Speaker 1: Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're welcoming
Speaker 1: the world of softball to our city tonight for a
Speaker 1: big party celebrating opening weekend at the AUSL millort shots
Speaker 1: for everybody. It's Friday, June sixth, Happy Friday Slices. On
Speaker 1: today's show, we'll be talking with National Softball Hall of
Speaker 1: Famer and Athletes Unlimited Softball League Advisor Jenny Finch about
Speaker 1: the inaugural season beginning on Saturday, the beauty of softball,
Speaker 1: stakeholders all working toward the same goal, and Major League
Speaker 1: Baseball's groundbreaking investment in the AUSL. Plus the PWHL expansion
Speaker 1: window opens with some huge moves, the NWSL is back
Speaker 1: in action, and at the end of the show, a
Speaker 1: special treat for all you puzzle lovers out there. It's
Speaker 1: all coming up right after this. Welcome mack y'all. Here's
Speaker 1: what you need to know today, leading off with softball
Speaker 1: and the Women's College World Series. We're recording this episode
Speaker 1: before Game two of the Championship Series between Texas and
Speaker 1: Texas Tech on Thursday night, So as you're listening to this,
Speaker 1: we're all either thinking congratulations to Texas for winning the
Speaker 1: program's first ever national championship. And wow was Sarah's pre
Speaker 1: series prediction right or we're all getting geared up for
Speaker 1: Game three of the series. Whichever way things went, We
Speaker 1: hope everyone had fun. Hey, speaking to that, y'all have
Speaker 1: to check out the brand new album Hope We have
Speaker 1: Fun from my friends and my faves Mountjoy.
Speaker 2: It's so good.
Speaker 1: Shameless plug, but you gotta support the RTS, y'all to hockey.
Speaker 1: Holy cow, The moves are moving in the PWHL. The
Speaker 1: league's new Seattle and Vancouver expansion teams are taking full
Speaker 1: advantage of the five day signing window ahead of Monday
Speaker 1: Night's expansion draft, just snaggin top players left and right.
Speaker 1: Remember how we told you that the Boston Fleet opted
Speaker 1: not to make ten time world champion Hillary Night one
Speaker 1: of their protected players. Well, she became the first player
Speaker 1: to sign with Seattle on Wednesday, inking a one year
Speaker 1: deal for the twenty twenty five to twenty twenty sixth season.
Speaker 1: And after she told us right here on this show
Speaker 1: how much she wanted to bring a title to Boston, Well,
Speaker 1: feels like you're one in Seattle. Might be a bit
Speaker 1: of a scorched earth tour making them pay for letting
Speaker 1: her go. Then there's two time defending champions Minnesota Frost,
Speaker 1: who saw both Sophie Jake's and friend of the Show
Speaker 1: Claire Thompson leave to sign with Vancouver Jakes for three
Speaker 1: years and Thompson for one year. With two players from
Speaker 1: Minnesota getting scooped up, the Frost were eligible to protect
Speaker 1: a fourth player, which they did on Wednesday, protecting Britack
Speaker 1: kral Salemi. Vancouver is also signing Ottawa Golie Emirates mash Meyer,
Speaker 1: and per the Athletic Sley Salvian is also expected to
Speaker 1: sign Toronto Sarah Nurse. And that was all just on
Speaker 1: day one of the signing window, y'all. By the time
Speaker 1: you slaces hear this, it's possible even more signings have
Speaker 1: been announced. Each expansion team can sign a maximum of
Speaker 1: five players before Sunday Eastern. Just a reminder, any unprotected
Speaker 1: player or player on an expiring contract is eligible to
Speaker 1: be signed. More PWHL. On Tuesday, the league's players Association
Speaker 1: announced that players voted overwhelmingly to disclose player salaries moving forward.
Speaker 1: As of now, salaries won't be published publicly, but they
Speaker 1: will be available to players and agents upon request. The
Speaker 1: decision is expected to give players more clarity and more
Speaker 1: information during contract negotiations. It's a big move from the
Speaker 1: PWHL Players Association and comes at a key moment given
Speaker 1: the ongoing expansion draft negotiation window. Moving on to hoops,
Speaker 1: the Seattle Storm is under a microscope once again. We
Speaker 1: first saw a report from Christina Williams, which was later
Speaker 1: built upon by reporting from Annie Costable, that the WNBA
Speaker 1: is reviewing a complaint from a former Seattle Storm player
Speaker 1: alleging that a current Seattle Storm assistant coach directed profanity
Speaker 1: at them. The encounter in question occurred when the Storm
Speaker 1: hosted the Aces on Sunday. There's no official investigation underway,
Speaker 1: but this is the second time Seattle's coaching staff has
Speaker 1: been the subject of a complaint in the last calendar year.
Speaker 2: You might remember that in November of.
Speaker 1: Last year, Constable, then with the Chicago Sun Times, reported
Speaker 1: that Seattle's coaching staff was under investigation for alleged player
Speaker 1: harassment and bullying. That complaint was filed by former Storm
Speaker 1: guard Jewel Lloyd, but an external investigation concluded without finding
Speaker 1: any violations. Lloyd requested a trade and is now with
Speaker 1: the Las Vegas Aces, per a post from Costable on
Speaker 1: x yesterday. Fines and suspensions are not expected in relation
Speaker 1: to this incident. Seattle is currently four and four on
Speaker 1: the season. We'll keep you updated on this situation as
Speaker 1: we hear more to soccer. The NWSL is back in
Speaker 1: action tonight after the international break.
Speaker 2: Two games on the schedule.
Speaker 1: First up Utah Royals at Racing Louisville at seven thirty
Speaker 1: pm Eastern. That'll be available on NWSL Plus, Paramount Plus
Speaker 1: and CBS Sports Galazzo. Then at ten pm Eastern, we've
Speaker 1: got a prime video showdown between the San Diego Wave
Speaker 1: and Seattle Rain. Five more contests over the course the
Speaker 1: weekend as well, so we'll link to the NWSL schedule
Speaker 1: in our show notes. More footy our show side. Minnesota
Speaker 1: Aurora FC is still undefeated. The squad is four to
Speaker 1: oh this season after a four nail victory over the
Speaker 1: Chicago City Dutch Lions on Sunday. The Aurora are back
Speaker 1: in action at home tonight against Sioux Falls City FC.
Speaker 1: That game begins at eight pm Eastern. And in softball,
Speaker 1: as I mentioned, the Athletes Unlimited Softball League AUSL starts
Speaker 1: up tomorrow a quick refresher on this new league. While
Speaker 1: Athletes Unlimited has been in the softball game since twenty twenty,
Speaker 1: this new league will use a more traditional format. Four
Speaker 1: teams will play in the inaugural season, touring in ten
Speaker 1: cities across the United States. In the past, AU has
Speaker 1: crowned an individual player as a champion, while this new
Speaker 1: league will award the inaugural.
