wasn't enough going 293 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 1: on otherwise. And baseball is such a regionalized sport that 294 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: people aren't that interested in national coverage of baseball unless 295 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:24,719 Speaker 1: it's like the Aaron Judge Yankees kind of storyline, And. 296 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 2: So there was room. 297 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: And I do worry if you pack it in with 298 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: all those other leagues, you lose the opportunity for people 299 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 1: to care and watch the way that they do now. 300 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:33,440 Speaker 2: But I do agree with you. 301 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 1: Once the teams are added, it's going to be very 302 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 1: hard to calculate how to get all the games in 303 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 1: without there being some sort of conflict and you really 304 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 1: can't start a season before the March madness of it 305 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: all and then expect teams to like adjust based on 306 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: draft you know, after they've already played ten or eleven games. 307 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 3: Well along those lines too in terms of like conflict 308 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 3: and making it all work. The most interesting thing that, 309 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,079 Speaker 3: you know, this is a long way in advance, and 310 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 3: I know we all have a lot of things we're 311 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 3: thinking about in our lives, but next September is a 312 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 3: World Cup, a feeble World Cup year, and it's going 313 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 3: to be fascinating to see how the WNBA schedules next season, 314 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 3: in particular because not only are you adding two expansion 315 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:12,440 Speaker 3: teams in, but you have this tournament in the middle 316 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:16,560 Speaker 3: of September in theory like right before right around the 317 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 3: start of the playoffs, and so there might be a 318 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 3: scenario in which the WNBA takes a ten day break 319 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 3: potentially because of this FEBA tournament. And then there's a 320 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 3: question of you know, if your WNBA team is making 321 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 3: a playoff push going down the stretch, does a player 322 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 3: choose to play in this event? Do they elect to 323 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 3: sit out this event? You know that could raize obviously 324 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 3: health concerns if your star player, you know, goes and 325 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 3: plays and gets hurt, Like what does that mean overall? 326 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 3: And you know, in past years, the WNBA has certainly 327 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 3: dealt with scheduling conflicts with FOBA. But I think what 328 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 3: is so new is there's just so many more eyeballs 329 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 3: on the league right now, so many more people are 330 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 3: following it. And obviously, you know, the stretch run is 331 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 3: such an important time for fans to check, you know, 332 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 3: kind of check it and ride the wave for out 333 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 3: the remainder of the season. And so I do wonder, like, 334 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 3: what does a break mean right before a big tournament. 335 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 3: It won't happen in twenty thirty. Phoebe has already announced 336 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 3: they're moving that event to November December, so this will 337 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 3: be the last time we have a conflict like this 338 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 3: specific to this World Cup. But like you know, this 339 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 3: is a new era of the WNBA, and so that 340 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 3: is just another question that has arisen as a result 341 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 3: of all that's going on. 342 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 2: You just made me think quickly. I want to ask you. 343 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: Two of the teams that came to mind when I 344 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:37,160 Speaker 1: thought of that were, of course the Valkyries, who have 345 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:40,680 Speaker 1: a ton of foreign players, and the Storm with Dominique 346 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: Malonga and French players who Gabby Williams who elected not 347 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 1: to go leave during the window this year. Quickly, how 348 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: surprised are you buy the Valkyries. 349 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 3: I'm definitely like surprised at one. I think they're ten 350 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 3: and ten At the time we tape this, like I 351 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 3: thought they were going to play a lot of really 352 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 3: competitive games and then maybe lose late because they might 353 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 3: not have the individual talent. But I think what it's 354 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 3: been so impressive is like, really they are. You know, 355 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:10,119 Speaker 3: the sum is better than each of the parts individually. 