June 2, 2025 • 47 mins
Former LPGA pro turned analyst and podcast host Mel Reid joins Sarah to talk about her Irish goodbye to pro golf, how her young son helped her let go of the game, coming out because a company pissed her off, and her hopes for an LPGA evolution. Plus, a controversial call in the Women's College World Series, French Open fairness discourse heats up, and the Scripps Spelling Bee winner also wins a lil' piece of our hearts.
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Watch Makayla Garcia steal home here
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Read about the review that upheld Megan Grant’s homer for UCLA here
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The French Open schedule is here
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Watch current college softball players react to the first ever NCAA championship softball game here
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where any company
that's making money off of Pride while canceling DEI policies
is dead to us. It's Monday, June second, Happy Pride
Month slices. On today's show, we'll be chatting with former
LPGA pro and Quiet Please podcast co host Mel Reid
about her irish goodbye to professional golf, coming out because
(00:23):
a company pissed her off, and giving a middle finger
to the expectation that women in golf should be quiet
plus depleted rosters, a debut worthy of a fine wine.
And if I give you this sign, it's time to
steal home baby. It's all coming up right after this
welcome back slices. Here's what you need to know today.
(00:47):
Let's start with softball, where the semi finals of the
Women's College World Series are set. The number six Texas
Longhorns were the first team to clinch a spot, upsetting
number two Oklahoma, the four time defending champions, four to
two on Saturday. It marked the Longhorns first ever win
against Oklahoma at the College World Series in Texas's two
previous appearances in the tournament in twenty twenty two and
(01:10):
twenty twenty four. They lost all five times they got
matched up with the Sooners, which included two sweeps in
the best of three finals. Texas Tech, in its World
Series debut, also clinched a spot in the Semis thanks
to a three to one win over UCLA on Saturday.
But while Texas Tech is making the program's first tournament
and semi finals appearance in Oklahoma City, the Semis are
(01:33):
familiar territory for Red Raiders star pitcher Nijerie Kennedy, who
made the World Series semi finals with Stanford for two
straight seasons before she transferred to Texas Tech last year
as part of a record one million dollar contract signed
with the university's nil collective. Kennedy allowed just four hits
in that win over UCLA, but the highlight had to
be pinch runner Mikayla Garcia stealing home at the top
(01:57):
of the bitinning. It's the third time the Red Raiders
have and home this season. Will link to the play
in the show notes. Sunday afternoon's elimination game between Tennessee
and UCLA was a marathon, but after nine innings, the
Lady Vowles down the Bruins to become the third team
moving onto the semis and send UCLA home. This one
had a couple lengthy video reviews, one that upheld a
(02:20):
crucial time run by UCLA's Megan Grant in the top
of the seventh inning, and one that confirmed that a
long ball out to left field by Tennessee's tailor Panel
in the bottom of the ninth did not leave the field.
It was ruled a double and not a game winning homer.
In the end, Tennessee senior Laura Meeler hit her second
walk off winner of the year, a walk off single
to beat UCLA five to four. In extras on the
(02:43):
play by play call, Beth Mowens mentioned that Meeler transferred
from Middle Tennessee State because she wanted a chance to
plan a bigger stage, and she didn't just play. She
saved the Bowls season Tennessee advances. By the way, if
you want to know more about the controversial review that
upheld Megan Grant's homer and understand why everyone's talking about
Appendix G today, we'll link to a USA Today story
(03:06):
detailing the call. In our show notes. The final game
Sunday night saw the four time defending champion Oklahoma Sooners
playing with their season on the line in an elimination
game against Oregon, Sydney Sanders crushed two home runs to
help Oklahoma to a four to one win, knocking out Oregon.
Sooners head to the Semis for a ninth straight year
and keep their hopes for five alive to soccer at
(03:29):
The US women's national team defeated China three to nil
in a friendly in Saint Paul, Minnesota on Saturday, with
goals from Katerina Macario, Sam Coffee and Lindsay Heaps. A
little history was also made in the win when Low
Labanta became the oldest player to ever debut for the
US women's national team at thirty two years and seventy
four days old. She entered the match in the seventieth
(03:50):
minute and per ESPN, completed all of her pass attempts.
Next up for the US women's national team as a
friendly against Jamaica Tuesday in Saint Louis. Ahead of the match,
the team will celebrate the career of recently retired legend
and friend of the Show Becky sowerbrun to Golf and
the US Open. Maya Stark is your Winner at Aaron Hills.
The twenty five year old, who represented Sweden at the
(04:12):
twenty twenty four Paris Olympics, is the third Suite to
win the US Open. The win is her first at
a major. She finished second behind Nelly Korda at last
year's Chevron Championship. A little more context on this tourney.
Among the one hundred and fifty six golfers in the
US Open field, three of them were just sixteen years old,
including Star in the Making asterisk Tally from the Athletic
(04:35):
Tally is quote the California prodigy who racks up junior wins,
who finished runner up at both the US Women's Amateur
and US Girls Junior at just fifteen, who not just
made the cut at last year's US Open as the
youngest player in the field, but also contended through two days.
She then took all that expectation and made a late
run at ANWA last month to finish just one off
(04:57):
the lead. Tally is an undeniably a star in the
making end quote. I highly recommend checking out the full
story on Tally by Brody Miller, who writes about the
pressure put on young women in golf to be quote
unquote saviors of the game, especially young American players. He
references thirty year old Lexi Thompson's retirement speech last year,
(05:18):
in which she said, quote, Since I was twelve as
a golfer, my life has been a whirlwind of constant attention, scrutiny,
and pressure. The cameras are always on, capturing every swing
and every moment on and off the golf course. Social
media never sleeps, with comments and criticisms flooding in from
around the world. It can be exhausting maintaining a smile
(05:38):
on the outside while grappling with struggles on the inside.
End quote. It's a really interesting piece. We'll link to
it in our show notes to the WNBA, where we've
unfortunately got a few new injuries to report. This year's
number one overall draft pick, Paige Becker's, was placed in
concussion protocol after her Dallas Wings lost to the Chicago
Sky on Thursday. Becker's missed the second of their back
(06:02):
to back with the Sky on Saturday and will be
reevaluated after Tuesday's game against the Seattle Storm. Meantime, the
injuries in Indiana are adding up. In addition to Caitlin Clark,
who's still out for at least another week with a
quad injury. The Fever are also now without Sydney Coulson
and Sophie Cunningham, who both went out during a loss
on Friday to the Connecticut Sun. The good news is
(06:23):
On Sunday, Fever coach Stephanie White said Coulson and Cunningham
received good news from their MRIs. She called both of
them day to day and said they should return quote
sooner rather than later. The team is still looking to
add a player on a hardship contract, though, We're keeping
an eye on veteran Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes
as well. She got hit in the face again in
(06:43):
Sunday night's game against the Minnesota Lynx and went to
the locker room immediately with a towel over her face.
Now you'll notice, I said again. She also took a
shot to the nose and came up bleeding in the
Valx duel with the Washington Mystics back on May twenty first.
The action she saw against the Link Sunday was her
first since that game against DC. Also over in Phoenix,
(07:03):
five time All Star Alyssa Thomas missed her second game
in a row on Sunday, dealing with an injury to
her calf. We'll continue to keep you updated on these
Hoopers and on any other notable injuries in the meantime.
Has anyone asked the WNBA for comment? More WNBA We
got a only in Women's sports moment over the weekend
with the Chicago Skuys Courtney vander Slute setting franchise records
(07:26):
for both career points and field goals, breaking the previous
mark set by who else but her wife, Ali Quiggley.
Now you may remember back in twenty twenty, Slute also
set the WNBA record for most assists in a single
game with a pass to Quiggly. Caitlin Clark best died
the mark in a game last year. But we'll always
have the memory of the Vander Quiggs connection, and we
(07:48):
will always celebrate only in Women's sports moments like breaking
your own wife's record. Here's hoping one day the m
NBA can celebrate moments like that too. Still more hoops.
A hand full of Sunday games kicked off Commissioner's Cup
play in the WNBA, including the seven to zero New
York Liberty putting in absolute beat down on the now
(08:08):
one in six Connecticut Sun one hundred to fifty two.
That is the second largest margin of victory in WNBA history.
As for the largest margin of victory, that still belongs
to the Minnesota Lynx who beat up on the Indiana
Fever one eleven to fifty two back in twenty seventeen.
Ps I gotta shout out the Liberty for celebrating mascot
Ellie the Elephant's fifth birthday in style. Besides all the
(08:32):
celebrations that they had for her, they got her that
blowout win. And if anyone deserves a blowout win, it's
my girl. Ellie. To tennis and the French Open, where
five American women advance to the fourth round, which concludes today.
By the time you hear this, Coco Goth will either
be on too the quarterfinal round or out of the tournament.
(08:52):
I guess there's a third option two in the event
that her match, which started at five am Eastern, is
still in progress. You could be an earlier bird who
listens to our show right when it hits. Or maybe
the match is just really long. Maybe the match is
setting the world record for longest tie break ever recorded
and is still in progress as you listen to these words,
never say never. As for the rest of the field
(09:14):
IGAs Fontek, Elina Spittolina King wen Zen and Arina Sablenka
already clinched quarter final berths. On Sunday, we'll link to
the full Fronch Open schedule and results in the show notes.
If I said all of those names correctly the first time,
I should get a gold star more French Open. We
mentioned last week that, for a second straight year, on
(09:35):
Jaburg called out tournament organizers for continually prioritizing men's tennis
when scheduling night matches. Coco Goff supported Jabur's remarks after
her second round win, saying the tournament needed to quote
unquote improve its scheduling. While on Friday, French Open director
and former player Omlee Moresmo pushed back against the idea
that they were discriminating against women, as during a press conference,
(09:58):
why women's matches were the only ones placed during the
noontime slot, which is typically less attended, She replied, quote
the funny thing is that it's the same questions year
after year end Quote yeah, no, shit, sherlock. The questions
are the same because the problem is the same. Former
pro Pam Schreiver called out Moresmo in an episode of
(10:19):
the Tennis podcast over the weekend, Take a listen.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
It's extremely triggering, painful and disappointing to have a player,
a former WTA Tour player who got to number one
in the world, it's in the Hall of Fame, who
basically earned her fifteen million plus prize money, not including
all the endorsements, exhibitions, every opportunity that she had on
the back of the original nine led by Billy Jean
(10:44):
King Furthered along by Martina and Chrissy. And to have
a tournament director with that CV that background basically slapping
women's tennis the modern day version twenty twenty five is
horrendous to hear.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
We got to get Shrever on the show. Absolutely spot
on More Tennis. There was also a very cool, serendipitous
moment at Roland Garris on Thursday, as Venus Williams, Sloane Stevens,
and Cocoa Goff all ended up sitting together at the
TNT desk. Stevens is currently nursing a foot injury, so
she's doing commentary for the tournament alongside Williams and others.