Speaker 2: Trophy to a team.
Speaker 1: The first game on the schedule Saturday is The Talents
Speaker 1: Versus the bandits up in Rosemont, Illinois. That one starts
Speaker 1: at three Eastern on MLB dot Com, MLBtv, and the
Speaker 1: MLB app No subscription required. Its Eastern The Volts play
Speaker 1: the Blaze in Wichita, Kansas. Catch that game airing live
Speaker 1: on MLB Network and on MLBtv. Lots more AUSL chatter
Speaker 1: coming up later in the show with the Great Jenny Fitch.
Speaker 1: Slices want to let you know the flights are booked
Speaker 1: and the Aurora jersey is washed and ready. I'm headed
Speaker 1: to Minnesota next week to watch our show side the
Speaker 1: Minnesota Aurora FC in person. So if you're anywhere near Egan,
Speaker 1: Minnesota and Tco Stadium, just about twenty minutes outside Minneapolis
Speaker 1: Saint Paul. Come hang out and support the Aurora on Thursday,
Speaker 1: June twelfth against the Chicago City Dutch Lines. Team owners,
Speaker 1: you gotta wear your exclusive Onma Slight's hat if you
Speaker 1: got one excited to see y'all there. We're gonna take
Speaker 1: a quick break. When we come back, we're talking AUSL
Speaker 1: with the legendary Jenny Fitch.
Speaker 2: Be right back joining us now.
Speaker 1: She's one of the greatest softball players of all time,
Speaker 1: in a National Softball Hall of Famer, an advisor for
Speaker 1: the upcoming inaugural season of Athletes and Limited Softball League
Speaker 1: the AUSL. She was a collegiate All American, helping the
Speaker 1: Arizona Wildcats win the two thousand and one Women's College
Speaker 1: World Series, a member of the US national team that
Speaker 1: won gold at the two thousand and four Olympics in
Speaker 1: silver at the two thousand and eight Games. She played
Speaker 1: pro with the Chicago Bandits of the National Professt Pitch.
Speaker 2: League from five to twenty ten.
Speaker 1: We've seen around the Real Housewives of Orange County, dancing
Speaker 1: with the stars and famously striking out the world's best
Speaker 1: Major League baseball players.
Speaker 2: It's Jenny Bench Hi, Jenny.
Speaker 3: Hey Sarah, how are you.
Speaker 2: I'm good. Thank you so much for joining us.
Speaker 1: I am so excited to talk all things AUSL.
Speaker 2: Because we are finally here. We've been hearing about this league.
Speaker 1: But this weekend in my hometown of Chicago, I'm helping
Speaker 1: throw a big bash to celebrate the start of the
Speaker 1: league on Friday night and then Saturday the action begins.
Speaker 1: So tell us a little bit about what you've been
Speaker 1: working on when it comes to being an advisor for
Speaker 1: the league.
Speaker 3: Yeah. Absolutely, we couldn't be more excited for our score.
Speaker 4: I feel like now's the time we have all hands
Speaker 4: on deck and it's going to be exciting. Yeah, and
Speaker 4: I can't wait to join you in Chicago. What in
Speaker 4: two days? Crazy up here before we know it.
Speaker 3: So yeah.
Speaker 4: So my main role has been kind of just building
Speaker 4: the league from the ground up over the under the
Speaker 4: direction of Kimming, with the other advisors as well, cat
Speaker 4: Offhanjus Windows and Natasha Wattley and so just kind of
Speaker 4: figuring out I mean, building a league from the ground up.
Speaker 4: It's a huge, huge, enormous project and we couldn't be
Speaker 4: under better leadership. And it's just a matter of you know,
Speaker 4: finding the general managers. We did a ton of interviews
Speaker 4: and then head coaches, because who do we want.
Speaker 3: In these roles leading our league?
Speaker 4: And there's only fourteens, and I think that was the
Speaker 4: hardest part, was narrowing it down until only four, which
Speaker 4: I hope this is the only beginning, and we plan
Speaker 4: to expand hopefully next summer. But yeah, and just how
Speaker 4: many games and the whole world, what cities do we
Speaker 4: play in? And so a lot of decisions were made
Speaker 4: in a short period of time. But I think for
Speaker 4: the first time ever, we have everyone working in the
Speaker 4: same direction, and I think that's what excites me the most.
Speaker 4: Where in the past it's been different ownership, and it's
Speaker 4: been kind of honestly being in a survival mode of
Speaker 4: how do we make this work with limited funds? But
Speaker 4: now we're here and doing it the right way, and
Speaker 4: I couldn't be more thrilled.
Speaker 1: We had Jessica Mendoza on last weekend. She said the
Speaker 1: same thing. She just kept saying, it's just everyone together.
Speaker 1: We have everyone in the same place together, working toward
Speaker 1: the same thing. It reminds me a little bit of
Speaker 1: the PWHL, which is this incredible hockey league that now
Speaker 1: has all the best stars in one place instead of
Speaker 1: these disparate leagues that are trying to pull people all
Speaker 1: with great intention, but it's obviously so much better when
Speaker 1: you could have one destination. You mentioned four initial teams,
Speaker 1: the Volts, Bandits, Blaze, and Talons. So tell us about
Speaker 1: the format for this season.
Speaker 2: Where are the game is going to be? How many games?
Speaker 2: And how did the playoffs?
Speaker 3: So there's ten different cities.
Speaker 4: Actually we're coming They're going to come to sulf for Louisiana,
Speaker 4: which is their hometown, so really excited, and ten ten
Speaker 4: cities again, like how do you pick into ten cities
Speaker 4: for our sport.
Speaker 3: To go in?
Speaker 4: But Chicago, Wichita, Round Rock and then the championship series
Speaker 4: will be in Tuscaloosa in Alabama. And so I believe
Speaker 4: it's twenty four games, all televised on major networks ESPN,
Speaker 4: MLB Network, which is really really exciting, and MLB dot
Speaker 4: Com just announced that they are opening it up for
Speaker 4: completely free for viewerships to be able to tune in
Speaker 4: and all of the games will be broadcasted there.
Speaker 3: So just really really excited for just.
Speaker 4: The platform that we'll have now, and we've had leagues,
Speaker 4: but there was the consistency was never there, and so
Speaker 4: how do you follow? And I think our biggest hurdle
Speaker 4: in the past fifteen years was the.
Speaker 3: College game is at its all time high.
Speaker 4: It just continues to increase year after year after year,
Speaker 4: and we've never been able to kind of bridge that
Speaker 4: gap from the college game to the pro league. And
Speaker 4: so now being able to broadcast these games on TV,
Speaker 4: you know, fans will actually get to know the players,
Speaker 4: and they'll have a team to get behind, a mascot
Speaker 4: to get behind, and eventually the cities will come. But
Speaker 4: I think it's an extremely smart move to be able
Speaker 4: to do this tour first and kind of find out
Speaker 4: where the league will succeed and be at its best.