356 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 3: And you can see I think they've played ten different 357 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:15,840 Speaker 3: starting lineups this year, you know, and so that's literally 358 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 3: half their games, and no five player lineup combination for 359 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 3: them has played more than forty minutes this season. Basically, 360 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 3: like Natalie Nicase is just maneuvering and pulling players up 361 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 3: and sitting players down, and some nights a player gets 362 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 3: a DMP and some night they play twenty five minutes 363 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 3: and oftentimes you don't really know, you know, what she's 364 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 3: gonna do. But all the players they put in are 365 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 3: really really competent, right, And so we've just seen like 366 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 3: a connected team who has just bought in, whether you 367 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 3: know you're playing a big role or whether you're playing 368 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 3: a small role. I think that's, you know, one of 369 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 3: the most impressive parts for me. We'll see how far 370 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 3: they go, you know, in the second half. I wouldn't 371 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 3: expect them to make a playoff run even if they 372 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 3: did get in, But like they've been one of the 373 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 3: standouts of the first half for sure. 374 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 1: And certainly if they're trying to prove to free agents 375 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: to come next year, between the fan support and the 376 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: sellouts and the brand and everything else, having a coach 377 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 1: like that and a system that seems to be working 378 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 1: will help. 379 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:10,199 Speaker 2: What do you make of Dominique Malonga. 380 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 1: There was so much hype coming in and she's been 381 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:13,919 Speaker 1: relatively quiet. 382 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean part of that is this opportunity, right 383 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 3: if you look at some of the other rookies who 384 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,400 Speaker 3: have been standouts this year, you know your Page Beckers, 385 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 3: your you know Kikiiria fan or Sony sit round in 386 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 3: Washington like they're just playing way more minutes. I still 387 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 3: think the flashes of potential that Dominique shone like I 388 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:32,920 Speaker 3: was at Seattle, New York. I guess, you know a 389 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 3: week and a half ago when she came in and 390 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 3: she had eleven points and seven rebounds in five minutes. 391 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 3: And you know, I've never seen someone kind of post 392 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 3: up Stewie out jump, you know, out jump her for 393 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,359 Speaker 3: a high point in terms of the inbounds passes. Disrupts 394 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 3: Stewie with just pure length on the defensive end of 395 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 3: the floor, like those five minutes alone, Or why so 396 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,439 Speaker 3: many teams around the league wanted to draft her and 397 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 3: viewed her the way that she did. So she's still 398 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,240 Speaker 3: I think the youngest player in the league. She's shown 399 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:05,120 Speaker 3: enough potential for me to still think that she could 400 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 3: be this generational franchise player, you know, with more opportunity, 401 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:11,200 Speaker 3: I think she'll continue to shine. 402 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:13,880 Speaker 1: We got to take a quick break more with Ben 403 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 1: Pickman right after this. Let's talk You mentioned Brianna Steart. 404 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 1: Let's talk about the Liberty because they've struggled without John 405 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:31,120 Speaker 1: Qwell Jones. They're still among the best in the league 406 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:33,000 Speaker 1: and there's a lot of expectation for them to make 407 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 1: another finals run. But is that really all New York 408 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 1: needs just to get Jones back. 409 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 3: It's a really good question, and I think it's one 410 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 3: thing that a lot of people in New York or 411 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 3: media fans. I think people around the team are thinking 412 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:48,440 Speaker 3: about because, yeah, they're missing JJ and JJ. In some ways, 413 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:51,400 Speaker 3: she's like the breaking case of emergency button. Like oftentimes 414 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 3: when they you know an opponent is going on a 415 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 3: run in recent years, they just throw the ball down 416 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 3: to JJ and she gets him a bucket. Right, She's 417 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 3: such a force that she can be the best player 418 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,320 Speaker 3: on the floor on any given night. They've never lost 419 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 3: in the regular season when she records a double double. 