(11:21):
When Goff sat down, she spoke about what it meant
to be at the table with Venus.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
You, Serena, the reason I started this sport, and like,
being here is surreal. I didn't know that you were
going to be at the nest, so I'm really happy
to be here. And yeah, I'm having a little moment here,
so I'm trying to get the words out, but honestly,
it means a lot to be here and hear that
from you. And yeah, I never would have thought when
(11:45):
I pick up a racket, I would be here, sitting
here with you and having this conversation.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
I'm so glad you're here, you and Sloan. There's so
many generations of girls who are picking up rackets. Stevens
later posted a photo of the trio at the desk
on her Instagram, writing quote, this isn't just a photo,
It's a page in the history books. We got to
take a quick break. When we come back. My conversation
with mel Reed, who I caught up with last week,
(12:09):
stick around joining us now. She's a recently retired professional
golfer on the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour,
now at broadcaster for NBC and other networks, and co
host of The Quiet Please with Melan Kira podcast right
here on the Iheartwomen's Sports Network. A Darby, England native,
(12:32):
she won her first LPGA Tour event in twenty twenty
the shopwrit LPGA Classic, and reached her highest ranking that year,
thirty ninth in the world. Now she's a mama and
a broadcaster who calls the broadcast booth a cage. We're
going to work on the It's Mel Reid.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
Hi, Mel, how you doing. I actually thought my word
ranking was higher than that, so that makes me feel great.
So thank you. Wikipedia says, what do you want to
just like might be done in the world.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
It's some perfect in my head. Let's talk about that
our word that I used in your bio, a word
you seem to be uneasy about saying aloud. On the
first episode of your podcast, you said you just irish
goodbye to your golf career, and you actually hoped everyone
on your team had already heard about it. But if not, well,
here I am on my podcast. I'm done. So what's
(13:18):
your beef with saying the word retired.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
It's not even the beef of saying the word retired.
It's the fact that, like I feel like every player
that retires has like a big sing and dance about it,
and that's not my style. So I just wanted to
just go out quietly and not have a big fuss
about it. So I just didn't tell anyone. I just
I The rumor was kind of getting around between players
because I was doing a little bit more broadcast and
(13:41):
a few players strove past me, like Nelly and stuff,
and I was like, yeah, dude, I'm done.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Nelly Porter decent person to have inquiring about your career.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
So.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
But yeah, so I did tell most of my team.
I forgot to tell like one member, which was pretty significant,
but I did. I did. I was pretty good at
telling most of my team. But yeah, it's kind of
been in the works for a few years, so yeah,
I did mention it.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
So this is a weird question potentially, But as someone
who really enjoys attention and loves to talk about myself,
what is going on inside when you're like, I just
don't want people to even care or know that I've done.
I just want to do it quietly and disappear, Like
what what is that?
Speaker 4 (14:24):
No? I love attention on myself as well. I do.
I just I don't know it's just the whole like
I feel it. Players that retire they get like big
bunch of flowers and like a big parade, and I
just didn't really want that. I just wanted to kind
of listen. I'm sure at some point in the next
couple of years, because I'll be on tour still obviously
with broadcasting, I'll get like a bunch of players and
(14:45):
like we'll have some beers and like go to a bar,
and that can be my retirement party. I just didn't
want this whole like song and dance about it all.
I just wanted to just believe quietly on my own terms. Plus,
Plus I am very good at an Irish exit on
a night, and so it just felt fitting for like
a twenty year career to do it.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
You actually thought about retiring in twenty twenty two. You
were frustrated by an injury, but after a few months
of thinking about it, you actually came back to the
tour and said you felt some joy and playing. Did
you feel like you got to go out on good
terms the last year or so of playing.
Speaker 4 (15:20):
Yeah, I mean I've thought about retirement for a while.
To be quite honest with you, I thought about it
firstly back in twenty twelve, and then I've kind of
thought about it a lot. It's funny, I don't think
I was meant to be a golfer, like I just
I grew up playing teen sport and I really missed
team sport, and so I've always kind of struggled with
(15:41):
the isolation of golf and be on your own quite
a lot. It's not really my it's just so against
the grain of my personality. But I created like some
really good friendship groups out there, and I did I
create a good team around me to make it as
enjoyable as possible. But there's always been in the back
of my mind, like I wanted to do something else
with my with my life in terms of a career
(16:01):
outside of golf, and so I've always kind of been
very proactive, Like broadcasting is kind of the natural direction
that a lot of people go in. I actually I
generally really enjoy doing broadcasts. I love I love the
team aspect of it. I love talking about golf. I
obviously love watching golf, and that hopefully is going to
kind of lead me into other stuff that I'm also
(16:23):
very interested in. But yeah, I mean, it's not easy
to retire, like even when I knew, I knew years ago,
like I probably should have retired or wanted to retire,
But it's quite hard to step it into the comfortableness
of not being a professional athlete anymore. It's a bit
of an identity thing, like I still should a little
bit like saying to people like I'm an ex professional athlete.
(16:43):
I still like, I still call myself a professional athlete.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
So we're going to hang on for that forever an athlete. Yeah,
you know you mentioned in there that isolation, and I
heard you talking on your podcast about how it used
to be different, how it felt like, And I think
in particular, you were talking about the European Tour. You
played together, you hung out together, you traveled together. If
you if you miss the cut, you'd find yourself at
(17:07):
a pub with some other players talking about how shit
you played and how it felt like, particularly coming over
to the LPGA. And in recent years it's got more
professional in a way that's great in some ways, but
also does make it less of a friendship of a
group activity. Is that part of what contributed to you
kind of losing the love for it a little?
Speaker 4 (17:26):
Yeah, definitely, I think that you know, especially when you're
on tour as long as I am, Like a lot
of my friends quit or kind of got pushed out
of the game as well. So a lot of the
ogs were not there anymore that I grew up with,
or I was kind of the young one around the group,
they'd all gone. I think that in Europe, it's listen,
there's a cultural difference, you know, with such a global
(17:48):
tour in the LPGA. If a lot of reasons are
like a lot of things about that is incredible, majority
of it is incredible, but there's a lot of cultural differences.
And so that was one thing that I kind of
struggled with because in Europe, you know, if you don't
play well, you do you kind of go to dinners anyway,
And if you play well or don't play what, you
go to dinners and you have a beer. And you know,
you wouldn't have a beer as of players if you
(18:10):
were kind of playing good or whatever. But like if
you miss the cut, of course you can have a
couple of beers and like the caddies joined you, and
like it's just a very yeah, you just shoot the
shit and just forget about it and reset for next week.
That's the thing like about golf is just consistently you're
just moving on all the time. And so yeah, I
definitely did struggle with that In America. I obviously found
like my group over here that kind of are a
(18:30):
little bit still old school like that, but it's really
tough and it's so competitive out there now that you
just I feel like it gets so regimented and you
just have to be one hundred percent all the time
to compete because the talent and the work ethic and
the commitment from these young athletes is just a joke
and they are just so good and they just travel
(18:52):
really well. They don't have any responsibilities. My life has
obviously changed with having a little boy, and so I
think that kind of I was like, is it worth
Is it worth the commitment? I'm gonna have to recommit
myself And it just was a no for We spoke
about it as a family, and for us it wasn't.
I didn't love it enough. I would rather grind at
something else that I truly loved. That took me away
from that my family.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
You mentioned your son Kai, So you and your wife
Carly had your first kid in twenty twenty three, He's
already been around the globe supporting mom out on the course,
and you actually said in an interview that ever since
you found out she was pregnant, golf became secondary. And
did taking pressure off the game at all impact your
play positively or negatively?
Speaker 4 (19:34):
Yes, no, I think Listen, it's not I have so
I didn't give birth to Kai. I actually don't know
how these women do it and then come back and
play like I can do it.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
I don't know when they do it period.
Speaker 4 (19:45):
Not to mention just any woman doing that exactly. I
honestly a whole newfound respect for women. And so we
found it quite difficult on the road with him because
Carli was still working full time and so she yes,
she can work remote, but it's it's just a lot,
and like, yeah, we do get daycare on the LPGA,
but it's a certain amount of hours and the daycare
(20:06):
women are unreal. But it's still a lot to kind
of navigate that and I'm trying to do my training
to a certain degree in that. But Carli's not off
till five and so it was just a lot for us.
But look, it gives you a whole new perspective, and
I think that having Kai in a lot of ways,
I was like, like I just kind of alluded to earlier,
like I could recommit myself, and I could, I couldn't
(20:28):
still compete. I still felt like I was more than
good enough to compete, but I was not willing to
sacrifice the time with my family for something that I'm
not that like, my heart has not been in it
for a while, and so it was it was almost
the push that I needed was from him and my family,
because like I wasn't brave enough to take that step before,
whereas with him, he naturally just getting me that push,
(20:51):
and so I'll forever. It's a shame that he won't
be able to kind of see me play in like
my prime, but I'm old and I'm quite happy for
him to watch with something else.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
I'm sure you'll have them out there when you're playing
for fun too.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
That'll be fun.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Your podcast is named quiet Please dual meaning, but in
part because of the expectation for women to stay quiet,
especially in the very traditional space of golf, and you
didn't come out publicly as gay until twenty eighteen. I
wonder if there were fears about how that might impact
your career or endorsements or support in the golf community
and the traditional space that you were in.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Yeah. Look, I think that everybody's before I kind of
get into this. I think everyone's story is different. I've
been very lucky that I've got a very supportive family
who literally don't care. I have a gay brother. So
I came out because I literally had a contract ripped
up in front of me when I introduced my partner
(21:49):
to a company. They literally lived up in my face.
And at the time, I was skin I had no money,
like I needed that contract. And my manager at the
time kind of rang me and was like, you know
swear on this podcast, right, oh yeah, hell yeah. Yeah.
She was like what the did you do? And I
was like, I literally introduced like my girlfriend at the time,
and she was like, well, don't do that because you
just lost the contract. And I was like, well for
(22:10):
you basically.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
Right, So wait I need to So you were in
a room with a person an your girlfriend at the time,
and then they literally took a piece of paper you
were about to sign and they tore it in your face.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Yeah, dude, what the fuck. We went to dinner, going
to the bathroom and they were asking my girlfriend, like,
do the man have a boyfriend? And she was like no,
And then I obviously had a couple of drinks and
I just I'm so unfiltered it anyway, and I just
didn't like the way they kept when I was back,
they kept asking the question. I thought, fuck this, So
when yeah, my boyfriend's right here, and I just she
(22:47):
said it like that, thinking it would go down really well,
and it just went down like a shit sandwich. So
but let's ask us, Oh god, probably twenty fourteen or fifteen.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
That's insane to me, Yeah, do you want to name
these people? And can we call them?
Speaker 4 (23:03):
It's behalf I.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Mean bad enough if behind the scenes a company is
like I don't think we want to go in that direction.
But in front of you, and yeah, it was meeting her.
Speaker 4 (23:15):
It was a blessing in a way, because I don't
want to be aligned with a company like that. Of
course they don't. They don't, we don't represent the same values.