Speaker 4: And so that's what this summer will be, and then
Speaker 4: hopefully next summer will be able to kind of plant
Speaker 4: those teams in certain cities.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I feel pretty good about the chances that Chicago
Speaker 1: Bandits will be the team that the Bandits become, based
Speaker 1: on the fact that they very smartly use the sort
Speaker 1: of light blue and red from the Chicago flag, the star,
Speaker 1: all the things that we loved about the Chicago Red
Speaker 1: Stars logo, which they changed when they became the Chicago Stars.
Speaker 1: So the Bandits are giving us back team to root
Speaker 1: for that has the elements of the flag and the
Speaker 1: history there. They compete on Jenny Finch Way, for God's
Speaker 1: sakes in Rosemont, Illinois, So.
Speaker 2: I feel pretty good about that one.
Speaker 1: You mentioned twenty four games per team, so forty eight
Speaker 1: games total for the fourteen league in this first season
Speaker 1: and then a best of three championship series in Tescalosa
Speaker 1: on June twenty sixth through twenty eighth, So lots to
Speaker 1: look forward to, lots of games to watch.
Speaker 2: You know, as a.
Speaker 1: Player in an earlier iteration of professional softball, you have
Speaker 1: firsthand knowledge of what's been lacking and what was the.
Speaker 2: Next step for this sport.
Speaker 1: What did you suggest to athletes unlimited in some of
Speaker 1: those meetings. What are some of the most important resources, amenities,
Speaker 1: priorities for players that you insisted that they have in
Speaker 1: this new league.
Speaker 4: Well, I think you know, and honestly, playing in Chicago
Speaker 4: it was such a dream and my first call was
Speaker 4: to the owners of the Chicago Bandits from way back when,
Speaker 4: and just with a huge heart of gratitude and appreciation
Speaker 4: because they did it. When I mean it's never going
Speaker 4: to be easy, but man, like, they gave us a
Speaker 4: shot and we had the opportunity to play. But honestly,
Speaker 4: you know, to think of where it is now, like
Speaker 4: this is truly professional softball, and you know, honestly, I
Speaker 4: had to pinch myself so many times throughout this process
Speaker 4: because childcare.
Speaker 3: Health insurance, training funding like this stuff was.
Speaker 4: You know, we didn't even have walker rooms. We were
Speaker 4: using the same restrooms as the fans pretty much. And
Speaker 4: so just to see how far we've come. And then
Speaker 4: obviously Athletes Unlimited has had success in the past, but
Speaker 4: it was sixty athletes and they were in Chicago, and
Speaker 4: then every week they would rotate teams. The top four
Speaker 4: athletes according to their point system would then be the
Speaker 4: captain head coach of those teams. But I think, you know,
Speaker 4: we listened to the fans and the fans of course,
Speaker 4: with softball being a team score, I think that is
Speaker 4: the most beautiful team sports. And so being able to
Speaker 4: really kind of put a name to a team, to
Speaker 4: a mascot and eventually a city will be something really
Speaker 4: really special. And for me too, I love to see
Speaker 4: the adjustments and see how who works together and that
Speaker 4: camaradery on the field, and I think being able to
Speaker 4: have a team together for a summer that's going to
Speaker 4: showcase just the beauty of our game on and off
Speaker 4: the field. And so I think that's what and the
Speaker 4: players too, you know, it's it's really tough getting to
Speaker 4: know teammates that and then the next week you know you're.
Speaker 3: Playing against that person. And so kudos to what they've done.
Speaker 4: And we will still have the championship series at the
Speaker 4: end of the summer, and those will be the top
Speaker 4: athletes from the league, the top right right to play
Speaker 4: in that, which will be super exciting, and and they'll
Speaker 4: be you know, repping their team, and then the players
Speaker 4: of that team. And I think two which is a
Speaker 4: really really special dynamic is these athletes, the majority of
Speaker 4: them have played together in Athletes Unlimited and all under
Speaker 4: the same roof for a couple of summers now, so
Speaker 4: these athletes really really know each other, which I think
Speaker 4: is a unique dynamic as well.
Speaker 1: You mentioned that you called the owners of the Chicago Bandits.
Speaker 2: What did you want to ask them?
Speaker 1: What did you want to get from them as you
Speaker 1: were trying to help build this league.
Speaker 4: Mainly it was just just showing gratitude and appreciation, and
Speaker 4: you know, we were super close and still are super close,
Speaker 4: but it was just kind of showing my respect and
Speaker 4: letting them know that we would not be in this
Speaker 4: position if it wasn't for them. And I think even
Speaker 4: all I think of all of the families and teams
Speaker 4: that hosted like my camps when I was going on
Speaker 4: tour and we went to like twelve cities a summer,
Speaker 4: and it was just like all of the growth of
Speaker 4: the game, you know, and that was how we can
Speaker 4: kind of we're able to make money and still compete
Speaker 4: and train for the Olympic Games. Was doing camps and
Speaker 4: clinics and speaking engagement because that allowed us the flexibility
Speaker 4: to work around our training schedule and competition schedule and
Speaker 4: so just you know, just full circle moment and just
Speaker 4: so appreciative of that's cool.
Speaker 3: We're finally here.
Speaker 4: And I think, you know, obviously bringing Kim ing on
Speaker 4: was just that next step of Okay, this is legit.
Speaker 4: Her MLB background of being a general manager. It's just
Speaker 4: you know, you can't compare to her leadership, her knowledge,
Speaker 4: her experiences that she has, and then to be able
Speaker 4: to bring that over on our side, we're extremely, extremely
Speaker 4: blessed to have her.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 1: I love that sort of looking back and saying, now
Speaker 1: that I'm putting together a league, Wow, do I understand
Speaker 1: what y'all did for us when you put together those
Speaker 1: initial leagues and then looking forward and saying, what does
Speaker 1: it look like if we put in place this incredibly
Speaker 1: successful MLB exec who has bigger budgets, bigger investments, bigger resources,
Speaker 1: and how does that affect the choices we make here
Speaker 1: and how big our swings are here? You mentioned Kim
Speaker 1: Eng the new commissioner. This signaled a real commitment to
Speaker 1: getting the best and doing this right. What do you
Speaker 1: make of her first moves at the position and her
Speaker 1: approach to the newly going forward? What has sort of
Speaker 1: stood out to you?
Speaker 3: I think just her.
Speaker 4: Consistency and relatability at the same time being who she
Speaker 4: is and what she's done and accomplished.
Speaker 3: And I think her her.
