October 6, 2025 • 41 mins
Women's hoops broadcaster Cindy Brunson joins Sarah to talk about the Las Vegas Aces’ big game 2 win over Phoenix in the WNBA Finals, what the Mercury need to do to get back in the series, and to give her take on the Napheesa Collier/Cathy Engelbert beef. Plus Unrivaled is headed to the City of Brotherly Love, we're flagging a new opportunity, and consider this our signal to you.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where the Aces
were huggin' Usher while the Mercury gave a whole new
meaning to the phrase Sunday scaries. It's Monday, October sixth,
and on today's show, will be chatting with women's hoops
broadcaster Cindy Brunson about the Las Vegas Aces big Game
two wins Sunday over Phoenix in the WNBA Finals, what
the Mercury need to do to get back in the series,
(00:21):
and her take on the Nofisa Collier Kathy Engelbert Beef
plus Unrivaled is headed to the City of Brotherly Love
flag in a new opportunity and consider this our signal
to you.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
It's all coming up right after this welcome back, Slay says,
hope you had a great weekend. Here's what you need
to know today.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
In the WNBA, the Las Vegas Aces have taken a
commanding two games to none lead in their best of
seven finals series with the Phoenix Mercury. After winning Game
two on Sunday ninety one seventy eight. Asia Wilson and
Jackie Young led the way for the Aces.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
With twenty eight and thirty two points. Respectively.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Wilson added fourteen rebounds for a double double, while Chelsea
Gray had ten points and tennisis for a double double
of her own. Collia Copper Paste the Mercury start to
finish with twenty three points, while Satusabli had twenty two
points and nine rebounds, but a lot of her production
came with the game out of reach. Game three of
the series is Wednesday night in Phoenix. Lots more on
(01:22):
the w Finals with Cindy Brunson later in the show
more WNBA.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
The fallout continues in the.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Wake of the prepared statement made by Minnesota links forward
and if he'sa Collier during her exit interview last Tuesday.
Per ESPN, Collier texted WNBA Commissioner Kathy Engelbert to express
a willingness to meet this week, but after a Friday
press availability in which Engelbert denied making comments Collier attributed
to her sources TELEDESPN, Collier has canceled that meeting. Per
(01:48):
one source, Engelbert's comments have quote pretty much pushed the
relationship beyond repair end quote. I want to play a
little bit of what the commissioner had to say in
that press availability ahead of game one first, when asked
directly by ESPN's Malik Andrews whether she said that players
should be on their knees thanking her for the TV
rights deal she got them, she said this.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
There's a lot of inaccuracy out there through social media
and all this reporting, and so I think what's most
helpful is to focus on I have been in touch
with the FISA, We've exchanged texts, we're talking next week.
So I think obviously a lot of reporting, a lot
of inaccuracy about what I said or what I didn't say.
(02:30):
And I will tell you I highly respect the players.
There's a lot of emotion and passion going on right
now because we're in collective bargaining. We're in the w
NBA finals. Uh, And so I'll leave it there. I mean,
I'm just obviously disheartened. You know, I'm a human too.
I have a family. I have two kids who are
devastated by these comments, and so all I'll say is
(02:52):
just you know, it's it's obviously been a tough week, and.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
I just think there's a lot of inaccuracy up there.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Near the end of the press or Friend of the show,
Annie Costable followed up, asking this.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
You've continued to express that you were disheartened by the
characterization of your conversation with the FISA. Collier just again
seeking clarity. Did you in fact say that Caitlin Clark
should be grateful she makes sixteen million off the court,
because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she
wouldn't make anything. And do you actually feel that way
that without this platform, players like Kaitlyn Clark wouldn't be
(03:28):
making what they do off the court.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Yeah, obviously I did not make those comments. Caitlin has
been a transformational player in this league's She's been a
great representative of the game. She's brought in tens of
millions of new fans to the game, proud of what
she's put on the court. Unfortunately, the injuries held her
back from a full season this year. But again, I'm
not going to get into every point counterpoint, it's not
(03:51):
productive here.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
We're here to celebrate.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
The WNBA Finals. I think what Indiana just did was
amazing with all the injuries they had and the everything
they face this year, bringing that to a game five
and overtime. But yeah, as I said, there's a lot
of inaccuracies reported out there, and I certainly did not
say that.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Now.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
During that press availability, Engelbert also announced a multi stakeholder
task force to address the issue of officiating in the league,
a quote unquote State of the Game committee that will
include players to ensure the officiating platform quote unquote evolves
in step with the growth of the league. So that's
good news. But while Engelbert and the league leadership try
to appease critics of the w's officiating and quiet calls
(04:32):
for her job from media talking heads, players continue to
come out in support of Colliure and of the criticism
she levied at leadership, including the Indiana Fever Sophie Cunningham,
who said in her exit interview in part quote, I
think there are a lot of people in position of
power in the WNBA who they might be really great
business people, but they don't know shit about basketball end quote.