It's actually a business exchange. And I hate that I
did that for a lot of my career because that
was the only opportunity that women had, and I hated
it from day one. I was like, I don't want
to represent this company, but I'm going to have to,
and so one of my friends encouraged me to kind
(23:36):
of just like, hey, why don't you You're so open
about it, like you don't care, you've got thicked skin.
I think it would be really good, and I was
a little bit nervous, obviously, but at the end of
the day, it's who is a part of me, A
big part of me and my life. I'm certainly not
ashamed of it, and I think that there should be
more representation in the space, especially at that time, because
(23:57):
you know I I didn't have represent growing up, and
so I kind of was very you know, I kept
myself very you know, my private life quite private to
start with, and it shouldn't be like that if you
don't feel like you want to be like that, if
that makes sense. So I just found it very important
and look, it's it's done me a world of good
and now I represent myself with companies that align with
(24:21):
my values. I have a sick agent in Cassette who
has literally changed my life and has just been incredible
at giving me like the confidence to and the branding
in that sense. And so it's funny, like I was
at the lowest of lows and then all of a sudden,
you kind of take this step into the unknown. And
it's funny what then gets attracted to you? And I
(24:43):
know that sounds so cheesy and no cliche, but it's
so true, Like once you come to people get more
comfortable around you, it's weird, and then all this thing
just starts attracting to you. And yeah, just in a
much better space obviously now, like an incredible space.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
And I met your agent, Cassette at the Deep Blue
Sports conference. She obviously with Always Alpha and Alison Felix
and was on a panel there as well. But I
was listening to speak on that panel and I jotted
down your name almost immediately as someone I wanted to
have on the show. It was just thinking that you
seem like the kind of person who might actually be
able to enact change in the LPGA to help usher
(25:16):
women's golf into more modern times. We've talked about it
on the show. We had Tisha allin on and it
just seems clear to me that there are things you
can do to honor the traditions of a sport while
also recognizing that it doesn't serve women and the current
world anymore to be so tightly connected to traditions that
fly in the face of what we all want to
(25:37):
stand for. And they're being left behind as this women's
sports revolution is happening because they aren't willing to stand
for anything besides golf. And I wonder what you would
like to see change if you were put in charge?
Speaker 4 (25:49):
Oh go, where do I start? Listen. I just want
to kind of say, like, I feel like the LPGA,
with the resources that they have, we're not the Opgasol right, Like,
we don't have a billion to TV deal. And I
think being on the board for a couple of years
it opened my eyes to actually, we do do a
pretty decent job with the resources and the help that
we have, like the way that we get supported, we do,
(26:11):
we do a pretty good job. But I feel like
I feel like in women's sport it's changed, but I
feel like golf, you're right, is kind of getting stuck
in the mud behind. And it's so frustrating for me
because I feel like women's golf, especially we're almost too
scared to make a mistake, that we're not brave enough
to kind of leap into the unknown. And I'm like
(26:33):
they're almost too scared to lose something, and I'm like,
but we're already losing, Like let's try something new, Like
let's get why don't we have like free admission for
two years, Like we need to get people through the gate.
That's number one. Like we need to do better job
at marketing. That's number two. Like I think broadcasts needs
a revamp, like it's it shouldn't be burtoned ties and shirts,
(26:53):
like it needs to be more chilled. Like the WNBA
do a great job at that they have three mates
on the board, on the panel and the you know,
shooting the ship, like we have that in golf, but
that we're not allowed to express that because it's very like, well,
this is how you have to act and you've got
to do this. And so I'm I feel like I'm
I'm even in the short space that I've been in broadcasts,
like why I do try and get as much of
(27:16):
my personality within reason as possible. I obviously can't say
gone air, but I would like to. But yeah, I
mean there's so many things that I think we're such
a global tour. We have so many unreal stories that
are not being told. But we first of all need
to get people through the gate, like when you turn.
(27:36):
We need better TV, like we need way more TV
than we have. We need weigh more cameras point of view,
We need it to be an event, like we want
people to go there because it's a sick event, like
live music there and way more chill like local vendors,
like local radios that like, we need more of a
like an event and entertainment vibe every single event.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
It's interesting you talk about being afraid to make a mistake,
because I've seen both sides of that. So I spend
about an hour after the espnW summit in New York,
which was a week after the Deep Blue One, talking
to a woman who had been hired by the LPGA
for the first in house marketing team they've ever had.
She just talked about how it feels like they're on
the one hand saying we want new ideas, we want
(28:19):
to change, and on the other hand, when you come
up with those ideas, they don't actually enact them for
fear to your point of making a mistake. On the
other hand, they took a swing on something like having
a merch collab with Barstool Sports that makes zero sense
to me and is very clearly a mistake, but they
were willing to take a swing on no pun intended.
(28:39):
I am wondering who's advising them, because if you're so
afraid of stepping in it and then you literally do
the thing that is the most obvious to any woman
sports fan not to do, who the hell's in charge
over there? I take some swings on good shit and
don't partner with.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
Barstool dity son on my wife. My wife is smart, ironic,
like I do follow what barstall and I'm like, I've
bought a couple of things and she literally is that
Carli hates it. She's like, dude, what the so Like,
obviously Carli's big sports person, and she's like, no, absolutely not.
So yeah, I know, I don't know. I think that
there's been a few ideas that they brought to the
(29:17):
board and we were just like, absolutely not, and they
did them anyway, and it's just like, come on, guys, like,
I don't know, listen, I'm not I understand that, like
I'm The thing is that we have to understand as well, right,
And this is a little bit controversial to say, but
I'm going to say it because I believe it. We're
a member's own tour, so we have the majority vote
on the board. Okay, I was on the board for
(29:39):
two years. Dude, I haven't got a fucking clue anything
about business. I haven't really got a clue about marketing.
But I'm making these massive decisions and I'm like, I'm
obviously going to go off a motion because I'm a player,
you know. So we've got these seven players in there
that are all emotion and then you've got these business
you know, men and women who actually know what they're doing,
and we're taking the lead. And I'm like, that's not
(30:00):
get rid of us. We should have like a player union.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
Yeah, we're both a little bit of both. I think
it's been great, and over the course of this podcast,
I've talked to a lot of current or retired players
that want to have a better connection to ownership in
front office so that they at least understand why decisions
are being made. And then I think it's really necessary
for ownership in front office to hear from players so
they make better decisions that center to serve the players.
So I think both is great, But I get.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
Your point point.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
Make sure people who are doing the research and understand
the metrics and everything else are making.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
These exactly exactly. And so I think that, you know,
the LPGA, we do have a kind of a little
bit of staleness in there which I think we need
to revam. Like I think we've started to do a
little bit of our social media, but I mean we're
so far behind still, like it's going to take a while.
It's going to take a while. I think it's definitely
moving in the right direction now with some of the
(30:49):
people that we've hired, but it's a long road, but
we'll see.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
New Commissioner Craig Kessler has just been announced. What do
you know about him or do you have hopes for
the idea just a new error might just naturally ask
and demand for change.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
Yeah, I've heard some really good things about him. He
did a great job at Top Golf. I think it
was I so a few of my friends. So I
met Carl when she worked at the PGA America, and
so I know a bunch of friends that kind of
worked with him, said very high highly of him. Carli
actually went to a speaking engagement with him. He was speaking,
(31:26):
she said that he hild the room, which for Carli
to say that means that he must have been pretty impressive,
and so listen, I'm very hopeful for him. Like I said,
everything I've heard about him is very positive. You know,
hiring is kind of the easy part. It's now like
what kind of strategy is he going to have to
uplift the LPGA to where it needs to be in
(31:48):
the next kind of five ten years. So yeah, I'm
always willing to give him. We're gonna obviously give him
a massive chance. I think he's the change that we need.
He's young, he's obviously very driven, he's hungry, and he's
very charismatic for what I'm hearing, and I think that
that's all the ingredients that we need for someone to
lead us.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
Sure, we saw Nelly Korda last year have this unreal
run that brought a ton of attention to her. It
really helped the tour to have one player, particularly an
American player, who was dominant enough for people to say, oh,
I know that name, Okay, now I want to go
watch I've been hearing about this person. That's tough in golf.
To your point, so many different people are winning. It's
very international, so some of them are not native English speakers.
(32:29):
You're trying to sell folks on a new name every week.
The Tiger Woods effect, the Nelly Quarter effect, is really
what golf can benefit from. It is such a mental game, though,
So does it feel like it's really not about who's
the best golfer on any given year, it's who can
mentally show up event after event and be consistent enough
to put up the right score.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:50):
I think it's a bit of both for sure. I
think Nellie is getting a lot more comfortable with her
life outside of golf. She's obviously getting a lot more
attention and doing like sports citistraining went to Macgarla. So
I think she's eccessing comfortable for Nelly, like she's not
that comfortable in that space, Like she kind of wants
to keep her head down play golf. She's kind of
opposite to Jess, her sister, in that sense. So I
(33:13):
think she's definitely finding her feet still in that kind
of setting. But she I mean a lot of people
talk about Geno Titsico being like the best player in
the world, and I would not disagree, But for me,
the whole package is Nelly and then I've got to
give up for my homegirl, Charlie Hall. So she's stopped
ripping darts now, so she's in a much healthier place.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
I saw you interviewing her on the course recently. But
she is someone we want to have on the show.
I am not a fan of cigarettes, but the idea
that she's just ripping darts, and not only that but
just taking them from spectators as she's walking the course,
she's siggs to smoke during I mean, normally you wouldn't
imagine you'd need to make a rule against smoking a
cigarette mid round because who's doing it? But she is.
Speaker 4 (33:57):
Yeah, she stopped ripping darts now though, So she was
a vapor and then she found she thought that she
found out vapiing was bad, so then she went to
ripping darts because that's not healthier. Yeah, not good either,
And then now she's ripping and now she's not ripping darts,
but she's I don't know what she's so, I don't
know what she's doing, but she's one of my favorite people.
I've known Charlie since she was like thirteen. Nothing that
(34:21):
comes out of her mouth surprises me. We need one
hundred percent. She's she's incredible. She's so good for the game.
I actually think she can move the needle more than
Nelly with her personality, So.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
Just got to get some of those scores where people
need to pay attention in exactly she just yeah, she's
she's so close to really, really, really really breaking through.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
So yeah, I think it's any amount of time she
wins a major and she would be an unbelievable winner,
like it would be god knows what she would do.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
You know, we talked about the emotional side of golf,
the mental side of golf, and what do you have
to bring to the course every single day to consistently
get those scores. And in twenty twelve, you mentioned earlier
in the interview that you thought about retiring. Then your
mom passed away tragically in a car accident, and it
had a really profound effect on your golf career and
you as a person.
Speaker 4 (35:13):
You talked about.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Sort of losing a little control, getting in with a
partying crowd, rebelling a little bit, and acting out, And
if you're willing to talk about it, I wonder if
you could take us back to that time, how did
you find your way out of that?