420 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 3: It's one of the craziest stats since she joined New 421 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 3: York a couple of years back. But I do think, like, yeah, 422 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 3: don't read too much into the recent stretch that they've had. 423 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:19,400 Speaker 3: And yet, like often effort has been an issue, right, 424 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:21,880 Speaker 3: Like a lack of focus has been an issue, And 425 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 3: you know, getting JJ back and maybe blowing teams out 426 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 3: more or getting out to bigger leads that will help, 427 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 3: I guess in the effort category. But like, her absence 428 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:36,160 Speaker 3: alone shouldn't be the reason why a team goes through 429 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:39,959 Speaker 3: significant defensive lapses from a focus perspective, or has these 430 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 3: lulls on the offensive end. And so you know, it's 431 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 3: a little early maybe to rush to judgment, but I 432 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 3: do think there is some cause for concern there about 433 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 3: just like, why is New York not putting as you know, 434 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 3: full games together, you know, full forty minutes strong games 435 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:59,000 Speaker 3: together as much as they were in the past. You know, 436 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 3: I think that's a The. 437 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: Ring hangover is sometimes a good reason for the lack 438 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: of effort on the defensive end or not being you know, 439 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 1: as urgent with it. The Links, on the other hand, 440 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:11,360 Speaker 1: are trying to get that ring that they lost out 441 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:14,159 Speaker 1: on just barely last season. They did lose to the 442 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 1: Fever in the Commissioner's Cup. That was an ugly one. 443 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,200 Speaker 1: They just lost to My Chicago Sky this past weekend, 444 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:21,920 Speaker 1: which isn't a great sign. But for the most part 445 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:24,639 Speaker 1: they've looked mostly solid. What are the weak spots for 446 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 1: this Link's team? What goes wrong when they do struggle? 447 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:30,199 Speaker 3: Oftentimes it is like their guard play right. And we 448 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 3: saw against that Indiana game in the Commissioner's Cup that 449 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 3: basically Indiana was saying Courtney Williams, like shoot your jumpers 450 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 3: and beat us, and she didn't. And you know, in 451 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 3: that game in particular, like I don't think I've ever 452 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 3: seen a game in which so many jumpers would like 453 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 3: hit three parts of the rim and then rattle off 454 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 3: like it was just like cling, cling, cling, nope, cling, 455 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:54,360 Speaker 3: clinkling nope, like over and over and over again. Minnesota 456 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 3: did get some good looks, but like still, I think 457 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 3: teams are gonna go under screens. They're gonna let you know, 458 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,680 Speaker 3: court shoot, they're gonna let nati Ja Hydeman playmate, and 459 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 3: they're just gonna live with the result and hope that 460 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,879 Speaker 3: you know, they struggle and they can contain Fee. On 461 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:12,439 Speaker 3: the other end of the floor, Minnesota defensively has just 462 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 3: been so good this year. They're the league's best defense. 463 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 3: They're so stout on that end. Fie and Atlanta Smith 464 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:21,880 Speaker 3: are just like such a mobile front court that flies 465 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,359 Speaker 3: everywhere and covers up all these lapses. Like I mean, 466 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 3: I've been really impressed with the Lynx, And you mentioned 467 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 3: the Commissioners Cup loss. I mean, that's a good omen 468 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 3: we should say. I guess it's last year New York lost, Yes, 469 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 3: you know, I guess last year it was New York 470 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 3: lost to Minnesota the Commission's Cup. They ended up winning 471 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 3: the title. The year before that, Vegas lost to New 472 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 3: York in the Commissioner's Cup. Vegas ended up winning the 473 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 3: title that year, So we will see if history repeats 474 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:47,920 Speaker 3: itself again come October. 475 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:49,919 Speaker 2: That's the kind of curse the links folks like to 476 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 2: hear exactly. 477 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:54,679 Speaker 1: Let's talk Melissa Smith got traded from Dallas to the Aces. 478 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: We were all sad about the hoops engashit of it 479 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:58,920 Speaker 1: all being separated from DJN A Carrington, But it also 480 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:00,880 Speaker 1: feels like maybe opportunity. 481 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:03,160 Speaker 2: What do you like about the move and what don't 482 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:03,439 Speaker 2: you like? 483 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 3: I like that she is having an opportunity to play 484 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 3: more and so for you know, the Aces like it's 485 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 3: a move with a lot of high upside. We have 486 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 3: seen them struggle throughout this season with their kind of 487 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:19,159 Speaker 3: normal core four of like All Stars and Olympians, you know, 488 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 3: Chelsea Jackie Jewel in Asia with Kia Stokes, that five 489 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 3: player lineup minus three point four net rating this year. 490 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:29,359 Speaker 3: When Las Vegas would plug in A Lee and I, 491 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 3: they go up to almost plus twenty seven net rating, 492 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 3: So that's twenty seven points better than their competition per 493 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 3: one hundred possessions. When they plug in Dana Evans, they're 494 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 3: almost eighteen points better in terms of net rating. Just 495 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,879 Speaker 3: again Evans for Stokes, and we're keeping the four Olympians. 