(04:54):
Now I do wonder if we'll hear from NBA Commissioner
Adam Silver, who's in charge of hiring and firing the
WNA DA commissioner and who runs the league that owns
forty two percent of the W Actually more, as Friend
of the Show Lindsay Gibbs points out in a great
piece for cbsports dot Com. The league doesn't really just
own forty two percent of the w Multiple NBA owners
(05:14):
were part of the twenty twenty one equity capital raise
and own part of that sixteen percent equity share, and
six of the thirteen current WNBA teams are owned by
their NBA counterparts, and four of the five expansion teams
coming in the next four years will be run by
NBA owners two So, as Gibbs points out, NBA owners
collectively owned about sixty percent of the WNBA, she writes
(05:37):
of the NBA commissioner quote. For decades, Adam Silver has
complained publicly about the WNBA's lack of popularity and profitability,
all while doing very little to invest in its success. Usually,
people who own businesses talk them up publicly and laud
their successes. Instead, the NBA has empowered the WNBA's detractors
and publicly treated the league as a burden, essentially tanking
(05:59):
their own asset. Not coincidentally, these public degradations always ramp
up when it's time for a new CBA.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
To be bargained en.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
There's plenty more worth your time in that story, including
how the idea of sustainability has been weaponized against female
athletes to keep them from asking for money and resources.
We'll link to that Gibbs story in the show notes,
More hoops and Morenafisa Collier. Season two of the unrivaled
three on three women's basketball league started by Collier and
Brianna Stewart, is set to tip off in January, and
(06:29):
the league has announced a pair of games will be
played in Philadelphia. Exfinity Mobile Arena, home of the NBA's
seventy six Ers and NHL's Flyers, will host back to
back matchups on January thirtieth. The four teams set to
compete have not yet been announced. That'll be a fun
little taste of women's hoops for a city which has
been awarded an expansion team but isn't set to tip
(06:50):
off until twenty thirty to the NWSL. A celebration for
the Thorns that doubled as a kill shot for BFC's
playoff hopes on Saturday night, twenty year old Olivia Moultrie
scored twice to help the Thorns rally from behind to
grab a two to one win, officially eliminating BAFC from
postseason contention.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Before the game, Thorn's legend.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Christine Sinclair became the first player inducted into the Thorns
Ring of Honor and the first player ever to have
her jersey retired by the team. The other team that
was facing playoff elimination this weekend, the Utah Royals, managed
to live to fight another day, but just by the
skin of their teeth. They drew two to two with
the Chicago Stars, but got an assist from the San
(07:31):
Diego Wave, losing their match. The Wave fell to the
Washington Spirit two to one. They benefited from a pair
of goals from Rosamond Quasi, including a hail Mary game
winner at the death ninety eight minutes from deep.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
We'll link to that goal in the show notes. It
was abute.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Also some Spirit news this weekend, as stand out Casey Krueger,
who hasn't played since the NWSL one on Summer break
in July, has announced why she's expecting her second child.
Kruger's son Caleb, helped break the news to her teammates,
taking off a jacket after training to reveal a T
shirt that said big Bro. Kruger joins teammate Ashley Hatch
(08:08):
on maternity leave. A Hatch announced her pregnancy in July,
while teammate Andy Sullivan gave birth to her first child
in July and is working her way back into playing shape.
We'll link to Kruger's Instagram post of Caleb sharing the news.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
In the show notes.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
More NWSL a big win for Racing Louisville on Saturday.
They entered the weekend in the eighth and final playoff
spot and grabbed a three to one win over the
North Carolina Courage, who were lurking just one spot behind
them in ninth.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
And some Courage news as well.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Per Friend of the Show Jeff Casoof of ESPN Courage
and US women's national team, goalkeeper Casey Murphy has signed
a deal with expansion team Boston LEGACYFC. Sources Telcasoof that
Murphy will head East after her contract with the Courage
expires at the end of this season. Murphy's been North
Carolina's number one in net since the twenty twenty one season,
but she hasn't played since August, with Marissa Jordan starting
(08:56):
in her place. Week twenty three in the NWSL actually
continue tonight as Angel CITYFC hosts the Kansas City Current,
who have already clinched the shield and number.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
One seed in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
ACFC is currently an eleventh place, so they need every
last point they can get to keep their postseason hopes alive.
You can catch that one at ten thirty pm Eastern
on CBS Sports Net to Tennis and the Hard Courts.
At the China Open, American Amanda Anisamova claimed the title
Sunday with a six zho two six, six to two
win over Linda Noskova, the third seed at Anisamova ended
(09:28):
fellow American Coco Goff's title defense in the semi final
before defeating Noskova for her second WTA one thousand title
of the season. Anisimova is now the world number four
after she also posted runner up finishes at the US
Open and Wimbledon this year. Finally, at Thursday's Leaders in
Sport conference in London, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced plans
(09:49):
to launch men's and women's professional flag football leagues. The
goal is to get the leagues up and running in
advance of flag football's Olympic debut at the twenty twenty
eight LA Games.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
We got to take a quick break when we come back.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
It's Cindy Brunson I talked to her Sunday night after
the Aces Game two victory, joining us for a second
time here on Good Games. She's the former TV play
by play voice for the Phoenix Mercury and former longtime
sports and her host on ESPN. You can now hear
(10:23):
her calling Arizona Women's basketball, Big Ten Basketball and NBC
Sports in Peacock, and she's entering her fifth season as
the principal play by play voice for Athletes Unlimited Basketball.
A proud Washington State alum, she's a walking billboard for
our show because she's always rocking her I'm a Slice
tea pretty much on just about every flight she's on.