Speaker 4: Passion and she's just she's very even keel And it
Speaker 4: hasn't been easy, you know, signing athletes and trying to
Speaker 4: get them to buy in and be on board because
Speaker 4: it is it is all new for everybody across the board,
Speaker 4: and so just really thankful of who she is and
Speaker 4: how she goes about her business and her professionalism that
Speaker 4: she brings on so many levels.
Speaker 3: And I think to the people.
Speaker 4: She knows as well, and it's not we have to
Speaker 4: try it out. You know, she's been there, She's seen
Speaker 4: what works, what doesn't work, and how to manage. And
Speaker 4: I think I love the mentorship of her with our
Speaker 4: general managers as well. So our four general managers have
Speaker 4: her on speed dial and have access to her to
Speaker 4: help lead their ball clubs as well in this.
Speaker 3: So just really really cool support system. I think on
Speaker 3: so many levels that she brings.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we'll talk about those gims in a second, but
Speaker 1: I want to first talk about the other folks she
Speaker 1: has on her speed dow, which is a lot of
Speaker 1: people at MLB. And last week we saw the announcement
Speaker 1: about the huge MLB investment into the AUSL, an incredibly
Speaker 1: exciting development. What does that partnership mean for AUSL and
Speaker 1: Pro Softball? The first time MLB has ever invested in
Speaker 1: this way in a professional softball league.
Speaker 4: It's a historical, monumental moment movement for us and couldn't
Speaker 4: be more thankful for Major League Baseball stepping up to
Speaker 4: the plate and not just saying yes, we support it,
Speaker 4: but you know, putting money where their mouth is. And
Speaker 4: when we were on the call to get the news,
Speaker 4: it was Natasha Wattley and I with Kim Ang and
Speaker 4: Sarah put Off from MLB as well, who works with
Speaker 4: the MLB development side, and there was a room full
Speaker 4: of press there to witness this moment and and it
Speaker 4: was just like, they're they're going to back this and
Speaker 4: they're going to do it the right way. And so
Speaker 4: I think that's what excites me the most is it's
Speaker 4: not just a headline of you know, MLB supports a
Speaker 4: us L. It's it's truly legit and they're they're stepping
Speaker 4: up to the plate and good things are coming.
Speaker 3: They're sharing their platforms.
Speaker 4: My feeds are just insane on Emibe Network, MLB dot Com.
Speaker 4: I mean, they are truly all hands on deck. And
Speaker 4: I love it too because the writers truly have a
Speaker 4: passion and care about AUSL and the players, and that's
Speaker 4: that's what we need.
Speaker 3: We need to build stars.
Speaker 4: We need to be able to tell their stories and
Speaker 4: showcase who they are, what they do and how great
Speaker 4: they do it, and just start building those connections with
Speaker 4: and I think, obviously we have softball fans on deck,
Speaker 4: but we need a wider, broader audience. We need we
Speaker 4: need mainstream America to back this and to be behind
Speaker 4: it and know the superstars of the AUSL.
Speaker 1: Obviously such a great product that's been so clear across
Speaker 1: the college landscape and even at the pros the people
Speaker 1: who get into it know. But being able to have
Speaker 1: a whole brand new, giant audience to tune in and
Speaker 1: be introduced to it in this way through the MLB
Speaker 1: is really great. I need to ask, what's the dog's name?
Speaker 1: The dog made a little appearance with a little bark
Speaker 1: in his no. I was hoping he wasn't in the
Speaker 1: no he is, and I'm loving it. To be honest
Speaker 1: with you, I'm a huge dog person.
Speaker 3: This is Frankie.
Speaker 2: Hi, Frankie.
Speaker 1: I appreciate that he literally just came up and sat
Speaker 1: next to you, like I would like to be involved
Speaker 1: in this interview.
Speaker 2: Thank you very much. Ask me my opinion.
Speaker 1: You mentioned the GMS legendary names like kat Osterman and
Speaker 1: Lisa Fernandez are among the first four. How important is
Speaker 1: it to have those former players in decision making positions
Speaker 1: alongside you? Mentioned the incredible ambassadors that were called in
Speaker 1: some of the best of the best to ever play.
Speaker 1: This is something Athletes Unlimited is known for. They go
Speaker 1: to the athletes. They go to the players even while
Speaker 1: they're currently playing, and say, what do you want, what
Speaker 1: do you need? How do we make this league for you.
Speaker 1: They're really thriving in that way, especially at the top
Speaker 1: with this new league. What does that mean?
Speaker 4: Yeah, and I truly think it's it's for the athlete,
Speaker 4: by the athlete. They've done such and honestly, I was
Speaker 4: skeptical at the beginning and I kind of I supported it,
Speaker 4: but I wasn't ready to jump on board. And then
Speaker 4: you know, just asking the athlete, Hey, what's your experience, like,
Speaker 4: like what you know? How is Athletes Unlimited? Everything I
Speaker 4: heard was nothing but positive feedback, and they truly do
Speaker 4: care about the athletes. The athletes have a voice, and
Speaker 4: so it's it's been, you know, pretty special for the
Speaker 4: athletes to be so involved.
Speaker 3: And then I think built by athletes.
Speaker 4: And we had coaches, and we had great coaches, but
Speaker 4: these athletes all came from the best programs in the country.
Speaker 4: And my goal, our goal as advisors was, like I
Speaker 4: wanted them to step foot in pro softball and then
Speaker 4: get the next level to then.
Speaker 3: Elevate their game. And I think that's what we've never had,
Speaker 3: is I mean.
Speaker 4: We're peaking in college basically, and then after that it's
Speaker 4: just trying to like sustain and you're you're trying to
Speaker 4: get access to coaches and and now with technology and
Speaker 4: and you know, and it was it was difficult because
Speaker 4: obviously the best coaches have programs that they have to run,
Speaker 4: so that for them to then to summer out like
Speaker 4: there's no way that they're going to do that. And
Speaker 4: so it was a battle trying to figure out, you know,
Speaker 4: who's going to lead the way and what coaches will
Speaker 4: be able to pull it off.
Speaker 3: And I'm so thankful for our group that did because
Speaker 3: they are bar none.
Speaker 4: And I think that's what excites me the most is
Speaker 4: for the athletes to now be able to then elevate
Speaker 4: their game even greater and take it to the next level.
Speaker 4: And talking to some of the athletes just you know,
Speaker 4: as they reported last week, they're they're really really excited
Speaker 4: to pick the brains.
Speaker 3: And I think, you know, being a former player, that
Speaker 3: was something that.
Speaker 4: I loved was getting to sit down and talk the
Speaker 4: game with my teammates. Honestly, like the USA Softball bullpen
Speaker 4: was like golden for me because we shared information, we
Speaker 4: helped each other, we were you know, working, and it
Speaker 4: was the best of the best.
Speaker 3: Like iron sharpens iron.