496 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 3: We've seen them have immediate success when they plug Smith in, 497 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 3: They're already more than plus thirty in terms of net 498 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:50,400 Speaker 3: rating when they just you know, plug her into those 499 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 3: lineups offensively, she just has to be guarded. Like you know, 500 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:58,400 Speaker 3: teams have to step out, they have to guard her, 501 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 3: they have to respect her as on the perimeter. And 502 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 3: I was talking to Becky Hammond about this last week 503 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:05,080 Speaker 3: when you know, Las Vegas was in New York. The 504 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:07,600 Speaker 3: other thing she said that she likes is that Kia 505 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:10,640 Speaker 3: Stokes can then be this anchor of the second unit 506 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:15,400 Speaker 3: of sorts, just a player who knows the system, knows 507 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 3: the Reeds, doesn't get phased in big moments, and so 508 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,000 Speaker 3: she can kind of be a steadying force. Maybe that's 509 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:25,200 Speaker 3: Becky again framing it and trying to say positive things 510 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 3: about her player. But I like to move overall still, 511 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 3: I think Las Vegas has been one of the most 512 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:34,200 Speaker 3: underwhelming teams. Yeah, to start the you know, to start 513 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:36,119 Speaker 3: the first half of the season. I think both of 514 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 3: those things can be true. 515 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 1: How do you look at their lack of consistency? Is 516 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 1: that something we need to look at coaching? Do we 517 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 1: think that there's some sort of magic that Kelsey Plumb 518 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,160 Speaker 1: had that pulled the pieces together that we're now seeing 519 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:54,640 Speaker 1: mattered more than maybe we thought do. 520 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 2: We think that. 521 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:59,160 Speaker 1: There's some level that Jewel Lloyd of course, could get 522 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:01,960 Speaker 1: back to, even in this system and with these teammates 523 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:04,880 Speaker 1: that just she hasn't Like, what is it about this 524 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:07,639 Speaker 1: squad that still has way too much talent to be 525 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 1: playing like this? 526 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:11,439 Speaker 3: It definitely does still have too much talent, But I 527 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:15,360 Speaker 3: think in some ways, like the presence of Asia and 528 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 3: Chelsea and Jackie still being the headliners of this roster 529 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 3: have kind of masked over some of the changes everywhere else, 530 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 3: Like Keias Dookes is another player with that kind of 531 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 3: relationship equity built up with Becky Hammond. But like Alicia 532 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 3: Clark is gone, Sidney Colston's gone, Plumb is gone, Dana 533 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,880 Speaker 3: Evans is new, Smith is new, Na is new look 534 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:39,359 Speaker 3: at the coaching staff. Right, Becky lost both of her 535 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:43,159 Speaker 3: top assistants, you know, Tyler Marsha Chicago, Natalie Niksse to 536 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:46,440 Speaker 3: Golden State. Like she's still working with a new staff 537 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:49,359 Speaker 3: who's trying to understand her. Like I think there is 538 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,399 Speaker 3: a newness to the LAS Vegas Aces that you know, 539 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 3: maybe we don't think about or appreciate as much because 540 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 3: at the top of the roster is Asia Wilson. That 541 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,720 Speaker 3: being said, like, yeah, I think it's still pretty you know, 542 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:05,399 Speaker 3: as I said, it's underwhelming how they've started this this 543 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,359 Speaker 3: first half of the season on the defensive end in particular. 544 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 3: And to your Jewel Lloyd question, like, I don't really know, 545 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 3: Like I think they still have full confidence in her. 546 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:16,919 Speaker 3: You talk to Becky Hammond and she'll say, you know, 547 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 3: every time that Jewel shoots twenty five percent from three, 548 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 3: we expect her to shoot seventy five the next game, 549 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:24,880 Speaker 3: you know, and just have the law of averages kind 550 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,919 Speaker 3: of work itself out. But like, I don't expect the 551 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:30,400 Speaker 3: Aces to be hosting a first round playoff series this year. 552 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 3: And if you know, if you told me that at 553 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:34,439 Speaker 3: the start of the season, I picked the Aces to 554 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 3: make the final, So I'm dead wrong here. Like if 555 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 3: you told me at the start of the year that 556 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:40,439 Speaker 3: they wouldn't be top four, I would have said, like, 557 00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:42,919 Speaker 3: what has gone wrong? And it's a lot of things. 558 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 3: As we're talking. 559 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 1: About, all right, let's look ahead. Since you're talking predictions. 