It's Cindy Brunson, and I am wearing my I'm a
(10:44):
Slice for you in honor of your dedication to our
merch So thank you.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
Cindy Slice reporting for duties, Sarah, how are you.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
I'm good.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
I'm surprised this WNBA final series has not gone the
way I anticipated.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
We're going to get into it, and I.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Want to talk quickly about this new look Phoenix Mercury team.
We've been talking about them all season, and that new
look includes a new play by play voice and I'm
not dogging any new hires, but I do miss Cindy
Brunson on the call. So why are we not hearing
the dulctones of Cindy Slice when we're listening and watching
our mercury.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
I wanted to be there. I was told by the organization,
like they told Britney Griner, we're going in a different direction.
So it was out of my control. And hmmm, that's it.
That's all. I missed. The job. I missed representing and
driving to the arena, working with the Hall of Famer
and Myers Drysdale. I thought I comported myself well and
(11:42):
did right by the players and the fans, which is
always my goal whenever I get behind the mic. So
it was a bummer. It was unexpected, but it is
what it is, and it's their loss ultimately.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Yeah, I mean, that's kind of the only way you
could think about it, because obviously you're still quite busy
doing your other work and proving your chops are great.
You've actually been flying around to games too. I've been
watching you. You're keeping tabs on the w You're bouncing
around to different games. So let's talk about what we're
seeing in these finals. Because I'm seeing an ACES team that,
through two games, finally feels focused. Were past the beginning
(12:14):
of the season when they were a mess, past the
win streak where they seemed sort of unbeatable, and early
in the playoffs they were pushed to the brink in
both series and you could see flashes of it working
and then flashes of what the hell are they doing
out there? Bad passes, lack of focus, an inefficient offense,
poor ball movement. But through two games, this team looks
(12:38):
real tough to be What are you seeing with the Aces?
Speaker 5 (12:41):
I tell you what. I was able to tour the WNBA,
like you mentioned, wearing my sliced T shirt on various
flights throughout the regular season because I wanted to maximize
the opportunity. Right, I don't get to go to games
in other arenas like I had in years past having
been with the Mercury, so I took advantage of that
and I got to see the Aces up close as
(13:01):
a result, and I saw them in Chicago most recently,
and I tell you what, that team remembered who it
is the only thing that was missing when they were
fourteen and fourteen and in the eighth spot a few
months ago was their swagger. There are so many current
Olympians and All Stars and champions on that roster. They
(13:25):
just had to look in the mirror and remember who
they are. And they can send thank you notes to
Seattle and to Indiana for reminding them that they can
rely on each other when the going gets tough. They
are tested, tried and true. Conversely, in the other locker room,
you have a couple of champions, only one starter and
(13:48):
only two returning players from last year's Mercury team. There's
a lot of unfamiliarity, and their path to the finals
was markedly different, a little bit easier, even though they
went through last year's finals combatants, because those teams just
weren't quite together, whether it was injury or what have you.
(14:10):
That wasn't the New York team that we saw at
the beginning of the season, and Minnesota wasn't quite right.
So they just didn't have the same tests, if you will,
that Indiana and that Seattle provided for Las Vegas.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
I don't know if I agree with you on that.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
I'd certainly agree with you on the liberty, but the
links to me beside that final game, of course, without
Cheryl Reeven, if He's a Collier. That team, to me
at moments, looked unbeatable. I think the Mercury had a
tougher road, but they were playing so well it didn't
matter Whereas I thought the Aces in theory could have
(14:51):
put away Atlanta or Indiana.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
If they had had their shit together.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Their shit has not been together for a full game
or close to it until I think this series. So
what are they doing to make a Mercury team that
I thought looked unbeatable look so fallible?
Speaker 5 (15:07):
They are taking away what they like to do, shoot
the three. The three ball is not falling in this
series for Phoenix like it did during the regular season
and earlier in the playoffs. And then you have the
knee injury to Sammy Whitcomb, which is huge. Remember how
critical she was against Minnesota in that twenty point comeback,
hitting that dagger three to force overtime. Ever since she
(15:31):
went down with injury, she hasn't been right. She was
scoreless in Game two and fourteen minutes of action on
the floor. And then you have Satu Sombli going down
with an ankle injury late in the fourth quarter. And
this is a young woman that spent part of the
season in a wheelchair and in a boot for Phoenix,
so that could bloom very large for a game three.
The only player who was consistently hitting threes in the
(15:52):
first two games is Cock Copper. She cannot do it
all alone. And the defense that Las Vegas has relied
on to get past Indiana in particular, and all of
the three points shooting that that team could bring to
the table even though they were so injured, I tell
you it's made them ready to take on this Phoenix group.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Yeah five for twenty eight from beyond the Arc for
the Mercury, they started out three or four and just
went downhill from there. You mentioned Colia Kopper to me,
the only Phoenix player looking efficient and in rhythm, taking
shots when they come to her and finishing sa too
sobbly in particular, looked impatient early on a lot of
jumpers early in the shot clock. Most of the damage
she did if you just look at the box score,
(16:33):
looks pretty good, but mostly with the game out of reach.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
What is not clicking in this Mercury offense.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Let's say they do take a meeting after this one
and say we can't rely on the three they're defending
the perimeter. Why aren't they going in to Alisa Thomas,
the bulldog in the middle.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Why aren't they using the.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Physicality that has helped them so often leading up to
this series.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
Because Alicsa Thomas, every time she gets near the paint,
she's met by a double team and a little guard,
whether it is Jewel Lloyd or Dana Evans, swiping at
that basketball, creating turnovers. Las Vegas is expertly taking away
what Phoenix wants to do. And I keep waiting for
Phoenix to adjust, and they're just not adjusting in real time.