Speaker 4 (35:26):
That's a great question. I think that grief is a
funny thing. I think it's so individual and the way
that it happened like they were watching me. My parents
used to watch me at pretty much every golf tournament,
and it was on the way back to the hotel.
So I think for me, the problem is like when
you're a professional athlete and I was obviously pretty highly
(35:46):
ranked to the time, you're getting called left right and
center right. So everyone has an agenda, you know, even
though they mean, well, everyone has an agenda because you know,
I needed to play this tournament because they had paid
me all they I need to do this for a
sponsor if I haven't forbid, but if I have any
advice or anyone is just like just take him in
it and just like figure out, like what is best
(36:07):
for you. I think that I actually, you know, stories
get exaggerated. I really did, honestly try my best to
kind of navigate both sides of like being a professional
athlete and also like trying to grieve my mother. So
I got out of it because my remember, my best
my best friend, she's like a sister to me. Brand
(36:29):
she called me up one day and she was like,
all right enough, she was like, you're being a dick.
You're just doing everything half half like I we're going
to sort this out, Like just come up and see
me and we're gonna go sort it out. And she
lived in Scotland at the time and introduced me to
a couple of people, like a couple of people that
I actually brought in onto my team. And that was
(36:50):
the biggest game changer. It was actually somebody not forcing
me to get over the grief or forcing me to
talk through the grief. They were just allowing me to grieve.
It's probably the best way I could explain it. And
I just thought, right, I'm not going to be that
person that grief takes over you so much that ruined
your life. Like if this has happened to me, whether
I like it or not, I'm going to use it
(37:11):
as a superpower, Like I'm going to make this my superpower,
and everything I do from now on, obviously I'm going
to have dips some human being, but like everything I
do for now on is because of this superpower. And
that's honestly what it was. And I truly believed that
I felt like it gave me more grit, it gave
me more fight, It made me a better human being,
(37:33):
if I'm honest, more understanding human being, and so I
have such a horrific thing that would never wish on
anybody I saw, you know, like I never would have
moved to America if my mum was still alive, because
we were so close as a family. But I felt,
you know, I needed to make that change and I
needed to grow apart separately, and so I never would
have met Carli, never would have had Kai, And so
(37:55):
everything kind of happens. You know, you can take it
how you want, but it moved me and direct actions
that I chose the right path. In the end. There
was a time there where I was just being a
bit of you know, I just wanted to forget everything,
but I wasn't gonna let it beat me. So I've
got to give credit to kind of my best mate
for that.
Speaker 1 (38:11):
Yeah, you're the youngest of seven by eleven years, so
your years sibling is eleven years older than you.
Speaker 4 (38:19):
Yeah, I have like a sixty I have like a
seven year old sister.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Yeah, okay, so you're like a mistake.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
Mistake. I was a hammock. There was a there was
Shagan and a hammock. Yeah, and a hammock broke and
very awkward. Yeah, it broke. My dad likes to tell
me a lot when he's strong. Then I had to
do with who you became.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
But I'm curious. I'm curious because being the baby of
the family then you lost your mom so much younger
than your siblings, how did that affect your relationship with
them or how you all dealt with the grieving.
Speaker 4 (38:50):
It's funny really, because I felt like I'm only really
close with three of them. I felt like they all
had their own families, and so I felt like all
the way through my life, like when I was, you know,
a baby, they were teenagers. When I was a teenager,
they were in college. When I got to college years,
they were having kids, and so I kind of feel
like I've always skipped a step, so a lot of it.
(39:12):
I kind of felt like I was not like an
only child, but they were doing things and I was
trying to constantly catch up. Really, but I feel like
now now that I've got Kai and I'm married, we're
kind of on the same space again, So we're closer
now than we ever have. I feel, you know, it's
just at that age now we're kind of all the similar. Yeah,
(39:33):
it was interesting. I felt my brother and sisters are
all very different. But I felt that I kind of
took on a lot of the grief and tried to
make sure that they were okay because I didn't have
any responsibility. I wanted to make sure my dad was good.
I actually moved back in with my dad for a
couple of years just to make sure he was solid.
(39:54):
And then I was kind of like I am the
younger one, but I felt like I was the older
one at the time because I was trying to do
all I could to make sure that they were okay,
so that they were okay around the kids. I guess
I don't know, I just that's just the responsibility I took.
I took on a lot of emotion, and now I
wanted to do that, like I'm that person. I would
(40:16):
rather sacrifice my kind of mental health and make sure
they were good. And so I felt like I did
certainly take on that role, which I think is another
reason I needed to go to America. I was to
just breathe a little bit.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
Get back to the path.
Speaker 4 (40:32):
Yeah, yeah, exactly. Like I did feel like I give
up a few years just to make sure everyone was okay,
but I was more than that was my choice. And
I'm very grateful to do it yet one hundredcent.
Speaker 1 (40:43):
So now you have this new path in front of
you that's not playing broadcasting, podcasting, being a mom. I
think in the past you've done a clothing line and
a nonprofit. Like, what else is there ahead of mel Reed?
Speaker 4 (40:57):
Oh? Lots of things. Really, I really want to host
an LPGA event. I really want to run. I want
to put my money where my mouth is and run
like a.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Sick lpg money where your mouth exactly. Yeah, I'll just
argue and founder exactly, get all the people on board
for that, exactly.
Speaker 4 (41:17):
I love doing the panel stuff. I think it's really
important that women uplift other women, and especially with the
movement of women's spot right now, it's just a really
powerful group to be among. I love doing that kind
of stuff. I love doing broadcasting. I'm loving the podcast
with Kira. So yeah, I don't know. I kind of
(41:37):
still fund on my feet in the broadcast space. Obviously,
I'm so new to it, but I'm hoping that that
will kind of lead into other things and hopefully get
more eyes on women's golf. So yeah, I guess I'm
just kind of figuring out in this space. What. I'm
kind of gonna lean towards it the minute. I'm leaning
towards everything, So I'm just doing It's a whole new challenge. Yeah,
a whole new challenge, right, And so I still have
(41:58):
that athlete mentality of like I want to be the best,
want to be the best. Like, yeah, it's frustrating, but
it's great because I'm so driven to make change and
it's something that's extremely important to me. So yeah, I'm
enjoying this new spaceman and this new way life and
it's really exciting.
Speaker 1 (42:13):
Well, I, like I said, I believe in you to
help make some change. So I look forward to seeing
where you put your voice. I think the LPGA has
a product that could really be great if it's just
gets a little braver. It's all edgier. So thanks so
much for giving me some time.
Speaker 4 (42:27):
No, I appreciate it. Thanks for honestly, thank you so
much for having me on easy anytime, anytime. I like
talking so did.
Speaker 1 (42:37):
Thanks again to Mel for taking the time and chatting
with us. We have to take another break when we
come back.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
I actra surprised they're wearing pants.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Welcome back, slices. Let's tie a bow. On the one
hundredth annual Scripts Spelling Bee, which is a sport in
our book. Last year's runner up, Faisan Saki won this
year's B by correctly spelling a clerci small.
Speaker 5 (43:06):
Let's hear it a E C L A I R
C I S S E M E n T if
that is correct.
Speaker 1 (43:21):
Zaki became just the fifth runner up in a century
and the first since two thousand and one to come
back and win a later B. His enthusiasm and his
carefree approach nearly cost him the title, but after he won,
he said, quote, I decided to have fun with this
B and I did well, and here I am end quote,
sort of following the footsteps of Simone Biles and USA
(43:42):
Gymnastics in Paris. Stop stressing, just have fun and let
the winds come. You love to see it. By the way,
we got a couple more slices who shared the word
they went out on as a kid. Amanda Valo went
out on ghost, she forgot the H and Jane Burns
got burned by roommate. But Burns quote redemption came with
a victory in the Drake Journalism School Spelling Bee, and
(44:05):
you bet I still have that little trophy. End quote, Jane,
I want you to know I won the annual Tutoring
Chicago Celebrity Benefit Spelling B two years ago, and my
little B trophy is very prominently displayed and always will be.
I really needed that after that whole aerial up in
junior high. Oh and the trophy also came with a
(44:25):
mug that reads I'm silently judging your spelling, which I love.
We love that you're listening slices, but we want you
to get in the game every day too. So here's
our good game play of the day. If you want
to pre order my book, today is officially the last
day to do it. Why is that, Well, after today,
it won't be a pre order, It'll just be an
order because it comes out tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (44:47):
You guys.
Speaker 1 (44:48):
I'm so excited tonight. I'm actually having a fun launch
event at my local bookstore, Volumes Book Cafe. And if
you haven't ordered the book yet, maybe consider supporting a
local independent bookstore in your neighborhood or another neighborhood. Because
there's Powells in Portland, City Lights in San Francisco, the
Strand in New York, the aforementioned Volumes in Chicago, or
(45:11):
there's another Chicago fave, the fantastically feminist Women and Children
First Bookstore. Fun fact that store actually inspired the bookstore
on Portlandia called Women and Women First. You can order
the book from the website for any of those spots,
and then you make sure your cash goes to the beautiful, cozy,
welcoming spaces that we all love to have on our
street and in our neighborhoods. But you got a shop
(45:33):
there to keep them on your street and in your neighborhoods.
So go support them and me we'd love to hear
from you, so hit us up on email good game
at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail at
eight seven two two oh four fifty seventy, and don't
forget to subscribe, rate and review. It's easy slices. Watch
(45:53):
current softball players watching the NCAA Championship game from forty
three years ago ten out of ten home runs review.
Ahead of this year's Women's College World Series, NCUBLEA Softball
put out a very fun video of current players watching
video of the first ever nc DOUBLEA Championship softball game
(46:14):
back in nineteen eighty two. UCLA won that game defeating
Fresno State to nothing. But the biggest takeaway was that
players in that era didn't wear helmets, and that's not
the only thing that's changed. Take a listen.
Speaker 2 (46:28):
Nineteen eighty two NCAA Division One Women's Softball Championship.
Speaker 4 (46:32):
This is so retro.
Speaker 1 (46:33):
I actually love it. I've seen a lot of old
UCLA games. I don't think I've seen this Fresno State.
Oh my gosh, my mom played for them.
Speaker 2 (46:39):
Extra surprised they're wearing pants.
Speaker 4 (46:41):
I know, I was kind of expecting shorts.
Speaker 1 (46:43):
I like the headband. Wait, this is the game? Yeah, way,
where's her helmet? Did don't wear helmets? No helmets is insane?
Speaker 4 (46:51):
Is that Debbie Doom on the mound?
Speaker 1 (46:53):
I think so? Yeah? I loved it. Oh wow, I
mean the hair down is definitely like a winning choice.
Speaker 4 (47:00):
The uniforms I'm low Keychael.
Speaker 1 (47:02):
We'll link to the full highlight video in the show notes,
and we really recommend you watch it. It's super fun.
Now it's your turn rate and review, y'all. Thanks for listening,
See you tomorrow. Good game, Mel, good game. Queer community.