560 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:48,359 Speaker 2: Sure, in your mind. 561 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:50,639 Speaker 1: How many teams do I have to give you for 562 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:52,680 Speaker 1: it to be all the teams that have a legitimate 563 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:53,520 Speaker 1: shot at winning at all? 564 00:25:53,600 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 2: Is it three? Is it four? 565 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 3: I still think it's three at this point. Yeah, I 566 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 3: think it's New York, Minnesota, Phoenix as your three year reel. 567 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: So you don't see the Fever being able to pull 568 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:07,360 Speaker 1: together if shooting improves or if the focus on the defense. 569 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 3: Have been to win the actual championship. No, I think 570 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 3: for me it's again it goes to what we were 571 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:16,560 Speaker 3: talking about with Las Vegas, Like their roster just has 572 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,920 Speaker 3: not been there before in key moments, and I haven't 573 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 3: seen enough consistency on the defensive end of the floor 574 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:26,119 Speaker 3: to think like, yeah, this is a team that is 575 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:29,160 Speaker 3: going to string together a standout series and just stop 576 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 3: their opponent time and time again. Could they pull off 577 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 3: a big upset? Absolutely right? Like, I mean, I think 578 00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 3: we have seen that they have the talent. And when 579 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:39,439 Speaker 3: you have a player like Clark and Mitchell who can 580 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:42,120 Speaker 3: get you, you know, thirty thirty five suddenly and win 581 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:45,120 Speaker 3: games by themselves seemingly and Aleah Boston down low having 582 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,359 Speaker 3: a great year, like they can be great, but like 583 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 3: there has not been enough consistency, and I do believe 584 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 3: like you have to go through moments together to kind 585 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:58,240 Speaker 3: of come out on the other side, and we just haven't. 586 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 3: I don't believe that, like the first half ruggles are 587 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:05,160 Speaker 3: sufficient enough, you know, learning experiences to then suddenly pull 588 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:05,880 Speaker 3: something out. 589 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 1: Especially with the players coming in and out, they just 590 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:12,439 Speaker 1: need more time. Who's your MVP current front runner? 591 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 3: I think it is I think it's Fee. I know 592 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 3: Alyssa Thomas. This feels like like the Alyssa Thomas week, 593 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 3: you know, so to speak, knowing the performance she had 594 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 3: against Minnesota, but like Fee's body of work all told 595 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:25,439 Speaker 3: for me, she is number one. 596 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 2: There for now and Rookie of the Year. 597 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:30,920 Speaker 3: I think it's Page as of now. Not exactly the 598 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 3: hottest take I guess either. 599 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:34,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean Sonya and Kiki have been great, but 600 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:39,160 Speaker 1: Page sort of especially on a team that's doing as 601 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,120 Speaker 1: poorly as that one, to have the numbers she's having 602 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 1: in the impact she's having across so many different statistics, 603 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:46,400 Speaker 1: very impressive. All right, last question for you, were coming 604 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:48,680 Speaker 1: up on the All Star Game. I got an email 605 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:52,119 Speaker 1: from the w NBA of Sponsor Activations and Events, and 606 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:53,680 Speaker 1: it went on just. 607 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:55,160 Speaker 2: Page after page after page. 608 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: It was such a delight to see so many brands 609 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:03,119 Speaker 1: getting involved, so many opportunities for interaction with fans and 610 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:05,679 Speaker 1: business and everything else. And I've said for years that 611 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 1: I get frustrated when the decision makers at the highest 612 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:10,960 Speaker 1: levels at media outlets just keep showing up to like 613 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:13,360 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl and NBA All Star and don't come 614 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:17,880 Speaker 1: and see the fan affinity, the growth, the just the 615 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: size and scope of what goes on at these women's 616 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 1: events now, and I feel like this one, what are 617 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,280 Speaker 1: you most excited about? It feels to me like they're 618 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 1: going to blow the roof off this particular All Star game. 619 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 3: I mean, I feel like and I talked to peers 620 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:33,440 Speaker 3: in the media and other people teams like around All 621 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:35,359 Speaker 3: Star week right now, it is just like, how do 622 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 3: you juggle a schedule? Like I need like scheduling planning 623 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 3: advice about like am I allocating every single hour of 624 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 3: my day to like bouncing around from thing to thing 625 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 3: potentially or at least considering going to thing to thing, 626 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 3: And like that is a mix of things that we 627 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 3: get invited to because