(17:15):
We see Las Vegas adjusting in real time. We see
them go to the zone in Game one, which completely
fouled up. Thanks, and then we see them just goat
Phoenix into a double team on Asia. Right, she went
off with thirteen points in the second quarter. You're gonna
single cover me. I'm gonna show you why I'm a
(17:36):
four time MVP. So they adjust, right, They bring the
help in the third quarter, and then Jackie Young says,
thank you, I will eat now and score a w
NBA record twenty one points in the third quarter. Like
that's what Becky drew up. She's like telling her fellow
South Dakota coach in Nate tibbets, I'm setting this trap
(17:58):
and he's falling for it every time. And that gets
me back to my original point. This is a team
in Las Vegas that has been there and done that.
The core group of this franchise with Becky, Asia, Jackie,
and Chelsea and you could even add in Kirsten Bell
because she's been there the whole time too. They understand
(18:21):
what this is supposed to look like. They understand how
big of a deal it is to protect home court.
And even though they were crazy tired after that incredible
Indiana series, they found a way. Phoenix let him screw
up and find a way and get Game one, because
that was the gettable game for Phoenix. Yeah, and they
(18:41):
didn't get it. They didn't get it.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
They needed Game one. That was the gettable game. Especially now.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Jackie Young after the game, kind of joking around but
being serious, she said she called what her legs felt
like in Game one forty four and for those who
don't know what that meant, that was the reference to
this is the first season where they played four forty
four games and then the playoff series that they had
to battle through together or she was tired. She found
her legs for this one. Becky Hammond gave it the
day off yesterday and that certainly helped. I want to
(19:09):
talk about that. The first game, aces bench gets the
job done. This game, they're superstars show up. Yes, Asia
Wilson twenty eight points, fourteen rebounds, three assists, Jackie Young
thirty two points twenty one and the third you mentioned
that a record for a quarter in the WNBA Finals.
For Game three, you're Nate Tibbitts invites you into the
(19:29):
huddle to give them a game plan. Who are you stopping,
who are you focusing on, and what are you changing
for yourself to give you a shot to get back
in the series.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
I think you let Asia Wilson eat because she's going
to beat you with mostly twos and not threes. You've
got to defend the perimeter better. You can't let Chelsea
greg get an open three, you can't let Jewel Lloyd
get an open three. And you've got to try to
contain Jackie Young. And that's a tall order because every
defender that Phoenix had in uniform that was on the
(19:59):
floor or tried valiantly, but it did not work to
stop Jackie young. I mean, she just was eating uncontrollably
and it was awesome. She was just on one. She
went on a heater and there was nothing Phoenix could
do about it. So they have had success Phoenix throughout
the season with live ball turnovers and relying on their defense,
(20:22):
and they've got to go back to that. But for me,
the biggest question for Phoenix is the health Sammy wickhamb
not being able to score a single point is a
problem because she's your your bench cheater right she comes
off the pine. She gives you instant offense, instant energy,
calms everybody down, makes everybody comfortable because she makes it
look so easy with that quick release. If she is
(20:44):
not providing points, then Nate has to get uncomfortable and
expand the bench that he's tightened up to eight players.
Speaker 4 (20:52):
Yet.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
To me, it also just feels like Alyssa Thomas isn't
everywhere on the court like she has been in the past.
And I don't know if that's thing that Aces are doing,
or if she's tired, or if they're just not in
a flow offensively, but I certainly feel like we need
to feel the presence of Alissa Thomas on both ends.
A bit more now, even if it means fighting through
those double teams.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
I want to talk about the officiating in.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
This game because I've seen throughout these series in the playoffs,
certainly some calls that didn't look great, but this one
there were.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
So many egregious ones.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
And this is about the last thing I think Kathy
Engelbert wanted to see was a game full of controversial
calls and phantom calls.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
This one had plenty. There was a call on Chelsea
Gray and.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
The third followed immediately by a terrible fourth foul picked
up by Alissa Thomas and the fourth a complete miss
calling Collia Cooppra on an offensive foul when Jewell Lloyd
was falling into or trying to defend before that.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
What do you make of the officiating this one?
Speaker 1 (21:42):
And were you surprised that Nate Tibbitts didn't use his
challenges until the very end when the game was essentially over.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
Well, Nate tibbets has called himself out right. He didn't
call time out correctly at the end of game one,
and I think he'll regret not using his challenges earlier
in game two, and that's thing that he can adjust
to right this is his first time in a WNBA finals.
Becky Hammond is used to this. She's been there, done that.
She's a two time WNBA champion coach. She knows the
(22:12):
ebb and flow, and she has had to deal with
officiating that she has called out. Nate Tibbins has been
the quiet coach in all of the officiating rants throughout
these playoffs. We've heard plenty from Cheryl Reeve, We've heard
plenty from Becky. Everybody has had something to say about
the officiating. Stephanie White as well, and understandably, you know,
(22:32):
we as fans, we have eyeballs. We see what's going
on our TV screens. For me, the officiating at both
the collegiate and professional levels, whether it's athletes unlimited or
the WNBA or NCAA Women's Division one basketball has been
terrible since twenty nineteen. And that's the last precipitous jump
(22:53):
for me in my mind's eye of the uptick and
athleticism and speed and shot making official and see that
we see all over the place. Now, I just don't think, yeah,
the officiating has leveled up to that yet and is
still playing catch up in that regard, and it just
needs to be held to account when these athletes are playing.