Speaker 4: And that's what this pro league will have with the
Speaker 4: leadership that it's under, the coaching that it's under, and
Speaker 4: then to be able to have the technology and you know,
Speaker 4: everything at their team, at.
Speaker 3: Their disposing your kiah to be a success and to
Speaker 3: be the best that they can be. So and I
Speaker 3: think even thinking down the road even more for me, I.
Speaker 4: Think about USA Softball and this is the training ground
Speaker 4: for the Olympics twenty twenty eight will be here before
Speaker 4: we know it. And now we have the best in
Speaker 4: our sport, the best in our country playing against each other,
Speaker 4: and so truly like this is this is the path
Speaker 4: And you know, I know coach Gasso and the entire
Speaker 4: USA staff is going to be looking at these athletes
Speaker 4: and you know, we never had that. It was only
Speaker 4: one or two events that the USA played in and
Speaker 4: that was what we had to go off for the summer.
Speaker 4: But now like they're going to be able to witness
Speaker 4: and watch these athletes continue to excel, and I think
Speaker 4: be even more prepared.
Speaker 3: Facing the best. This is the best of the best,
Speaker 3: So you're facing the best.
Speaker 4: All summer long now, So come twenty twenty eight, they're
Speaker 4: gonna they're gonna be ready.
Speaker 2: I love that.
Speaker 1: Yeah. I wonder you're around all these great folks, both
Speaker 1: in the ambassador room and as you're prepping for this league.
Speaker 1: How often has one or the other of you said, man,
Speaker 1: if only I was still playing, or man, I would
Speaker 1: have loved this when I was playing.
Speaker 3: I know, I just really like go spend some times
Speaker 3: in the time in the bullpen now.
Speaker 4: With just the technology and it's it's it's why. And
Speaker 4: I feel like every week there's something new, you know.
Speaker 4: And obviously there's that balance of being an out that
Speaker 4: you have to kind of I think to the challenge
Speaker 4: of the athletes today are like limiting and figuring out
Speaker 4: what information you need and then protecting and dismissing the
Speaker 4: information that you know is too much.
Speaker 3: But it's just so so cool just to.
Speaker 4: See the depth and what these athletes have and to
Speaker 4: see them work and shine. And I'm looking forward to,
Speaker 4: you know, seeing them play Saturday in Chicago opening day
Speaker 4: and getting the follow them all season.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's been There's been a lot of that across
Speaker 1: women's sports of late, and it is both so exciting
Speaker 1: and bittersweet to hear the ones who made the sports
Speaker 1: say I'm so I feel great about opening up these
Speaker 1: doors for the next generation. I feel great about being
Speaker 1: partly responsible for the money they're making and the endorsements
Speaker 1: they're getting and the TV deals that are happening. And
Speaker 1: also how cool would it have been to be able
Speaker 1: to participate and do all these cool things that they're
Speaker 1: getting to do when I was playing. So there's always
Speaker 1: this feeling of real pride and also just a little
Speaker 1: bittersweet of like, oh, that would have been cool.
Speaker 2: That would have been cool when I was around.
Speaker 1: You mentioned this weekend, we got a party, a brunch,
Speaker 1: we got games. Tell us a little bit what opening
Speaker 1: weekend for the AOSL is going to look like.
Speaker 4: Yeah, so Friday night are having just to get together
Speaker 4: and I think a celebration of where we're at and
Speaker 4: what's to come. Looking forward to that and seeing some
Speaker 4: old bandits that were coming in in Chicago, and I
Speaker 4: think the leaders in our game, in our sport, the gms,
Speaker 4: the head coaches, everybody will be there ready to go,
Speaker 4: and so looking forward to that.
Speaker 3: And then Kim Ang's doing I think donuts and.
Speaker 1: Something maybe yess how did I not?
Speaker 3: I failed on that one, but it was so cool.
Speaker 4: Not to repeat that, but dont and dinners with kim
Speaker 4: A and then the game. And so we'll be at
Speaker 4: the game in Chicago in Rosemond. What a cool stadium
Speaker 4: and everything that they've built there. So just that can
Speaker 4: be more grateful for the city of Rosemont because they've
Speaker 4: really truly backed our score for the last ten years.
Speaker 1: Yeah, for those who don't know, right outside Chicago, and
Speaker 1: the stadium is on Jenny Finch Way. So that was
Speaker 1: actually a trivia question at a trivia night I was
Speaker 1: at a couple months ago, and I was like, I
Speaker 1: know this one, don't even I know what street. It's uneven.
Speaker 5: A couple of.
Speaker 2: Things before we go.
Speaker 1: At least one player in the league is still competing
Speaker 1: in the College World Series, which is going to wrap
Speaker 1: up either Thursday or Friday. Have any idea when they'll
Speaker 1: be joining things and how they'll be incorporated into the league.
Speaker 3: I don't, I don't. I know. It's been so exciting.
Speaker 4: I mean not exciting that they've lost out the ones
Speaker 4: that have twelve golden tickets. We're just really really cool
Speaker 4: being able to go into their college programs atmosphere fan
Speaker 4: bases and celebrate them and give them the golden ticket
Speaker 4: to be drafted to AUSL. But then you know, we
Speaker 4: still have to sign them, and so you don't really
Speaker 4: know for sure if they're going to be committed. So
Speaker 4: just today Sam Landry is signed as a Bolt, and
Speaker 4: so that's one more check in the box.
Speaker 3: But yeah, who knows. I don't know.
Speaker 4: Hopefully, I'm sure as soon as possible, But then again,
Speaker 4: I'm sure they want to go back and celebrate and
Speaker 4: have a day or two, so I'm assuming within the
Speaker 4: next week hopefully.
Speaker 1: I'll tell you what, for those players whose college careers
Speaker 1: are done and they're heartbroken to not be walking away
Speaker 1: with a World Series title, there is a nice little
Speaker 1: bonus if what's next for them is signing a professional
Speaker 1: contract and getting to start in this new league. It's
Speaker 1: much better than looking out into the professional landscape and
Speaker 1: having to get a real damn job. Last question for
Speaker 1: you mentioned the technology. I've been fascinated. I have a
Speaker 1: friend who's a coach with the Chicago Cubs and sometimes
Speaker 1: lets me peek behind the scenes of what they're working on,
Speaker 1: including these like wild proprietary systems that are like basically
Speaker 1: a hologram, so when you're pitching, when you're batting against
Speaker 1: a pitching machine, it actually looks.
Speaker 2: Like the player who's pitch they're recreating.
Speaker 1: It looks like it's coming off the player's hand instead
Speaker 1: of just a pitch machine.
Speaker 2: And how different that is.
Speaker 1: What have you seen in the softball world that you're like, Man,
Speaker 1: my game would have been different if I had this
Speaker 1: back then.