of our jobs, but also just 628 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 3: like there's a ton of free things for fans to 629 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 3: go to like that is not you know what I 630 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 3: just said specific to media members covering the event. In 631 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 3: terms of things I'm most excited about though, Like can 632 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 3: I say the three Point Shootout and the Skills Challenge, 633 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 3: Like I do think this year, from what I've heard, 634 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:08,920 Speaker 3: like the participating the participants in it are going to 635 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:11,480 Speaker 3: be as good of a field as we have had 636 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 3: in a long time. AFLAC again in partnership with the WNBPA, 637 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 3: has put up a ton of money. I want to 638 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 3: say it's one fifteen, one hundred and fifteen thousand dollars 639 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 3: to the winner of both of these events, way more 640 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,640 Speaker 3: than what is the allocated in the CBA. And I 641 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 3: think last year players who were participating in the three 642 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 3: point in the skills did not know when they were 643 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 3: saying yes to those events that there would be this 644 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 3: huge person on the other end. And now players know, 645 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 3: and I think the field is going to reflect that. 646 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 3: And so I'm just excited to be in the building 647 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:44,400 Speaker 3: and hopefully see you know, pretty great All Star Friday 648 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 3: Night of Events. 649 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:47,120 Speaker 1: All Right, tell us what you've heard, because I know 650 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 1: Sonya Citron has gone on the record saying she's participating 651 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 1: who else are you? 652 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 2: Who else is getting leaked? 653 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 3: I believe Sabrini and Escu on Sunday confirmed that she 654 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:58,760 Speaker 3: is participating in the three point You know, I think 655 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:00,840 Speaker 3: those are the two confirmations that I will say on 656 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 3: this show. 657 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:04,240 Speaker 1: Sarah, Yes, Kaitlyn Clark get I would get the feeling 658 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 1: Kaitlyn Clark might be participating. 659 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:09,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean that seems like a good guest considering 660 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 3: that back in February, when there was a lot of 661 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 3: chatter about will Caitlyn Clark participate in the NBA All 662 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:19,720 Speaker 3: Star like three point Shootout, her representatives put out a 663 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:22,840 Speaker 3: statement that I believe basically said, like, Caitlyn wants her 664 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,440 Speaker 3: first All Star three point Shootout to be in the 665 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 3: WNBA context, and so now at all yeah, now at home, 666 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:33,280 Speaker 3: we haven't seen the official confirmation on her participation, but 667 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:36,720 Speaker 3: like they did kind of tease it a couple months back, 668 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 3: and it would make sense she's basically with Kelsey Mitchell 669 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 3: and Aleah like the the facto hosts of the event. 670 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:41,959 Speaker 2: Yeah. 671 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:44,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, And there are some murals that have been put 672 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:46,560 Speaker 1: up that are I mean, there was already a lot 673 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:49,960 Speaker 1: of CC around Indy, but now Caitlyn Clark. The takeover 674 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,320 Speaker 1: is really is really in place. It's gonna be a 675 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: ton of fun. Looking forward to seeing you there. Thanks 676 00:30:55,440 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 1: so much for all the inside. It was great as always. 677 00:30:57,840 --> 00:30:59,160 Speaker 3: Likewise, thanks a lot for having me. 678 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 1: Thanks so much to Ben for taking the time, always 679 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 1: such a good convo. We got to take another break 680 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 1: when we come back. The legend of a door draws 681 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:19,720 Speaker 1: slices together. Stick here, Welcome back slices. We got some 682 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:22,120 Speaker 1: great feedback and check ins from y'all while we were 683 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 1: on summer break, including super Slice Amanda Vaalo responding to 684 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,960 Speaker 1: our requests for memorable Pride moments by reminding us of 685 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:30,880 Speaker 1: a hilarious example. 686 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:33,840 Speaker 2: Of bad sports on screen from back in the day. 687 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:36,720 Speaker 1: You can always tell when a TV show doesn't have 688 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 1: a sports consultant for its sports scenes, or maybe even 689 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 1: have a single sports superman on set. And The L Word, 690 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 1: a groundbreaking series that talked about lesbian identity and friendship 691 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:49,840 Speaker 1: and sex back in the early two thousands, clearly had neither. 