(23:17):
They deserve top tier officiating, period, point blank.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Yeah, completely agree.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
I want to appease the internet demons and just ask
you quickly. Asia Wilson two fouls total in two games.
Something fishy or just a controlled defender.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
I think she's an elite and controlled defender. She doesn't
body up her opponent, and I think that's a big
difference between her and Alyssa Thomas.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
You know, at is there.
Speaker 5 (23:44):
She lets you feel her where because she's such an
elite shot blocker. Remember as many times as she has
won MVP four times, she could have just as many
defensive Player of the Year awards. And she does that
because of her leaping ability. She has that volleyball block
leap ability, and because she has that, she stays for
(24:08):
work way. Yeah, her footwork easy elite, So she stays away.
She gives her opponent that little bit of space, so
she's jumping up and in and not necessarily bodying, and
so I don't think that she has Maybe they might
have missed one, maybe two, but I don't think there's
any balance there, just based on the way she defends.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
I don't see a lot of it either, but you know,
throwing a bone to those who are convinced that the
fix is in.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
I said, for whom and to what end? They didn't relate.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Someone's always complaining about officiating, which is something we acknowledge
every year, and it was certainly part of the complaints
from coaches and the FISA Collier. But Callier's statement made
such a splash because it wasn't really about just officiating
needing to be better for the quality of the product.
It was also about failures in leadership. You've been covering
the game a long time. What did you make of
(25:02):
the statement, and what did you make of Kathy Engelbert
alleging in her press availability that essentially call your lied
or misrepresented to be a slightly softer version of the
same thing that Kathy alleged.
Speaker 5 (25:15):
I am ten toes down with the FISA Collier.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
I believe every word that.
Speaker 5 (25:21):
Came out of her mouth in her statement. That was
the strongest four and a half minutes in sports that
I have seen in a very long time. I have
been covering professional sports for the last three decades plus,
and I was so blown away and completely impressed with NEFISA.
(25:41):
And as for Kathy Ingelbert's response, lukewarm. It just you know,
at this point she has made so many missteps.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
I just.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
And for her to even intimate that NAFISA is lying. Uh,
that just did not sit will with me and I
understand exactly why I call your canceled their previously scheduled
meeting as a result.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Think when you've got a player in the heat of
the moment, it is much more likely to believe that
their paraphrasing is incorrect than when you have a player
who is vice president of the Players Association who has premeditatively.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Is that a word?
Speaker 1 (26:27):
I don't care written down a four minute plus statement
to read from knowing full well what the outcome and
fallout might be. You are going to be careful with
what you say and what quotes you attribute to someone.
It feels highly unlikely that she made up or misrepresented
Kathy Engelbert. There is a lot more skin for Kathy
(26:47):
to deny than there is four feet to invent those
Her argument could be the same without those direct quotes,
so I very much believe that they exist. Do you
think Kathy Engelbert survives this mess? And if so, is
it maybe after a CBA negotiations are done because they're
in the midst of that or is it something where
it's very hard to tell because we really don't hear
(27:09):
from Adam Silver and the NBA and the folks who
are essentially in charge.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Of her job.
Speaker 5 (27:13):
Yeah, that is the rub right. I don't know what
Adam Silver is thinking. He hasn't put out any sort
of statement in support or anything like. He has just
been out of sight, out of mind. So that's frustrating.
I know from a player's perspective, being friendly with so
many of them and in contact with so many of them,
(27:33):
they do not want Kathy Engelbert anywhere near this product, period,
point blank. And there are so many elite women who
could step into that role as former players and represent beautifully.
I think I've Swing Cash and Lisa Leslie just today.
I'm a couple off the top of my head. I
(27:56):
just I know Nekka is still playing, but Nekogumackay for
me as the current president of the WNBAPA would also
be an excellent choice. There's just too many elite leaders.
I get rubbed the wrong way as a fan period
when Kathy intimates that these players don't understand business. They
(28:20):
are business women. They are individual business entities marketing themselves
and their personal brands all over the place. So for
Kathy Engelbert to say, yeah, they just don't understand a
big picture, no, boo boo, you don't understand. You don't
understand the quality and caliber of athlete that you are
(28:41):
dealing with here in the year of our Lord twenty
twenty five. And as a result, you're missing the message.
You just miss the mark over and over and over again.
And I just I know they're fed up with it.
I know I am. The players just deserve better because,
as the shirts say, pay us what you owe us,
(29:03):
they are the product. We don't have a league without
the players. We don't have expansion, we don't have a
first time seven game WNBA Finals without them. We don't
have anything that we enjoy as a fan base without
the players.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Yeah, and I'm interested in the conversations we've had about
commissioners at other leagues, and the one that stands out
to me is someone like Roger Goodell, who can be
constantly embattled and criticized, but ultimately is paid big bucks
to take the.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Slings and arrows of the media.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
The players, the fans to protect and do the bidding
of the owners, which is ultimately who he works for.