You to whichever company ripped up that contract in front
of Mel Big Mistake, Big Huge, Good Game with Sarah
(47:25):
Spain is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with
Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You could find us on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azie
and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz,
Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Emily Rutter,
(47:45):
Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch, and Gianna Palmer. Our associate producer
is Lucy Jones and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where any company
that's making money off of Pride while canceling DEI policies
is dead to us. It's Monday, June second, Happy Pride
Month slices. On today's show, we'll be chatting with former
LPGA pro and Quiet Please podcast co host Mel Reid
about her irish goodbye to professional golf, coming out because
(00:23):
a company pissed her off, and giving a middle finger
to the expectation that women in golf should be quiet
plus depleted rosters, a debut worthy of a fine wine.
And if I give you this sign, it's time to
steal home baby. It's all coming up right after this
welcome back slices. Here's what you need to know today.
(00:47):
Let's start with softball, where the semi finals of the
Women's College World Series are set. The number six Texas
Longhorns were the first team to clinch a spot, upsetting
number two Oklahoma, the four time defending champions, four to
two on Saturday. It marked the Longhorns first ever win
against Oklahoma at the College World Series in Texas's two
previous appearances in the tournament in twenty twenty two and
(01:10):
twenty twenty four. They lost all five times they got
matched up with the Sooners, which included two sweeps in
the best of three finals. Texas Tech, in its World
Series debut, also clinched a spot in the Semis thanks
to a three to one win over UCLA on Saturday.
But while Texas Tech is making the program's first tournament
and semi finals appearance in Oklahoma City, the Semis are
(01:33):
familiar territory for Red Raiders star pitcher Nijerie Kennedy, who
made the World Series semi finals with Stanford for two
straight seasons before she transferred to Texas Tech last year
as part of a record one million dollar contract signed
with the university's nil collective. Kennedy allowed just four hits
in that win over UCLA, but the highlight had to
be pinch runner Mikayla Garcia stealing home at the top
(01:57):
of the bitinning. It's the third time the Red Raiders
have and home this season. Will link to the play
in the show notes. Sunday afternoon's elimination game between Tennessee
and UCLA was a marathon, but after nine innings, the
Lady Vowles down the Bruins to become the third team
moving onto the semis and send UCLA home. This one
had a couple lengthy video reviews, one that upheld a
(02:20):
crucial time run by UCLA's Megan Grant in the top
of the seventh inning, and one that confirmed that a
long ball out to left field by Tennessee's tailor Panel
in the bottom of the ninth did not leave the field.
It was ruled a double and not a game winning homer.
In the end, Tennessee senior Laura Meeler hit her second
walk off winner of the year, a walk off single
to beat UCLA five to four. In extras on the
(02:43):
play by play call, Beth Mowens mentioned that Meeler transferred
from Middle Tennessee State because she wanted a chance to
plan a bigger stage, and she didn't just play. She
saved the Bowls season Tennessee advances. By the way, if
you want to know more about the controversial review that
upheld Megan Grant's homer and understand why everyone's talking about
Appendix G today, we'll link to a USA Today story
(03:06):
detailing the call. In our show notes. The final game
Sunday night saw the four time defending champion Oklahoma Sooners
playing with their season on the line in an elimination
game against Oregon, Sydney Sanders crushed two home runs to
help Oklahoma to a four to one win, knocking out Oregon.
Sooners head to the Semis for a ninth straight year
and keep their hopes for five alive to soccer at
(03:29):
The US women's national team defeated China three to nil
in a friendly in Saint Paul, Minnesota on Saturday, with
goals from Katerina Macario, Sam Coffee and Lindsay Heaps. A
little history was also made in the win when Low
Labanta became the oldest player to ever debut for the
US women's national team at thirty two years and seventy
four days old. She entered the match in the seventieth
(03:50):
minute and per ESPN, completed all of her pass attempts.
Next up for the US women's national team as a
friendly against Jamaica Tuesday in Saint Louis. Ahead of the match,
the team will celebrate the career of recently retired legend
and friend of the Show Becky sowerbrun to Golf and
the US Open. Maya Stark is your Winner at Aaron Hills.
The twenty five year old, who represented Sweden at the
(04:12):
twenty twenty four Paris Olympics, is the third Suite to
win the US Open. The win is her first at
a major. She finished second behind Nelly Korda at last
year's Chevron Championship. A little more context on this tourney.
Among the one hundred and fifty six golfers in the
US Open field, three of them were just sixteen years old,
including Star in the Making asterisk Tally from the Athletic
(04:35):
Tally is quote the California prodigy who racks up junior wins,
who finished runner up at both the US Women's Amateur
and US Girls Junior at just fifteen, who not just
made the cut at last year's US Open as the
youngest player in the field, but also contended through two days.
She then took all that expectation and made a late
run at ANWA last month to finish just one off
(04:57):
the lead. Tally is an undeniably a star in the
making end quote. I highly recommend checking out the full
story on Tally by Brody Miller, who writes about the
pressure put on young women in golf to be quote
unquote saviors of the game, especially young American players. He
references thirty year old Lexi Thompson's retirement speech last year,
(05:18):
in which she said, quote, Since I was twelve as
a golfer, my life has been a whirlwind of constant attention, scrutiny,
and pressure. The cameras are always on, capturing every swing
and every moment on and off the golf course. Social
media never sleeps, with comments and criticisms flooding in from
around the world. It can be exhausting maintaining a smile
(05:38):
on the outside while grappling with struggles on the inside.
End quote. It's a really interesting piece. We'll link to
it in our show notes to the WNBA, where we've
unfortunately got a few new injuries to report. This year's
number one overall draft pick, Paige Becker's, was placed in
concussion protocol after her Dallas Wings lost to the Chicago
Sky on Thursday. Becker's missed the second of their back
(06:02):
to back with the Sky on Saturday and will be
reevaluated after Tuesday's game against the Seattle Storm. Meantime, the
injuries in Indiana are adding up. In addition to Caitlin Clark,
who's still out for at least another week with a
quad injury. The Fever are also now without Sydney Coulson
and Sophie Cunningham, who both went out during a loss
on Friday to the Connecticut Sun. The good news is
(06:23):
On Sunday, Fever coach Stephanie White said Coulson and Cunningham
received good news from their MRIs. She called both of
them day to day and said they should return quote
sooner rather than later. The team is still looking to
add a player on a hardship contract, though, We're keeping
an eye on veteran Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes
as well. She got hit in the face again in
(06:43):
Sunday night's game against the Minnesota Lynx and went to
the locker room immediately with a towel over her face.
Now you'll notice, I said again. She also took a
shot to the nose and came up bleeding in the
Valx duel with the Washington Mystics back on May twenty first.
The action she saw against the Link Sunday was her
first since that game against DC. Also over in Phoenix,
(07:03):
five time All Star Alyssa Thomas missed her second game
in a row on Sunday, dealing with an injury to
her calf. We'll continue to keep you updated on these
Hoopers and on any other notable injuries in the meantime.
Has anyone asked the WNBA for comment? More WNBA We
got a only in Women's sports moment over the weekend
with the Chicago Skuys Courtney vander Slute setting franchise records
(07:26):
for both career points and field goals, breaking the previous
mark set by who else but her wife, Ali Quiggley.
Now you may remember back in twenty twenty, Slute also
set the WNBA record for most assists in a single
game with a pass to Quiggly. Caitlin Clark best died
the mark in a game last year. But we'll always
have the memory of the Vander Quiggs connection, and we
(07:48):
will always celebrate only in Women's sports moments like breaking
your own wife's record. Here's hoping one day the m
NBA can celebrate moments like that too. Still more hoops.
A hand full of Sunday games kicked off Commissioner's Cup
play in the WNBA, including the seven to zero New
York Liberty putting in absolute beat down on the now
(08:08):
one in six Connecticut Sun one hundred to fifty two.
That is the second largest margin of victory in WNBA history.
As for the largest margin of victory, that still belongs
to the Minnesota Lynx who beat up on the Indiana
Fever one eleven to fifty two back in twenty seventeen.
Ps I gotta shout out the Liberty for celebrating mascot
Ellie the Elephant's fifth birthday in style. Besides all the
(08:32):
celebrations that they had for her, they got her that
blowout win. And if anyone deserves a blowout win, it's
my girl. Ellie. To tennis and the French Open, where
five American women advance to the fourth round, which concludes today.
By the time you hear this, Coco Goth will either
be on too the quarterfinal round or out of the tournament.
(08:52):
I guess there's a third option two in the event
that her match, which started at five am Eastern, is
still in progress. You could be an earlier bird who
listens to our show right when it hits. Or maybe
the match is just really long. Maybe the match is
setting the world record for longest tie break ever recorded
and is still in progress as you listen to these words,
never say never. As for the rest of the field
(09:14):
IGAs Fontek, Elina Spittolina King wen Zen and Arina Sablenka
already clinched quarter final berths. On Sunday, we'll link to
the full Fronch Open schedule and results in the show notes.
If I said all of those names correctly the first time,
I should get a gold star more French Open. We
mentioned last week that, for a second straight year, on
(09:35):
Jaburg called out tournament organizers for continually prioritizing men's tennis
when scheduling night matches. Coco Goff supported Jabur's remarks after
her second round win, saying the tournament needed to quote
unquote improve its scheduling. While on Friday, French Open director
and former player Omlee Moresmo pushed back against the idea
that they were discriminating against women, as during a press conference,
(09:58):
why women's matches were the only ones placed during the
noontime slot, which is typically less attended, She replied, quote
the funny thing is that it's the same questions year
after year end Quote yeah, no, shit, sherlock. The questions
are the same because the problem is the same. Former
pro Pam Schreiver called out Moresmo in an episode of
(10:19):
the Tennis podcast over the weekend, Take a listen.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
It's extremely triggering, painful and disappointing to have a player,
a former WTA Tour player who got to number one
in the world, it's in the Hall of Fame, who
basically earned her fifteen million plus prize money, not including
all the endorsements, exhibitions, every opportunity that she had on
the back of the original nine led by Billy Jean
(10:44):
King Furthered along by Martina and Chrissy. And to have
a tournament director with that CV that background basically slapping
women's tennis the modern day version twenty twenty five is
horrendous to hear.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
We got to get Shrever on the show. Absolutely spot
on More Tennis. There was also a very cool, serendipitous
moment at Roland Garris on Thursday, as Venus Williams, Sloane Stevens,
and Cocoa Goff all ended up sitting together at the
TNT desk. Stevens is currently nursing a foot injury, so
she's doing commentary for the tournament alongside Williams and others.