Speaker 4: Honestly, I would just be the training aspect of it
Speaker 4: for me, like in the.
Speaker 3: Weight room, because we were just doing I mean with
Speaker 3: the knowledge that we had.
Speaker 4: I mean, I think we were advanced at that point,
Speaker 4: and coach Candrea did such an incredible job with the
Speaker 4: Olympic team, and you know, reaching out and we saw
Speaker 4: the tiatrist, we saw you know, optometris, like everything and
Speaker 4: anything that we needed, but we're still so far behind.
Speaker 3: And so now just I.
Speaker 4: Think and even like nutrition was like we had no
Speaker 4: clue and it was terrible, honestly, our diets, and so
Speaker 4: I think just now even with like supplements and everything,
Speaker 4: and then and then again obviously technique, and I mean
Speaker 4: I think just you can see the spin rate, you
Speaker 4: can see.
Speaker 3: You know, the tunnel, the you know, the inages of movement.
Speaker 4: It's just it's insane, insane how much information and the
Speaker 4: tools and it just keeps continuing and it's so fast.
Speaker 1: But I think about that a lot, Like in college,
Speaker 1: we didn't do foam rolling and yoga and pilates and
Speaker 1: cryo and any of that stuff. We didn't even watch
Speaker 1: that much tape of what we were doing, and especially
Speaker 1: in track like field events, where it's like the position
Speaker 1: of your leg or your arm matter so much, and
Speaker 1: we like never looked and watched it. And now you
Speaker 1: could tape every single practice and every single game and
Speaker 1: like go back and really analyze. You don't want to
Speaker 1: get too obsessed with it, of course, but yeah, it
Speaker 1: feels like there's an inevitability to the marching on of
Speaker 1: new records and new speeds and everything else because of
Speaker 1: all the facilities and resources and everything else. Well, we're
Speaker 1: grateful that you came back to help the next generation
Speaker 1: and that he came on the show to tell us
Speaker 1: all about it. We're super excited for the start of AUSL.
Speaker 1: So thanks so much for the time.
Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, thank you.
Speaker 1: Thanks again to Jenny for taking the time, and make
Speaker 1: sure you tune into the first AUSL games on Saturday.
Speaker 1: We had to take another break. When we return, we
Speaker 1: received a strongly worded email and we have a strongly
Speaker 1: worded response.
Speaker 2: Welcome back, Slices.
Speaker 1: I just I have to share this message from Slice
Speaker 1: Melissa Tromboor, who wrote quote. While listening to the Hillary
Speaker 1: Night episode, I was reminded of Sarah's bucket list item
Speaker 1: to appear on SNL. Wanted to share that my golden retriever, Mulligan,
Speaker 1: has been on SNL twice. Here's a link to his
Speaker 1: appearance on the fiftieth anniversary show. Keep putting your wish
Speaker 1: out there in the universe, and I'll have Mulligan put
Speaker 1: in a good word for you. Next time he's at
Speaker 1: thirty Rock, the appearance will happen. End quote LESA. I'm
Speaker 1: dying first of all, Mulligan cute dog. Also sitting next
Speaker 1: to Julia Louis Dreyfus, I die amazing. Third, I can't
Speaker 1: decide if this makes me feel better or worse about
Speaker 1: having never fulfilled my dream to appear on the show.
Speaker 1: No wait, I can't decide worse. I feel worse. I'm
Speaker 1: so damn jealous of your dog. What does he have
Speaker 1: that I don't other than luscious golden locks, an adorable face,
Speaker 1: the ability to take direction, and undeniable charisma. Damn it, Mulligan,
Speaker 1: you're a star. We love that you're listening, but we
Speaker 1: want you to get in the game every day too.
Speaker 1: So here's our good game play of the day. Stay
Speaker 1: tuned after the few in today's show for a surprise
Speaker 1: WNBA puzzle. It's from one of my appearances on the
Speaker 1: iHeart podcast The Puzzler.
Speaker 2: With aj Jacobs.
Speaker 1: See if you can get all the w related questions right,
Speaker 1: and if you feel so inclined, check out all three
Speaker 1: of my episodes on the Puzzler. This week, I had
Speaker 1: a whole lot of fun. We'll link to the Puzzler
Speaker 1: pod in our show notes. We always love to hear
Speaker 1: from you, so hit us up on email good game
Speaker 1: at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail at
Speaker 1: eight seven two two four fifty seventy, and don't forget
Speaker 1: to subscribe, rate and review. It's easy slices watch the
Speaker 1: guy who sent us an email about our Gimme a
Speaker 1: Minute segment rating five out of five. I remember you's
Speaker 1: review very early on in our show's history. Slice Brett
Speaker 1: wrote to us calling us out regarding our interview with
Speaker 1: Cheryl Swoops and the mention of complaints that she'd received
Speaker 1: about our Kaitlin Clark coverage. Well, he's back with another
Speaker 1: editorial suggestion. Unlike many of you, he did not enjoy
Speaker 1: our Gimme a Minute segment on how Kitlyn Clark's entry
Speaker 1: is being covered. He wrote, in part, good lord, I
Speaker 1: was really hoping that this season people would just stop.
Speaker 2: Being weird about Kaitlyn Clark. But here we are again.
Speaker 1: The segment today is not only bad, it's actively working
Speaker 1: against what you actually desire. I don't know how many
Speaker 1: times you or someone on your show have gone down
Speaker 1: this path, suggesting that other players and stories should be
Speaker 1: highlighted as opposed to the over coverage of Clark. But
Speaker 1: here you are doing the exact same thing. You do
Speaker 1: one segment on the show about the WNBA, and it
Speaker 1: again is centered on Clark. He continues, whining about people
Speaker 1: covering Clark too much? Is still covering Clark? Be the
Speaker 1: change you want to see in the world. Tell whoever
Speaker 1: came up with this segment to kick Rocks and come
Speaker 1: back with some original ideas. There are hundreds of stories
Speaker 1: you could have had here. He goes on to list
Speaker 1: a bunch of really great WNBA stories, from Kiki Eria
Speaker 1: fenn Sonya Citron Bawling out Early to Alessa Thomas Thriving
Speaker 1: in Phoenix.
Speaker 2: So Brett, first, I'm not going.
Speaker 1: To tell myself to kick rocks because I came up
Speaker 1: with the segment.
Speaker 2: But also, we.