Now it's more complicated in the WNBA because Kathy Engelberg,
who works for the NBA, she works for the owners,
some of whom are also NBA owners, some of whom
are longtime w some are brand new, some are expanding,
Like whether or not the missteps or the potentially calculated
(29:58):
choices she makes that get sized are done in order
to toe the line that is being set by the NBA,
which includes oftentimes criticizing its own product right before negotiations
or during times when it will benefit the NBA to
count the WNBA as a loss, and without transparency around
financials and everything else, it really makes it tough. And
(30:21):
so I'm just curious to see whether what we expect
and what the players will demand from Kathy feels different
than what is sometimes expected and demanded by other of
other commissioners. And a lot of that I think has
to do with her statements on social issues race bullying,
toxic fan behavior, etc. As opposed to the business side,
(30:42):
because that's where she steps in it the most, and
that's where to me it feels like there's the biggest
disconnect between her and the league that she is.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Tasked with running.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
One last thought about this, I wanted to ask you
what do you make of the players who have chosen
not to publicly support fee or have offered up a
no comment so far. I know there are so many
players in the league and not all of them have
had an opportunity to speak yet, but I'm thinking in particular,
someone like Alyssa Thomas, who you know well. Her team's
in the finals, she was an MVP finalist. She's been
(31:10):
in this league a long time. She's one of the
best players. Are you surprised that she chose no comment?
Speaker 5 (31:16):
Not at this juncture because she's chasing something she's never
had before, and that's a championship, And I think she
I'm giving her grace because I know her focus and
just based on comments she has made previously, I know
she's in luck step with me. I don't have to
even hear her say it, but I think for her
(31:37):
the no comment is right now. All I'm focused in
is leading this team to a championship, because if she
doesn't do that, then she continues to be the bridesmaid
that she has been her entire WNBA career, and quite frankly,
I know for a fact she doesn't like that label
and wants to shake it.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Yeah, I mean, I agree with you in the sense
that for Lyssa Thomas, this is in keeping right. She
hasn't posted something on Instagram in months.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
She hasn't.
Speaker 5 (32:10):
She's not a social media person.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
Yeah, and so I will say others who are also
pursuing their first title, who are also singularly focused on winning,
have commented during this week or so, But also they
are people that are much more often in front of
a mic on their phones, you know, commenting on things.
That is to say, though, I do hope that all
of the best players and loudest players and most involved
(32:36):
players do take a moment to stand with fee because ultimately,
that's what we've seen across every single sport and every
single opportunity for women to take a step forward is
unfortunately they've had to do it for themselves, and they've
had to do it publicly calling out the people in
the way, because behind the scenes hasn't seemed to work
for the US women's national team. The you know women's
(32:58):
hockey players, you know, Billy Jean King and company. Like
if you go back in history, it ends up having
to be shame, sadly, or public defamation that forces folks
who should already be acting.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
To finally act.
Speaker 5 (33:13):
It's incredible how in our day to day life, I
feel like shame doesn't exist, but we need it in
women's sports, and it still exists, thankfully, because we have
to call things out and call attention to them over
and over and over again. And that's the only way
by that drum bea continually going, we get things done.
(33:33):
And thankfully we have that in this women's basketball space,
and like we've seen in soccer and tennis, hopefully we
can get this done. But yeah, I just it's frustrating
and I feel for the players, but I know ultimately
it's going to be for the greater good.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
Yeah, that's such a great point, and I hate to
be super cynical, but it's hard not to be at
this moment when the rest of the country, and particularly
the Trump administration, is trying to push women into lanes
that are restrictive and backwards and send us back into
the kitchen. It feels scary to have this place of
(34:11):
great progress be fighting itself. Yes, at a moment when
it needs to come together and push forward and take
advantage of such an incredible time of interest and engagement
and investment to be fighting itself when we could have
even more dangerous forces looking to slow it down and
(34:31):
send it backward.
Speaker 5 (34:32):
And this is why I don't think Kathy is the
person for the job, period point blank. Because if she
says in her news conference that, you know, she's admitting
that she's not built to take the slings and arrows
that you mentioned. Roger Goodell, does I think that forty
million dollar a year's salary helps him do that? But
ultimately he doesn't care, right, He is a successful guy.
(34:53):
He's been doing it forever. You can say whatever you
want about him, But you say a few things credibly
about Kathy and all of a sudden, oh my kids
heard that. Oh no, Well, maybe this isn't the job
for you then, honey, Because I don't think Nafisa Collier
is going to put together four and a half minutes
that she has spelled out, written out and is reading
(35:15):
to everybody in the world and not do so accurately
and truthfully. So if that's a problem, go ahead and
step aside. Because there are several women off the top
of my head, swing Cash being at the top of
the list, Lisa Leslie, on and on and on, who
are built for that job. I think it is one
of the few commissioner positions in the world that demands
(35:40):
a former player be in it.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Yeah, I have empathy for any person who's going through
a tough time and anyone whose kids are sad about
that getting criticized publicly.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
But if you think that's tough, then.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
You should be in the shoes of the players who
have been fighting on behalf of this league for the
entirety of its existence and see what that feels like,
especially if, more likely and not, those comments did come
from you and you.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
Just don't want to have to owne up to them publicly.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Cindy, I could listen to you talk about this all day,
I could ask you a million questions, but we got
to go. Thank you so much for coming on, Thank
you so much for knowing all the things all the
time and being just the best at this. Looking forward
to hearing you on the call for AU and college Ball.