(11:21):
When Goff sat down, she spoke about what it meant
to be at the table with Venus.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
You, Serena, the reason I started this sport, and like,
being here is surreal. I didn't know that you were
going to be at the nest, so I'm really happy
to be here. And yeah, I'm having a little moment here,
so I'm trying to get the words out, but honestly,
it means a lot to be here and hear that
from you. And yeah, I never would have thought when
(11:45):
I pick up a racket, I would be here, sitting
here with you and having this conversation.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
I'm so glad you're here, you and Sloan. There's so
many generations of girls who are picking up rackets. Stevens
later posted a photo of the trio at the desk
on her Instagram, writing quote, this isn't just a photo,
It's a page in the history books. We got to
take a quick break. When we come back. My conversation
with mel Reed, who I caught up with last week,
(12:09):
stick around joining us now. She's a recently retired professional
golfer on the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour,
now at broadcaster for NBC and other networks, and co
host of The Quiet Please with Melan Kira podcast right
here on the Iheartwomen's Sports Network. A Darby, England native,
(12:32):
she won her first LPGA Tour event in twenty twenty
the shopwrit LPGA Classic, and reached her highest ranking that year,
thirty ninth in the world. Now she's a mama and
a broadcaster who calls the broadcast booth a cage. We're
going to work on the It's Mel Reid.
Speaker 4 (12:46):
Hi, Mel, how you doing. I actually thought my word
ranking was higher than that, so that makes me feel great.
So thank you. Wikipedia says, what do you want to
just like might be done in the world.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
It's some perfect in my head. Let's talk about that
our word that I used in your bio, a word
you seem to be uneasy about saying aloud. On the
first episode of your podcast, you said you just irish
goodbye to your golf career, and you actually hoped everyone
on your team had already heard about it. But if not, well,
here I am on my podcast. I'm done. So what's
(13:18):
your beef with saying the word retired.
Speaker 4 (13:20):
It's not even the beef of saying the word retired.
It's the fact that, like I feel like every player
that retires has like a big sing and dance about it,
and that's not my style. So I just wanted to
just go out quietly and not have a big fuss
about it. So I just didn't tell anyone. I just
I The rumor was kind of getting around between players
because I was doing a little bit more broadcast and
(13:41):
a few players strove past me, like Nelly and stuff,
and I was like, yeah, dude, I'm done.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Nelly Porter decent person to have inquiring about your career.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
So.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
But yeah, so I did tell most of my team.
I forgot to tell like one member, which was pretty significant,
but I did. I did. I was pretty good at
telling most of my team. But yeah, it's kind of
been in the works for a few years, so yeah,
I did mention it.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
So this is a weird question potentially, But as someone
who really enjoys attention and loves to talk about myself,
what is going on inside when you're like, I just
don't want people to even care or know that I've done.
I just want to do it quietly and disappear, Like
what what is that?
Speaker 4 (14:24):
No? I love attention on myself as well. I do.
I just I don't know it's just the whole like
I feel it. Players that retire they get like big
bunch of flowers and like a big parade, and I
just didn't really want that. I just wanted to kind
of listen. I'm sure at some point in the next
couple of years, because I'll be on tour still obviously
with broadcasting, I'll get like a bunch of players and
(14:45):
like we'll have some beers and like go to a bar,
and that can be my retirement party. I just didn't
want this whole like song and dance about it all.
I just wanted to just believe quietly on my own terms. Plus,
Plus I am very good at an Irish exit on
a night, and so it just felt fitting for like
a twenty year career to do it.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
You actually thought about retiring in twenty twenty two. You
were frustrated by an injury, but after a few months
of thinking about it, you actually came back to the
tour and said you felt some joy and playing. Did
you feel like you got to go out on good
terms the last year or so of playing.
Speaker 4 (15:20):
Yeah, I mean I've thought about retirement for a while.
To be quite honest with you, I thought about it
firstly back in twenty twelve, and then I've kind of
thought about it a lot. It's funny, I don't think
I was meant to be a golfer, like I just
I grew up playing teen sport and I really missed
team sport, and so I've always kind of struggled with
(15:41):
the isolation of golf and be on your own quite
a lot. It's not really my it's just so against
the grain of my personality. But I created like some
really good friendship groups out there, and I did I
create a good team around me to make it as
enjoyable as possible. But there's always been in the back
of my mind, like I wanted to do something else
with my with my life in terms of a career
(16:01):
outside of golf, and so I've always kind of been
very proactive, Like broadcasting is kind of the natural direction
that a lot of people go in. I actually I
generally really enjoy doing broadcasts. I love I love the
team aspect of it. I love talking about golf. I
obviously love watching golf, and that hopefully is going to
kind of lead me into other stuff that I'm also
(16:23):
very interested in. But yeah, I mean, it's not easy
to retire, like even when I knew, I knew years ago,
like I probably should have retired or wanted to retire,
But it's quite hard to step it into the comfortableness
of not being a professional athlete anymore. It's a bit
of an identity thing, like I still should a little
bit like saying to people like I'm an ex professional athlete.
(16:43):
I still like, I still call myself a professional athlete.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
So we're going to hang on for that forever an athlete. Yeah,
you know you mentioned in there that isolation, and I
heard you talking on your podcast about how it used
to be different, how it felt like, And I think
in particular, you were talking about the European Tour. You
played together, you hung out together, you traveled together. If
you if you miss the cut, you'd find yourself at
(17:07):
a pub with some other players talking about how shit
you played and how it felt like, particularly coming over
to the LPGA. And in recent years it's got more
professional in a way that's great in some ways, but
also does make it less of a friendship of a
group activity. Is that part of what contributed to you
kind of losing the love for it a little?
Speaker 4 (17:26):
Yeah, definitely, I think that you know, especially when you're
on tour as long as I am, Like a lot
of my friends quit or kind of got pushed out
of the game as well. So a lot of the
ogs were not there anymore that I grew up with,
or I was kind of the young one around the group,
they'd all gone. I think that in Europe, it's listen,
there's a cultural difference, you know, with such a global
(17:48):
tour in the LPGA. If a lot of reasons are
like a lot of things about that is incredible, majority
of it is incredible, but there's a lot of cultural differences.
And so that was one thing that I kind of
struggled with because in Europe, you know, if you don't
play well, you do you kind of go to dinners anyway,
And if you play well or don't play what, you
go to dinners and you have a beer. And you know,
you wouldn't have a beer as of players if you
(18:10):
were kind of playing good or whatever. But like if
you miss the cut, of course you can have a
couple of beers and like the caddies joined you, and
like it's just a very yeah, you just shoot the
shit and just forget about it and reset for next week.
That's the thing like about golf is just consistently you're
just moving on all the time. And so yeah, I
definitely did struggle with that In America. I obviously found
like my group over here that kind of are a
(18:30):
little bit still old school like that, but it's really
tough and it's so competitive out there now that you
just I feel like it gets so regimented and you
just have to be one hundred percent all the time
to compete because the talent and the work ethic and
the commitment from these young athletes is just a joke
and they are just so good and they just travel
(18:52):
really well. They don't have any responsibilities. My life has
obviously changed with having a little boy, and so I
think that kind of I was like, is it worth
Is it worth the commitment? I'm gonna have to recommit
myself And it just was a no for We spoke
about it as a family, and for us it wasn't.
I didn't love it enough. I would rather grind at
something else that I truly loved. That took me away
from that my family.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
You mentioned your son Kai, So you and your wife
Carly had your first kid in twenty twenty three, He's
already been around the globe supporting mom out on the course,
and you actually said in an interview that ever since
you found out she was pregnant, golf became secondary. And
did taking pressure off the game at all impact your
play positively or negatively?
Speaker 4 (19:34):
Yes, no, I think Listen, it's not I have so
I didn't give birth to Kai. I actually don't know
how these women do it and then come back and
play like I can do it.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
I don't know when they do it period.
Speaker 4 (19:45):
Not to mention just any woman doing that exactly. I
honestly a whole newfound respect for women. And so we
found it quite difficult on the road with him because
Carli was still working full time and so she yes,
she can work remote, but it's it's just a lot,
and like, yeah, we do get daycare on the LPGA,
but it's a certain amount of hours and the daycare
(20:06):
women are unreal. But it's still a lot to kind
of navigate that and I'm trying to do my training
to a certain degree in that. But Carli's not off
till five and so it was just a lot for us.
But look, it gives you a whole new perspective, and
I think that having Kai in a lot of ways,
I was like, like I just kind of alluded to earlier,
like I could recommit myself, and I could, I couldn't
(20:28):
still compete. I still felt like I was more than
good enough to compete, but I was not willing to
sacrifice the time with my family for something that I'm
not that like, my heart has not been in it
for a while, and so it was it was almost
the push that I needed was from him and my family,
because like I wasn't brave enough to take that step before,
whereas with him, he naturally just getting me that push,
(20:51):
and so I'll forever. It's a shame that he won't
be able to kind of see me play in like
my prime, but I'm old and I'm quite happy for
him to watch with something else.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
I'm sure you'll have them out there when you're playing
for fun too.
Speaker 4 (21:02):
That'll be fun.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Your podcast is named quiet Please dual meaning, but in
part because of the expectation for women to stay quiet,
especially in the very traditional space of golf, and you
didn't come out publicly as gay until twenty eighteen. I
wonder if there were fears about how that might impact
your career or endorsements or support in the golf community
and the traditional space that you were in.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Yeah. Look, I think that everybody's before I kind of
get into this. I think everyone's story is different. I've
been very lucky that I've got a very supportive family
who literally don't care. I have a gay brother. So
I came out because I literally had a contract ripped
up in front of me when I introduced my partner
(21:49):
to a company. They literally lived up in my face.
And at the time, I was skin I had no money,
like I needed that contract. And my manager at the
time kind of rang me and was like, you know
swear on this podcast, right, oh yeah, hell yeah. Yeah.
She was like what the did you do? And I
was like, I literally introduced like my girlfriend at the time,
and she was like, well, don't do that because you
just lost the contract. And I was like, well for
(22:10):
you basically.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
Right, So wait I need to So you were in
a room with a person an your girlfriend at the time,
and then they literally took a piece of paper you
were about to sign and they tore it in your face.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Yeah, dude, what the fuck. We went to dinner, going
to the bathroom and they were asking my girlfriend, like,
do the man have a boyfriend? And she was like no,
And then I obviously had a couple of drinks and
I just I'm so unfiltered it anyway, and I just
didn't like the way they kept when I was back,
they kept asking the question. I thought, fuck this, So
when yeah, my boyfriend's right here, and I just she
(22:47):
said it like that, thinking it would go down really well,
and it just went down like a shit sandwich. So
but let's ask us, Oh god, probably twenty fourteen or fifteen.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
That's insane to me, Yeah, do you want to name
these people? And can we call them?
Speaker 4 (23:03):
It's behalf I.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Mean bad enough if behind the scenes a company is
like I don't think we want to go in that direction.
But in front of you, and yeah, it was meeting her.
Speaker 4 (23:15):
It was a blessing in a way, because I don't
want to be aligned with a company like that. Of
course they don't. They don't, we don't represent the same values.
It's actually a business exchange. And I hate that I
did that for a lot of my career because that
was the only opportunity that women had, and I hated
it from day one. I was like, I don't want
to represent this company, but I'm going to have to,
and so one of my friends encouraged me to kind
(23:36):
of just like, hey, why don't you You're so open
about it, like you don't care, you've got thicked skin.