Speaker 1: Love the passion you have for the WNBA, and we
Speaker 1: actually love all your story suggestions, and we agree that
Speaker 1: this season shouldn't be spent rehashing the same tired Angel
Speaker 1: versus Caitlin Brennan versus the league storylines. That being said,
Speaker 1: tackling problematic coverage and narratives is necessary. We saw that
Speaker 1: last year when people talked around the issues in the
Speaker 1: w for way too long and then things blew up
Speaker 1: and started to be truly harmful and sometimes even dangerous
Speaker 1: for players. So we will keep calling out issues when
Speaker 1: we think it's necessary, even if it means covering the
Speaker 1: coverage of Clark, and we will keep highlighting WNBA stories
Speaker 1: as well, like we did with the Marina Maybrey interview
Speaker 1: that ran the day after we received this email from you,
Speaker 1: to be honest and take you behind the curtain a little.
Speaker 1: The segment you didn't like was actually inspired by our
Speaker 1: desire to incorporate more opinions into the show outside of
Speaker 1: just the news, especially more WNBA opinions and some of
Speaker 1: those stories that you suggested. The first iteration just happened
Speaker 1: to be about the clerk injury, But maybe next time
Speaker 1: we'll chat about something like I don't know the Chicago
Speaker 1: sky being extremely disappointing, because lord knows, I got plenty
Speaker 1: to say about that. Now it's your turn, y'all, rate
Speaker 1: and review. Thanks for listening, See you next week. Good Game, Jenny,
Speaker 1: Good Game, ausl you puzzles and trivia about the Bible.
Speaker 2: I'm out, I know nothing.
Speaker 1: If you want to know what I mean, listen to
Speaker 1: my episodes of the Puzzler. The WNBA quiz they gave
Speaker 1: me is coming up next. Good Game with Sarah Spain
Speaker 1: is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep
Speaker 1: Blue Sports and Entertainment. You could find us on the
Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1: Production by Wonder Media Network. Our producers are Alex Azzie
Speaker 1: and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz,
Speaker 1: Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Emily Rutterer,
Speaker 1: Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch, and Gianna Palmer. Our associate producer
Speaker 1: is Lucy Jones. And I'm your host, Sarah Spain.
Speaker 6: We're going to mainline. I don't know if that's the
Speaker 6: right guy. All right, all right, a family fuzzle showing sip.
Speaker 6: We're in savor of puzzle.
Speaker 5: Great.
Speaker 6: Uh, this one is about the w NBA. It's called
Speaker 6: hoops groups and every answer is going to be a
Speaker 6: rhyming phrase where one of the words is the name
Speaker 6: of a w NBA team. So, for instance, if I
Speaker 6: gave you the clue bad luck for Minnesota's w NBA team,
Speaker 6: that might be Linx Jinks. So they're all going to
Speaker 6: have the team and then so are you ready for clues?
Speaker 1: All right?
Speaker 6: And by the way, these are often fictional. I'm not
Speaker 6: saying there is a jinx on links, so don't get me.
Speaker 7: There was last finals.
Speaker 6: Oh right.
Speaker 5: If you consider officials a Jigs.
Speaker 7: My physical therapist is for Minnesota and she we have
Speaker 7: this fight every time I see her.
Speaker 1: Now, that's great.
Speaker 6: College style housing for Seattle's w NBA team.
Speaker 1: M okay, I see what you're doing there. That would
Speaker 1: be uh dorms for the.
Speaker 6: Storm that's right, storm dorm or dorm doorm storm h
Speaker 6: Hammer and Great Whites owned by Los Angeles' WNBA.
Speaker 1: Team, Hammerheads and Grazed Whites. Oh, Los Angeles, I thought
Speaker 1: you said Las Vegas. I really doubted myself for a second.
Speaker 1: There we're talking about the Spark Sharks.
Speaker 6: That is correct, exactly while we're on Vegas. Let me
Speaker 6: try a Vegas one. I'll scroll down to that. Oh,
Speaker 6: this is what the Las Vegas team has on their
Speaker 6: sneakers to keep them from falling off.
Speaker 1: Also, the name of one of the teams in the
Speaker 1: new Unrivaled three on three league.
Speaker 5: This is the Aces Laces.
Speaker 6: Oh, there's a Laces team.
Speaker 1: There's a Laces in the three on three offseason league
Speaker 1: called Unrivaled and they have a really cool logo.
Speaker 6: And where are they from?
Speaker 1: So Unrivaled is everybody just goes to Miami for eight
Speaker 1: weeks and plays against each other.
Speaker 5: So they're not affiliated with cities yet, though.
Speaker 1: The belief is that they might keep getting more popular
Speaker 1: and then spin often try to get owners to buy
Speaker 1: and put them in cities to sort of.
Speaker 7: Like an off season league. That's very cool.
Speaker 6: I also love the boldness of calling it unrivaled when
Speaker 6: it is a rival league.
Speaker 1: Yes, yes, yes, yes, But it's three on three, so
Speaker 1: I guess it's a technicality that they're really riding.
Speaker 6: Oh very good. Okay, I thought you meant three teams
Speaker 6: on three, but no, you're three. Oh very cool. This
Speaker 6: is a Catholic woman who lives in a convent who
Speaker 6: prays for Connecticut's w NBA team.
Speaker 5: She should be praying hard this season.
Speaker 1: If there's a team that needs divine intervention this season,
Speaker 1: it is the Sun.
Speaker 5: So they need help from a Sun's nun.
Speaker 6: There you go. And by the way, I was listening
Speaker 6: to a previous Good Game episode where you talked about
Speaker 6: an WNBA fan at the announcement of a new pope.
Speaker 6: So an actual nun.
Speaker 5: Yes, n she was Actually this was wild.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 1: First of all, I'm from Chicago, so my phone has
Speaker 1: not stopped blowing up with memes about the Chicago Pope.
Speaker 5: We will never shut up about this.
Speaker 1: Other than New York, we were the last place you
Speaker 1: should have delivered my history making.
Speaker 5: We got Obama, we got Peyton, we got Jordan, and
Speaker 5: now we've got du Pope.
Speaker 1: But yeah, this woman was a nun in the crowded
Speaker 1: Saint Peter Square and on the back of her phone
Speaker 1: that she had lifted to take video of the new Pope,
Speaker 1: it had an Orlando Pride NWSL, which is women's professional
Speaker 1: soccer sticker on the phone, which I just loved and
Speaker 1: I would have been shot by except for my mom
Speaker 1: was actually a theology major in college and has several
Speaker 1: very good friends that became nuns, and they listened to
Speaker 1: my show and they're fans of sports and really into it.
Speaker 1: So I don't know why I always think nuns and
Speaker 1: priests and such.
Speaker 5: Are not regular people. But the Pope was that the
Speaker 5: White Sox world.
Speaker 7: The White Sox.
Speaker 5: Yeah, oh you know, they they're just like us, Pope, they.
Speaker 6: Are, They are fantastic.
Speaker 7: But I have to share a story on the same thing.
Speaker 7: I went to a Jesuit high school in California and
Speaker 7: our college counselor, father Clemo, ran the football pool. Yes, right,
Speaker 7: so he was encouraging US high school kids to show
Speaker 7: up with you know, a couple bucks and bet on
Speaker 7: football with him.