Speaker 5 (36:18):
Thanks appreciate it, Cindy Slice checking out.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
Thanks again to Cindy for taking the time. She is
the best. We gotta take another break when we come back.
No goggles for you. Welcome back, Slices.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
We love that you're listening, but you know we always
want you to get in the game too, and y'all
have been doing a great job delivering on our good
game plays of the day. First, want to shout out
super Slice Sean Quinn for calling in to congratulate us
on the Signal Award nomination for Best Daily Podcast and
to remind you that you can vote through October ninth,
and we need some votes.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
Y'all.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
We're losing, so check the link in our show notes,
vote early and often, tell your friends, tell your enemies.
Truly takes less than link twenty seconds to plug in
an email and vote, so it'll help us go do it. Also,
we asked you all for your finals predictions.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
We got some good ones.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
Super Slice Amanda Valo not only chimed in with her pick,
which is aces in five, but she also sent some
prop bets for the finals. A couple funny ones in there,
including quote Kathy Engelbert doesn't need to buy any goggles,
she will not be invited into the Winter's locker room,
and the refs hoop swallowed the whistles will not be
given heimlicks. Valve also suggested that Big Citrus shows aren't
(37:36):
kick ass, they're squeeze ass. And I'm sorry, Manda, but
we're going to stay away from that one for obvious
HR reasons.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
We're gonna stick with kickass.
Speaker 1 (37:45):
She also sent over some fun end of season WNBA
awards for slices to vote on, like best hoops and
gay shit and who's excelling in the sheets spreadsheets that is.
We'll get to those in an upcoming show, and that's
what we call it tease. And this biz, folks, we
always love to hear from you. Hit us up on email,
good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a
(38:06):
voicemail at eight seven two two o four fifty seventy
and don't forget to subscribe, rate and review. It's easy,
like I say every time, real easy.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
Watch Screaming Pink Pony Club.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
At the top of your lungs with thirty thousand strangers
rating ten out of ten bangers to keep us dancing
through this shit storm.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
Review. The other day, on.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
One of my favorite podcasts, We Can Do Hard Things,
my friend Glennon Doyle shared some words from queer activists
and writer Dan Savage. The quote was during the darkest
days of the AIDS crisis, we buried our friends in
the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced
all night.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
And that quote stood out to me because obviously, right
now feels super heavy, in between extra judicial killings in
the Caribbean and a government shutdown and ice raids in Chicago,
and what feels like a complete and utter loss of
humanity by way too much any of our fellow American citizens.
It's pretty hard not to want to scream or cry
or hide under your covers or all three. And it's
(39:07):
fine to do all three, frankly, but we still got
to keep showing up. And in order to show up,
we need to recharge our battery. We need to surround
ourselves with kindness and like minded people, and we need
to remind ourselves how many people out there still do
care about other people and about what's right and legal
and fair. And I have to say that Friday night
(39:31):
in Kansas City, I was in this sea of awesome people,
friendly and joyful and kind, no matter how packed tightly
we were, no matter if someone accidentally spilled some beer
on them, and we were singing along to Chapel Ron
who was telling us all that she was so proud
to create these safe spaces where people could show up
and be themselves and be together, and she was amazing.
(39:53):
The night was a very necessary break from reality, and
it was a just reminder that after we cry and
scream and hide, we have to go out and protest.
We have to go out and fight, and then we
got a dance at night. So I hope you, slices,
are finding some ways to do that. If you're like me,
it's probably by listening to the new Taylor Swift every
single minute of the day. You're not at a Chapel
(40:14):
Run concert. All right, Slices, now it's your turn, rate
and review. Thanks for listening, See you tomorrow. Good Game, Cindy,
Good Game, Asia and Jackie, thank you, two mentions of
Roger Goodell and a women's sports show. Good Game with
Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership
with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us
(40:35):
on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get
your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are
Alex Azzie and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett,
Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder. Our editors are
Emily Rutter, Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch and Gianna Palmer. Our
associate producer is Lucy Jones. Production assistance from Avery loftis
(41:00):
your host Sarah Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where the Aces
were huggin' Usher while the Mercury gave a whole new
meaning to the phrase Sunday scaries. It's Monday, October sixth,
and on today's show, will be chatting with women's hoops
broadcaster Cindy Brunson about the Las Vegas Aces big Game
two wins Sunday over Phoenix in the WNBA Finals, what
the Mercury need to do to get back in the series,
(00:21):
and her take on the Nofisa Collier Kathy Engelbert Beef
plus Unrivaled is headed to the City of Brotherly Love
flag in a new opportunity and consider this our signal
to you.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
It's all coming up right after this welcome back, Slay says,
hope you had a great weekend. Here's what you need
to know today.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
In the WNBA, the Las Vegas Aces have taken a
commanding two games to none lead in their best of
seven finals series with the Phoenix Mercury. After winning Game
two on Sunday ninety one seventy eight. Asia Wilson and
Jackie Young led the way for the Aces.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
With twenty eight and thirty two points. Respectively.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Wilson added fourteen rebounds for a double double, while Chelsea
Gray had ten points and tennisis for a double double
of her own. Collia Copper Paste the Mercury start to
finish with twenty three points, while Satusabli had twenty two
points and nine rebounds, but a lot of her production
came with the game out of reach. Game three of
the series is Wednesday night in Phoenix. Lots more on
(01:22):
the w Finals with Cindy Brunson later in the show
more WNBA.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
The fallout continues in the.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Wake of the prepared statement made by Minnesota links forward
and if he'sa Collier during her exit interview last Tuesday.