I think it would be really good, and I was
a little bit nervous, obviously, but at the end of
the day, it's who is a part of me, A
big part of me and my life. I'm certainly not
ashamed of it, and I think that there should be
more representation in the space, especially at that time, because
(23:57):
you know I I didn't have represent growing up, and
so I kind of was very you know, I kept
myself very you know, my private life quite private to
start with, and it shouldn't be like that if you
don't feel like you want to be like that, if
that makes sense. So I just found it very important
and look, it's it's done me a world of good
and now I represent myself with companies that align with
(24:21):
my values. I have a sick agent in Cassette who
has literally changed my life and has just been incredible
at giving me like the confidence to and the branding
in that sense. And so it's funny, like I was
at the lowest of lows and then all of a sudden,
you kind of take this step into the unknown. And
it's funny what then gets attracted to you? And I
(24:43):
know that sounds so cheesy and no cliche, but it's
so true, Like once you come to people get more
comfortable around you, it's weird, and then all this thing
just starts attracting to you. And yeah, just in a
much better space obviously now, like an incredible space.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
And I met your agent, Cassette at the Deep Blue
Sports conference. She obviously with Always Alpha and Alison Felix
and was on a panel there as well. But I
was listening to speak on that panel and I jotted
down your name almost immediately as someone I wanted to
have on the show. It was just thinking that you
seem like the kind of person who might actually be
able to enact change in the LPGA to help usher
(25:16):
women's golf into more modern times. We've talked about it
on the show. We had Tisha allin on and it
just seems clear to me that there are things you
can do to honor the traditions of a sport while
also recognizing that it doesn't serve women and the current
world anymore to be so tightly connected to traditions that
fly in the face of what we all want to
(25:37):
stand for. And they're being left behind as this women's
sports revolution is happening because they aren't willing to stand
for anything besides golf. And I wonder what you would
like to see change if you were put in charge?
Speaker 4 (25:49):
Oh go, where do I start? Listen. I just want
to kind of say, like, I feel like the LPGA,
with the resources that they have, we're not the Opgasol right, Like,
we don't have a billion to TV deal. And I
think being on the board for a couple of years
it opened my eyes to actually, we do do a
pretty decent job with the resources and the help that
we have, like the way that we get supported, we do,
(26:11):
we do a pretty good job. But I feel like
I feel like in women's sport it's changed, but I
feel like golf, you're right, is kind of getting stuck
in the mud behind. And it's so frustrating for me
because I feel like women's golf, especially we're almost too
scared to make a mistake, that we're not brave enough
to kind of leap into the unknown. And I'm like
(26:33):
they're almost too scared to lose something, and I'm like,
but we're already losing, Like let's try something new, Like
let's get why don't we have like free admission for
two years, Like we need to get people through the gate.
That's number one. Like we need to do better job
at marketing. That's number two. Like I think broadcasts needs
a revamp, like it's it shouldn't be burtoned ties and shirts,
(26:53):
like it needs to be more chilled. Like the WNBA
do a great job at that they have three mates
on the board, on the panel and the you know,
shooting the ship, like we have that in golf, but
that we're not allowed to express that because it's very like, well,
this is how you have to act and you've got
to do this. And so I'm I feel like I'm
I'm even in the short space that I've been in broadcasts,
like why I do try and get as much of
(27:16):
my personality within reason as possible. I obviously can't say
gone air, but I would like to. But yeah, I
mean there's so many things that I think we're such
a global tour. We have so many unreal stories that
are not being told. But we first of all need
to get people through the gate, like when you turn.
(27:36):
We need better TV, like we need way more TV
than we have. We need weigh more cameras point of view,
We need it to be an event, like we want
people to go there because it's a sick event, like
live music there and way more chill like local vendors,
like local radios that like, we need more of a
like an event and entertainment vibe every single event.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
It's interesting you talk about being afraid to make a mistake,
because I've seen both sides of that. So I spend
about an hour after the espnW summit in New York,
which was a week after the Deep Blue One, talking
to a woman who had been hired by the LPGA
for the first in house marketing team they've ever had.
She just talked about how it feels like they're on
the one hand saying we want new ideas, we want
(28:19):
to change, and on the other hand, when you come
up with those ideas, they don't actually enact them for
fear to your point of making a mistake. On the
other hand, they took a swing on something like having
a merch collab with Barstool Sports that makes zero sense
to me and is very clearly a mistake, but they
were willing to take a swing on no pun intended.
(28:39):
I am wondering who's advising them, because if you're so
afraid of stepping in it and then you literally do
the thing that is the most obvious to any woman
sports fan not to do, who the hell's in charge
over there? I take some swings on good shit and
don't partner with.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
Barstool dity son on my wife. My wife is smart, ironic,
like I do follow what barstall and I'm like, I've
bought a couple of things and she literally is that
Carli hates it. She's like, dude, what the so Like,
obviously Carli's big sports person, and she's like, no, absolutely not.
So yeah, I know, I don't know. I think that
there's been a few ideas that they brought to the
(29:17):
board and we were just like, absolutely not, and they
did them anyway, and it's just like, come on, guys, like,
I don't know, listen, I'm not I understand that, like
I'm The thing is that we have to understand as well, right,
And this is a little bit controversial to say, but
I'm going to say it because I believe it. We're
a member's own tour, so we have the majority vote
on the board. Okay, I was on the board for
(29:39):
two years. Dude, I haven't got a fucking clue anything
about business. I haven't really got a clue about marketing.
But I'm making these massive decisions and I'm like, I'm
obviously going to go off a motion because I'm a player,
you know. So we've got these seven players in there
that are all emotion and then you've got these business
you know, men and women who actually know what they're doing,
and we're taking the lead. And I'm like, that's not
(30:00):
get rid of us. We should have like a player union.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
Yeah, we're both a little bit of both. I think
it's been great, and over the course of this podcast,
I've talked to a lot of current or retired players
that want to have a better connection to ownership in
front office so that they at least understand why decisions
are being made. And then I think it's really necessary
for ownership in front office to hear from players so
they make better decisions that center to serve the players.
So I think both is great, But I get.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
Your point point.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
Make sure people who are doing the research and understand
the metrics and everything else are making.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
These exactly exactly. And so I think that, you know,
the LPGA, we do have a kind of a little
bit of staleness in there which I think we need
to revam. Like I think we've started to do a
little bit of our social media, but I mean we're
so far behind still, like it's going to take a while.
It's going to take a while. I think it's definitely
moving in the right direction now with some of the
(30:49):
people that we've hired, but it's a long road, but
we'll see.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
New Commissioner Craig Kessler has just been announced. What do
you know about him or do you have hopes for
the idea just a new error might just naturally ask
and demand for change.
Speaker 4 (31:05):
Yeah, I've heard some really good things about him. He
did a great job at Top Golf. I think it
was I so a few of my friends. So I
met Carl when she worked at the PGA America, and
so I know a bunch of friends that kind of
worked with him, said very high highly of him. Carli
actually went to a speaking engagement with him. He was speaking,
(31:26):
she said that he hild the room, which for Carli
to say that means that he must have been pretty impressive,
and so listen, I'm very hopeful for him. Like I said,
everything I've heard about him is very positive. You know,
hiring is kind of the easy part. It's now like
what kind of strategy is he going to have to
uplift the LPGA to where it needs to be in
(31:48):
the next kind of five ten years. So yeah, I'm
always willing to give him. We're gonna obviously give him
a massive chance. I think he's the change that we need.
He's young, he's obviously very driven, he's hungry, and he's
very charismatic for what I'm hearing, and I think that
that's all the ingredients that we need for someone to
lead us.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
Sure, we saw Nelly Korda last year have this unreal
run that brought a ton of attention to her. It
really helped the tour to have one player, particularly an
American player, who was dominant enough for people to say, oh,
I know that name, Okay, now I want to go
watch I've been hearing about this person. That's tough in golf.
To your point, so many different people are winning. It's
very international, so some of them are not native English speakers.
(32:29):
You're trying to sell folks on a new name every week.
The Tiger Woods effect, the Nelly Quarter effect, is really
what golf can benefit from. It is such a mental game, though,
So does it feel like it's really not about who's
the best golfer on any given year, it's who can
mentally show up event after event and be consistent enough
to put up the right score.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:50):
I think it's a bit of both for sure. I
think Nellie is getting a lot more comfortable with her
life outside of golf. She's obviously getting a lot more
attention and doing like sports citistraining went to Macgarla. So
I think she's eccessing comfortable for Nelly, like she's not
that comfortable in that space, Like she kind of wants
to keep her head down play golf. She's kind of
opposite to Jess, her sister, in that sense. So I
(33:13):
think she's definitely finding her feet still in that kind
of setting. But she I mean a lot of people
talk about Geno Titsico being like the best player in
the world, and I would not disagree, But for me,
the whole package is Nelly and then I've got to
give up for my homegirl, Charlie Hall. So she's stopped
ripping darts now, so she's in a much healthier place.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
I saw you interviewing her on the course recently. But
she is someone we want to have on the show.
I am not a fan of cigarettes, but the idea
that she's just ripping darts, and not only that but
just taking them from spectators as she's walking the course,
she's siggs to smoke during I mean, normally you wouldn't
imagine you'd need to make a rule against smoking a
cigarette mid round because who's doing it? But she is.
Speaker 4 (33:57):
Yeah, she stopped ripping darts now though, So she was
a vapor and then she found she thought that she
found out vapiing was bad, so then she went to
ripping darts because that's not healthier. Yeah, not good either,
And then now she's ripping and now she's not ripping darts,
but she's I don't know what she's so, I don't
know what she's doing, but she's one of my favorite people.
I've known Charlie since she was like thirteen. Nothing that
(34:21):
comes out of her mouth surprises me. We need one
hundred percent. She's she's incredible. She's so good for the game.
I actually think she can move the needle more than
Nelly with her personality, So.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
Just got to get some of those scores where people
need to pay attention in exactly she just yeah, she's
she's so close to really, really, really really breaking through.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
So yeah, I think it's any amount of time she
wins a major and she would be an unbelievable winner,
like it would be god knows what she would do.
Speaker 1 (34:54):
You know, we talked about the emotional side of golf,
the mental side of golf, and what do you have
to bring to the course every single day to consistently
get those scores. And in twenty twelve, you mentioned earlier
in the interview that you thought about retiring. Then your
mom passed away tragically in a car accident, and it
had a really profound effect on your golf career and
you as a person.
Speaker 4 (35:13):
You talked about.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Sort of losing a little control, getting in with a
partying crowd, rebelling a little bit, and acting out, And
if you're willing to talk about it, I wonder if
you could take us back to that time, how did
you find your way out of that?
Speaker 4 (35:26):
That's a great question. I think that grief is a
funny thing. I think it's so individual and the way
that it happened like they were watching me. My parents
used to watch me at pretty much every golf tournament,
and it was on the way back to the hotel.