692 00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: Amanda Wrights quote, I don't have any specific Pride event memories, 693 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 1: but I remember back in the day being very hype 694 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:58,800 Speaker 1: to watch this episode of The L Word. I was 695 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 1: on the edge of my seat to see Shane Allison 696 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 1: the crew hoopin and then I think this scene set 697 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 1: the game of women's basketball. 698 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:08,440 Speaker 2: Back end quote. 699 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:12,320 Speaker 1: It's bad, y'all, it's real bad basketball. We'll link to 700 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 1: the scene in our show notes and all you l 701 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 1: word fans can get a little nostalgia trip watching it. Also, 702 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:22,239 Speaker 1: in response to our Pride PowerPoint episode, Amanda created a 703 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 1: good game version of family Feud called fanally Feud, complete 704 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:29,000 Speaker 1: with a working scoreboard and a game that you can 705 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:32,680 Speaker 1: play on PowerPoint, which I did not know existed. And 706 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:37,360 Speaker 1: she's got topics like Caitlin Clark sponsors, potential WNBACBA line items, 707 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:40,680 Speaker 1: and women's pro leagues outside the WNBA and the NWSL. 708 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:42,760 Speaker 2: Amanda, this is so good. 709 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:44,920 Speaker 1: Let us know when you've tested it out and it's 710 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:46,600 Speaker 1: ready for us to share if people want to play. 711 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 1: Also Super Slice, a guy Alitzer sent us a wreck 712 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 1: for a women's sports movie called to Tommy. It's a 713 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:55,920 Speaker 1: fictional feature inspired by true events involving a male athlete, 714 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 1: but in the movie, a member of the Iran national 715 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 1: women's judo team is competing at the World Championships into Blisi, 716 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:04,200 Speaker 1: the capital of Georgia, when the potential that she might 717 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:07,280 Speaker 1: face an Israeli opponent in the final leads the Iranian 718 00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 1: government to start pressuring and threatening her to drop out. 719 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:12,000 Speaker 1: Sounds pretty good. We'll check it out, hey guy. 720 00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:12,480 Speaker 2: Thanks. 721 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:16,880 Speaker 1: Gretchen Test sent us a thoughtful email about the WNBA's 722 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:20,280 Speaker 1: partnership with Coinbase, which was a major sponsor of the 723 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 1: Trump Military Parade and contributed one million dollars to the inauguration. 724 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 1: She had some pretty spot on questions about how the 725 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: alleged values of the league align with those of Coinbase. 726 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 1: You'll remember they're the primary sponsor for the Commissioner's Cup, 727 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:35,800 Speaker 1: and it had me thinking about Brianna Stewart's upcoming Harry 728 00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:39,800 Speaker 1: Potter Times, Pumas Dewey Feshoes, and also Venus and Serena 729 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: Williams launching a video podcast. 730 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:43,640 Speaker 2: On Elon Musk's X platform. 731 00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 1: Starting to feel like it might be time for another 732 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 1: episode dedicated to the human condition and how tough it 733 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:52,520 Speaker 1: can be to have principles in a capitalist system and 734 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:53,720 Speaker 1: root for athletes. 735 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:56,400 Speaker 2: Who seem to be making questionable choices. So thanks for 736 00:33:56,440 --> 00:34:00,120 Speaker 2: the NSPO, Gretchen. We'll do that episode soon. U. 737 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:03,600 Speaker 1: So we got this great story from Slice Emily Wessel. 738 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:06,720 Speaker 1: She writes, quote, Hi, Big Citrus, I was in Door 739 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:08,879 Speaker 1: County with my friends last weekend and had to check 740 00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:12,000 Speaker 1: out the future site of the Diana Tarassi bench while 741 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:14,239 Speaker 1: wearing my jersey in a different park, A girl dad 742 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:15,280 Speaker 1: excitedly said. 743 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:17,120 Speaker 2: Did you know there's a Tarasie bench around here? 744 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:21,000 Speaker 1: From a sports nerd, former D one women's basketball manager 745 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:23,880 Speaker 1: and current college rugby coach, thank you for all that 746 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:26,879 Speaker 1: y'all do. This podcast is special and I enjoy listening 747 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:27,680 Speaker 1: to it every day. 748 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:28,640 Speaker 2: End quote. 749 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:31,319 Speaker 1: Emily also included a picture of herself on the bench 750 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:35,600 Speaker 1: with a DT jersey draped over it. Emily, I love 751 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:38,440 Speaker 1: this story so much, and I'm so sad that the 752 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:41,160 Speaker 1: actual bench wasn't already in place for you. Another good 753 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 1: game list in DT love and Door County goers. The delay, 754 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:46,759 Speaker 1: to be honest, was the result of our effort to 755 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:50,040 Speaker 1: get Diana Trossi out to the bench ribbon cutting, and 756 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:52,280 Speaker 1: we just couldn't make it work. But the good news 757 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:55,320 Speaker 1: is we do finally have a schedule for the unveiling. 