Speaker 5: He wants us to gamble.
Speaker 1: Also, I would never trust the outcome of a religious leader,
Speaker 1: a legend that that you know, God wasn't on his side, right,
Speaker 1: I don't know. I just would feel like if he
Speaker 1: ever lost, I would question his connection good.
Speaker 6: Yeah, what kind of pole does he have?
Speaker 7: Yeah?
Speaker 3: Or she?
Speaker 5: What if?
Speaker 6: We finish up with a couple of w NBA players
Speaker 6: so teams uh and some of these are present play
Speaker 6: current players, some are past legends. This is a woodwind
Speaker 6: instrument owned by a former New York Liberty star. Rebecca
Speaker 6: is her first name. These are all last names.
Speaker 1: Yes, I was a I was a clarinet player, but
Speaker 1: I am familiar with the woodwinds.
Speaker 5: So this would be Lobo's Obo.
Speaker 6: That's right, Lobo's Obo exactly. And I know, Greg, I
Speaker 6: have been wanting to talk about the Liberty, so I'm
Speaker 6: giving you there we go.
Speaker 7: I was listening to your you know your your sort
Speaker 7: of pre season warm up episode, and I'm psyched for
Speaker 7: the Liberty. I have to say, I feel like Natasha
Speaker 7: Cloud might even be an upgrade from Courtney Vanderslout.
Speaker 1: Yeah, different style, but defensively very different body type, much taller.
Speaker 1: Slute is such a great facilitator though, it'll be interesting
Speaker 1: in terms of just a steadying president who sets up
Speaker 1: the offense. But Natasha, as the kids would say, she's
Speaker 1: got riz anything else. She is bringing personality and excitement
Speaker 1: to a team that already has plenty.
Speaker 7: And her girlfriend is on the team too. That was
Speaker 7: a very little bit of tea you shared.
Speaker 6: Was Yes, that is so nice. Now has that ever
Speaker 6: happened on a men's team? Has there been a couple
Speaker 6: on a men's professional.
Speaker 1: You know, we talk about that a lot aj that
Speaker 1: one thing people really are sleeping on in women's sports
Speaker 1: is that they're sleeping together, and that that is a
Speaker 1: very fun twist. And oftentimes announcers who don't quite know say,
Speaker 1: what great sportsmanship that those two opponents are so kind
Speaker 1: to each other, and we're like.
Speaker 5: They're together, right.
Speaker 1: But no, But in the p WHL, which is women's hockey,
Speaker 1: in the WNBA, in the NWSL, in all these leagues,
Speaker 1: there are these great stories in back Courtney vandersluteho he
Speaker 1: just mentioned who used to be on the Liberty came
Speaker 1: back to my Chicago Sky where she used to play
Speaker 1: with her wife, and her wife was the one who
Speaker 1: she assisted on a three and it helped her break
Speaker 1: a record.
Speaker 6: How can you that's so interesting?
Speaker 5: Now?
Speaker 7: We don't know that it's never happened in men's sports,
Speaker 7: We don't totally, we don't know. I imagine it surely has,
Speaker 7: but it's you know.
Speaker 1: We don't get the fun of being nosy about it though,
Speaker 1: So where's the fun in that?
Speaker 7: No fun, no fun at all? All right?
Speaker 6: How about all right? Two more? What about these are
Speaker 6: some Burger King burgers eaten by Phoenix Mercury Star Khalia.
Speaker 1: Former Chicago Sky And I'm not sad about it still,
Speaker 1: Actually I am Khaliah Coppers Whoppers.
Speaker 6: That's it? You got it?
Speaker 1: All right?
Speaker 6: Well, let's end with how about a chain of luncheonette
Speaker 6: restaurants owned by Atlanta dream Star Britney. So we're sticking
Speaker 6: with the burgers.
Speaker 1: This is someone who I accidentally called Britney Briner the
Speaker 1: other day, and I decided should be a nickname for
Speaker 1: when she's playing extra aggressive, when she's real Britney, or
Speaker 1: when she's making pickles.
Speaker 6: When she's making pickles very good.
Speaker 5: This would be Griner's Diners.
Speaker 6: You got it all right? Well, Sarah, you cruised.
Speaker 3: What a fun game?
Speaker 5: Oh?
Speaker 3: Thank you.
Speaker 6: Well, we are delighted to have you. Uh and we
Speaker 6: are lucky we get to have you come back tomorrow.
Speaker 6: So don't go, and I do.
Speaker 7: We'll do the Professional Women's Hockey League where they had
Speaker 7: no team names last season.
Speaker 5: Yeah, that'll be a little tough.
Speaker 7: They had they just they started the league and they
Speaker 7: just were named for the cities. New York played Montreal.
Speaker 6: Oh, I see, But what that's.
Speaker 1: Cool about it was they actually intended to have names,
Speaker 1: but the copyrights leaked and the fans were so unimpressed
Speaker 1: by and they hadn't really fleshed out what was the
Speaker 1: real meaning behind it all, which you really need when
Speaker 1: you launch on your team and logo, Like we've got
Speaker 1: all these old teams like the Dodgers and the Knicks
Speaker 1: and the Yankees that no one really cares about the
Speaker 1: name and why it's sort of weird. But now when
Speaker 1: you launch a new on, the entire internet wants to
Speaker 1: know exactly why you chosen right, And they didn't have
Speaker 1: good stories for it, so they just scrapped it, went
Speaker 1: with city names and gave themselves a year to come
Speaker 1: back and have the proper logos and colors and stories.
Speaker 5: And I think that was a good idea by them.
Speaker 6: Yeah, and you can make it more of a contest
Speaker 6: with although then you'll end off with do you.
Speaker 5: Remember like face exactly?
Speaker 6: Sample I was going to say there was some ship
Speaker 6: in the British Navy.
Speaker 5: That's now I'm not gonna lie. That logo and that
Speaker 5: merch would be fire.
Speaker 1: I think if you ever actually named a team that
Speaker 1: you'd sell at a merchant.
Speaker 7: Right right, I might like it better than the New
Speaker 7: York Sirens.
Speaker 5: Make both Jesus all right.
Speaker 6: This is the extra credit for the folks at home.
Speaker 6: This is a data about the Washington w NBA team.
Speaker 6: This is data and numbers about the Washington WNBA team.
Speaker 6: Thank you listeners, Thank you Sarah. And if you have
Speaker 6: thirty seconds please, we would love it if you would
Speaker 6: rate the puzzler on your favorite podcast platform, because it
Speaker 6: really it just makes a difference, believe it or not.
Speaker 6: That's the way these algorithms work. And we'll see here
Speaker 6: tomorrow for more puzzling puzzles that will puzzle you puzzlingly.