So I think for me, the problem is like when
you're a professional athlete and I was obviously pretty highly
(35:46):
ranked to the time, you're getting called left right and
center right. So everyone has an agenda, you know, even
though they mean, well, everyone has an agenda because you know,
I needed to play this tournament because they had paid
me all they I need to do this for a
sponsor if I haven't forbid, but if I have any
advice or anyone is just like just take him in
it and just like figure out, like what is best
(36:07):
for you. I think that I actually, you know, stories
get exaggerated. I really did, honestly try my best to
kind of navigate both sides of like being a professional
athlete and also like trying to grieve my mother. So
I got out of it because my remember, my best
my best friend, she's like a sister to me. Brand
(36:29):
she called me up one day and she was like,
all right enough, she was like, you're being a dick.
You're just doing everything half half like I we're going
to sort this out, Like just come up and see
me and we're gonna go sort it out. And she
lived in Scotland at the time and introduced me to
a couple of people, like a couple of people that
I actually brought in onto my team. And that was
(36:50):
the biggest game changer. It was actually somebody not forcing
me to get over the grief or forcing me to
talk through the grief. They were just allowing me to grieve.
It's probably the best way I could explain it. And
I just thought, right, I'm not going to be that
person that grief takes over you so much that ruined
your life. Like if this has happened to me, whether
I like it or not, I'm going to use it
(37:11):
as a superpower, Like I'm going to make this my superpower,
and everything I do from now on, obviously I'm going
to have dips some human being, but like everything I
do for now on is because of this superpower. And
that's honestly what it was. And I truly believed that
I felt like it gave me more grit, it gave
me more fight, It made me a better human being,
(37:33):
if I'm honest, more understanding human being, and so I
have such a horrific thing that would never wish on
anybody I saw, you know, like I never would have
moved to America if my mum was still alive, because
we were so close as a family. But I felt,
you know, I needed to make that change and I
needed to grow apart separately, and so I never would
have met Carli, never would have had Kai, And so
(37:55):
everything kind of happens. You know, you can take it
how you want, but it moved me and direct actions
that I chose the right path. In the end. There
was a time there where I was just being a
bit of you know, I just wanted to forget everything,
but I wasn't gonna let it beat me. So I've
got to give credit to kind of my best mate
for that.
Speaker 1 (38:11):
Yeah, you're the youngest of seven by eleven years, so
your years sibling is eleven years older than you.
Speaker 4 (38:19):
Yeah, I have like a sixty I have like a
seven year old sister.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Yeah, okay, so you're like a mistake.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
Mistake. I was a hammock. There was a there was
Shagan and a hammock. Yeah, and a hammock broke and
very awkward. Yeah, it broke. My dad likes to tell
me a lot when he's strong. Then I had to
do with who you became.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
But I'm curious. I'm curious because being the baby of
the family then you lost your mom so much younger
than your siblings, how did that affect your relationship with
them or how you all dealt with the grieving.
Speaker 4 (38:50):
It's funny really, because I felt like I'm only really
close with three of them. I felt like they all
had their own families, and so I felt like all
the way through my life, like when I was, you know,
a baby, they were teenagers. When I was a teenager,
they were in college. When I got to college years,
they were having kids, and so I kind of feel
like I've always skipped a step, so a lot of it.
(39:12):
I kind of felt like I was not like an
only child, but they were doing things and I was
trying to constantly catch up. Really, but I feel like
now now that I've got Kai and I'm married, we're
kind of on the same space again, So we're closer
now than we ever have. I feel, you know, it's
just at that age now we're kind of all the similar. Yeah,
(39:33):
it was interesting. I felt my brother and sisters are
all very different. But I felt that I kind of
took on a lot of the grief and tried to
make sure that they were okay because I didn't have
any responsibility. I wanted to make sure my dad was good.
I actually moved back in with my dad for a
couple of years just to make sure he was solid.
(39:54):
And then I was kind of like I am the
younger one, but I felt like I was the older
one at the time because I was trying to do
all I could to make sure that they were okay,
so that they were okay around the kids. I guess
I don't know, I just that's just the responsibility I took.
I took on a lot of emotion, and now I
wanted to do that, like I'm that person. I would
(40:16):
rather sacrifice my kind of mental health and make sure
they were good. And so I felt like I did
certainly take on that role, which I think is another
reason I needed to go to America. I was to
just breathe a little bit.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
Get back to the path.
Speaker 4 (40:32):
Yeah, yeah, exactly. Like I did feel like I give
up a few years just to make sure everyone was okay,
but I was more than that was my choice. And
I'm very grateful to do it yet one hundredcent.
Speaker 1 (40:43):
So now you have this new path in front of
you that's not playing broadcasting, podcasting, being a mom. I
think in the past you've done a clothing line and
a nonprofit. Like, what else is there ahead of mel Reed?
Speaker 4 (40:57):
Oh? Lots of things. Really, I really want to host
an LPGA event. I really want to run. I want
to put my money where my mouth is and run
like a.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Sick lpg money where your mouth exactly. Yeah, I'll just
argue and founder exactly, get all the people on board
for that, exactly.
Speaker 4 (41:17):
I love doing the panel stuff. I think it's really
important that women uplift other women, and especially with the
movement of women's spot right now, it's just a really
powerful group to be among. I love doing that kind
of stuff. I love doing broadcasting. I'm loving the podcast
with Kira. So yeah, I don't know. I kind of
(41:37):
still fund on my feet in the broadcast space. Obviously,
I'm so new to it, but I'm hoping that that
will kind of lead into other things and hopefully get
more eyes on women's golf. So yeah, I guess I'm
just kind of figuring out in this space. What. I'm
kind of gonna lean towards it the minute. I'm leaning
towards everything, So I'm just doing It's a whole new challenge. Yeah,
a whole new challenge, right, And so I still have
(41:58):
that athlete mentality of like I want to be the best,
want to be the best. Like, yeah, it's frustrating, but
it's great because I'm so driven to make change and
it's something that's extremely important to me. So yeah, I'm
enjoying this new spaceman and this new way life and
it's really exciting.
Speaker 1 (42:13):
Well, I, like I said, I believe in you to
help make some change. So I look forward to seeing
where you put your voice. I think the LPGA has
a product that could really be great if it's just
gets a little braver. It's all edgier. So thanks so
much for giving me some time.
Speaker 4 (42:27):
No, I appreciate it. Thanks for honestly, thank you so
much for having me on easy anytime, anytime. I like
talking so did.
Speaker 1 (42:37):
Thanks again to Mel for taking the time and chatting
with us. We have to take another break when we
come back.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
I actra surprised they're wearing pants.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Welcome back, slices. Let's tie a bow. On the one
hundredth annual Scripts Spelling Bee, which is a sport in
our book. Last year's runner up, Faisan Saki won this
year's B by correctly spelling a clerci small.
Speaker 5 (43:06):
Let's hear it a E C L A I R
C I S S E M E n T if
that is correct.
Speaker 1 (43:21):
Zaki became just the fifth runner up in a century
and the first since two thousand and one to come
back and win a later B. His enthusiasm and his
carefree approach nearly cost him the title, but after he won,
he said, quote, I decided to have fun with this
B and I did well, and here I am end quote,
sort of following the footsteps of Simone Biles and USA
(43:42):
Gymnastics in Paris. Stop stressing, just have fun and let
the winds come. You love to see it. By the way,
we got a couple more slices who shared the word
they went out on as a kid. Amanda Valo went
out on ghost, she forgot the H and Jane Burns
got burned by roommate. But Burns quote redemption came with
a victory in the Drake Journalism School Spelling Bee, and
(44:05):
you bet I still have that little trophy. End quote, Jane,
I want you to know I won the annual Tutoring
Chicago Celebrity Benefit Spelling B two years ago, and my
little B trophy is very prominently displayed and always will be.
I really needed that after that whole aerial up in
junior high. Oh and the trophy also came with a
(44:25):
mug that reads I'm silently judging your spelling, which I love.
We love that you're listening slices, but we want you
to get in the game every day too. So here's
our good game play of the day. If you want
to pre order my book, today is officially the last
day to do it. Why is that, Well, after today,
it won't be a pre order, It'll just be an
order because it comes out tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (44:47):
You guys.
Speaker 1 (44:48):
I'm so excited tonight. I'm actually having a fun launch
event at my local bookstore, Volumes Book Cafe. And if
you haven't ordered the book yet, maybe consider supporting a
local independent bookstore in your neighborhood or another neighborhood. Because
there's Powells in Portland, City Lights in San Francisco, the
Strand in New York, the aforementioned Volumes in Chicago, or
(45:11):
there's another Chicago fave, the fantastically feminist Women and Children
First Bookstore. Fun fact that store actually inspired the bookstore
on Portlandia called Women and Women First. You can order
the book from the website for any of those spots,
and then you make sure your cash goes to the beautiful, cozy,
welcoming spaces that we all love to have on our
street and in our neighborhoods. But you got a shop
(45:33):
there to keep them on your street and in your neighborhoods.
So go support them and me we'd love to hear
from you, so hit us up on email good game
at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail at
eight seven two two oh four fifty seventy, and don't
forget to subscribe, rate and review. It's easy slices. Watch
(45:53):
current softball players watching the NCAA Championship game from forty
three years ago ten out of ten home runs review.
Ahead of this year's Women's College World Series, NCUBLEA Softball
put out a very fun video of current players watching
video of the first ever nc DOUBLEA Championship softball game
(46:14):
back in nineteen eighty two. UCLA won that game defeating
Fresno State to nothing. But the biggest takeaway was that
players in that era didn't wear helmets, and that's not
the only thing that's changed. Take a listen.
Speaker 2 (46:28):
Nineteen eighty two NCAA Division One Women's Softball Championship.
Speaker 4 (46:32):
This is so retro.
Speaker 1 (46:33):
I actually love it. I've seen a lot of old
UCLA games. I don't think I've seen this Fresno State.
Oh my gosh, my mom played for them.
Speaker 2 (46:39):
Extra surprised they're wearing pants.
Speaker 4 (46:41):
I know, I was kind of expecting shorts.
Speaker 1 (46:43):
I like the headband. Wait, this is the game? Yeah, way,
where's her helmet? Did don't wear helmets? No helmets is insane?
Speaker 4 (46:51):
Is that Debbie Doom on the mound?
Speaker 1 (46:53):
I think so? Yeah? I loved it. Oh wow, I
mean the hair down is definitely like a winning choice.
Speaker 4 (47:00):
The uniforms I'm low Keychael.
Speaker 1 (47:02):
We'll link to the full highlight video in the show notes,
and we really recommend you watch it. It's super fun.
Now it's your turn rate and review, y'all. Thanks for listening,
See you tomorrow. Good game, Mel, good game. Queer community.
You to whichever company ripped up that contract in front
of Mel Big Mistake, Big Huge, Good Game with Sarah
(47:25):
Spain is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with
Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You could find us on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azie
and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz,
Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Emily Rutter,
(47:45):
Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch, and Gianna Palmer. Our associate producer
is Lucy Jones and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
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