758 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:57,840 Speaker 1: We're going to be doing the ribbon cutting early afternoon 759 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:01,440 Speaker 1: on Saturday, August twenty third, up at Whitefish Dune State Park, 760 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:05,120 Speaker 1: and in DT's absence, there will be a replacement God 761 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:07,959 Speaker 1: or two on hand to witness the occasion. And after 762 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 1: the ribbon cutting, we'll all head to the hitching post 763 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:12,600 Speaker 1: just down the street in Sturgeon Bay for some beers 764 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:16,720 Speaker 1: and kurds and slice hangs. More details and timing to come, 765 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,000 Speaker 1: but if you're in driving distance or planning a trip 766 00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:20,880 Speaker 1: out to Door County, I'd love to see all of 767 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 1: y'all there. Also, as we're beginning this show's second trip 768 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 1: around the Sun, we want more suggestions and feedback for 769 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:28,640 Speaker 1: season two. 770 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 2: What do you love? What do you want more of? 771 00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:32,120 Speaker 2: Who are guests? You want to hear? Topics? 772 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:35,040 Speaker 1: You want to know more about good game at wondermediaetwork 773 00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:37,120 Speaker 1: dot com is where you send them or leave us 774 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:40,880 Speaker 1: a voicemail at eight seven to two two four fifty seventy. 775 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:44,279 Speaker 1: We want to hear more of your lovely voices. We 776 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:46,440 Speaker 1: love that you're listening, but we want you to get 777 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:48,279 Speaker 1: in the game every day too, So in addition to that, 778 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:51,560 Speaker 1: here's one more good game play of the day. Check 779 00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:55,319 Speaker 1: out Jamel Hill's podcast Spolitics. I joined her for a 780 00:35:55,360 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 1: recent episode and we'll link to that in the show notes. 781 00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:00,919 Speaker 1: I loved chatting career and book and so much more 782 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:01,200 Speaker 1: with her. 783 00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:03,160 Speaker 2: So take a listen and. 784 00:36:03,120 --> 00:36:07,120 Speaker 1: Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review. It's really easy, seriously, 785 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:10,400 Speaker 1: just like scroll down from where you're listening, find the stars, 786 00:36:10,719 --> 00:36:13,920 Speaker 1: hit five, tell us, you love us, say something nice. 787 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:18,560 Speaker 1: It's so simple here watch celebrating a generational talent with 788 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:23,400 Speaker 1: a perfect tribute rating ten out of ten Fresh Blooms review. 789 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:26,879 Speaker 1: With the news that Lily Johannes is departing Dutch club 790 00:36:26,960 --> 00:36:29,560 Speaker 1: IAX and signing a three year deal with oll Leon 791 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 1: and France, her now former team is celebrating the eighteen 792 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:34,680 Speaker 1: year old stars legacy. 793 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:37,040 Speaker 2: With an appropriate and very Dutch tribute. 794 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:41,920 Speaker 1: IAX has registered a new lily variety named after Johannes 795 00:36:42,239 --> 00:36:45,160 Speaker 1: with the Royal General Bulb Growers Association. 796 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:46,920 Speaker 2: So Johannes, who. 797 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:49,279 Speaker 1: Was born in Virginia, moved to the Netherlands at age 798 00:36:49,320 --> 00:36:52,280 Speaker 1: ten and played with the IAX Youth Academy before signing 799 00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:55,040 Speaker 1: her first pro contract with IAX at age fifteen. 800 00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:56,399 Speaker 2: Two years ago. 801 00:36:56,480 --> 00:36:59,560 Speaker 1: Then sixteen years old, Johannes became the youngest player to 802 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:03,080 Speaker 1: ever starter UEFA Women's Champions League match and last year, 803 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:05,440 Speaker 1: she announced that she would represent the US at the 804 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:08,560 Speaker 1: international level after weighing the option of representing the Netherlands. 805 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:11,120 Speaker 1: In a press release after Johannes's announcement that you'd be 806 00:37:11,160 --> 00:37:14,480 Speaker 1: leaving for OA, leon Iax said quote. To honor her 807 00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:17,799 Speaker 1: legacy at IAX and continue to inspire young talents, the 808 00:37:17,840 --> 00:37:20,359 Speaker 1: club has taken the initiative to name a unique new 809 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:24,240 Speaker 1: lily after her, the Johannes. Just like Lily, the Johannes 810 00:37:24,320 --> 00:37:28,000 Speaker 1: symbolizes the blossoming of talent growth and the pursuit of dreams. 811 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:33,399 Speaker 1: End quote lovely just class stuff so cool. Now it's 812 00:37:33,440 --> 00:37:36,879 Speaker 1: your turn, y'all rate and review, Thanks for listening, See 813 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:40,600 Speaker 1: you tomorrow. Good Game, Ben, Good Game, All Star sponsors, 814 00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:46,880 Speaker 1: few Bad TV Sports montages. Good Game with Sarah Spain 815 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:49,920 Speaker 1: is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep 816 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:52,360 Speaker 1: Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the 817 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:56,160 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 818 00:37:56,480 --> 00:37:59,960 Speaker 1: Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Ada 819 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:04,440 Speaker 1: and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, 820 00:38:04,719 --> 00:38:08,480 Speaker 1: Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Emily Rutterer, 821 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:12,440 Speaker 1: Brittany Martinez, Grace Lynch, and Gianna Palmer. Our associate producer 822 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:16,359 Speaker 1: is Lucy Jones. Production assistance from Avery LOFTUS and I'm 823 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:17,640 Speaker 1: Your Host Sarah Spain