Per ESPN, Collier texted WNBA Commissioner Kathy Engelbert to express
a willingness to meet this week, but after a Friday
press availability in which Engelbert denied making comments Collier attributed
to her sources TELEDESPN, Collier has canceled that meeting. Per
(01:48):
one source, Engelbert's comments have quote pretty much pushed the
relationship beyond repair end quote. I want to play a
little bit of what the commissioner had to say in
that press availability ahead of game one first, when asked
directly by ESPN's Malik Andrews whether she said that players
should be on their knees thanking her for the TV
rights deal she got them, she said this.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
There's a lot of inaccuracy out there through social media
and all this reporting, and so I think what's most
helpful is to focus on I have been in touch
with the FISA, We've exchanged texts, we're talking next week.
So I think obviously a lot of reporting, a lot
of inaccuracy about what I said or what I didn't say.
(02:30):
And I will tell you I highly respect the players.
There's a lot of emotion and passion going on right
now because we're in collective bargaining. We're in the w
NBA finals. Uh, And so I'll leave it there. I mean,
I'm just obviously disheartened. You know, I'm a human too.
I have a family. I have two kids who are
devastated by these comments, and so all I'll say is
(02:52):
just you know, it's it's obviously been a tough week, and.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
I just think there's a lot of inaccuracy up there.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Near the end of the press or Friend of the show,
Annie Costable followed up, asking this.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
You've continued to express that you were disheartened by the
characterization of your conversation with the FISA. Collier just again
seeking clarity. Did you in fact say that Caitlin Clark
should be grateful she makes sixteen million off the court,
because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she
wouldn't make anything. And do you actually feel that way
that without this platform, players like Kaitlyn Clark wouldn't be
(03:28):
making what they do off the court.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Yeah, obviously I did not make those comments. Caitlin has
been a transformational player in this league's She's been a
great representative of the game. She's brought in tens of
millions of new fans to the game, proud of what
she's put on the court. Unfortunately, the injuries held her
back from a full season this year. But again, I'm
not going to get into every point counterpoint, it's not
(03:51):
productive here.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
We're here to celebrate.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
The WNBA Finals. I think what Indiana just did was
amazing with all the injuries they had and the everything
they face this year, bringing that to a game five
and overtime. But yeah, as I said, there's a lot
of inaccuracies reported out there, and I certainly did not
say that.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Now.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
During that press availability, Engelbert also announced a multi stakeholder
task force to address the issue of officiating in the league,
a quote unquote State of the Game committee that will
include players to ensure the officiating platform quote unquote evolves
in step with the growth of the league. So that's
good news. But while Engelbert and the league leadership try
to appease critics of the w's officiating and quiet calls
(04:32):
for her job from media talking heads, players continue to
come out in support of Colliure and of the criticism
she levied at leadership, including the Indiana Fever Sophie Cunningham,
who said in her exit interview in part quote, I
think there are a lot of people in position of
power in the WNBA who they might be really great
business people, but they don't know shit about basketball end quote.
(04:54):
Now I do wonder if we'll hear from NBA Commissioner
Adam Silver, who's in charge of hiring and firing the
WNA DA commissioner and who runs the league that owns
forty two percent of the W Actually more, as Friend
of the Show Lindsay Gibbs points out in a great
piece for cbsports dot Com. The league doesn't really just
own forty two percent of the w Multiple NBA owners
(05:14):
were part of the twenty twenty one equity capital raise
and own part of that sixteen percent equity share, and
six of the thirteen current WNBA teams are owned by
their NBA counterparts, and four of the five expansion teams
coming in the next four years will be run by
NBA owners two So, as Gibbs points out, NBA owners
collectively owned about sixty percent of the WNBA, she writes
(05:37):
of the NBA commissioner quote. For decades, Adam Silver has
complained publicly about the WNBA's lack of popularity and profitability,
all while doing very little to invest in its success. Usually,
people who own businesses talk them up publicly and laud
their successes. Instead, the NBA has empowered the WNBA's detractors
and publicly treated the league as a burden, essentially tanking
(05:59):
their own asset. Not coincidentally, these public degradations always ramp
up when it's time for a new CBA.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
To be bargained en.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
There's plenty more worth your time in that story, including
how the idea of sustainability has been weaponized against female
athletes to keep them from asking for money and resources.
We'll link to that Gibbs story in the show notes,
More hoops and Morenafisa Collier. Season two of the unrivaled
three on three women's basketball league started by Collier and
Brianna Stewart, is set to tip off in January, and
(06:29):
the league has announced a pair of games will be
played in Philadelphia. Exfinity Mobile Arena, home of the NBA's
seventy six Ers and NHL's Flyers, will host back to
back matchups on January thirtieth. The four teams set to
compete have not yet been announced. That'll be a fun
little taste of women's hoops for a city which has
been awarded an expansion team but isn't set to tip
(06:50):
off until twenty thirty to the NWSL. A celebration for
the Thorns that doubled as a kill shot for BFC's
playoff hopes on Saturday night, twenty year old Olivia Moultrie
scored twice to help the Thorns rally from behind to
grab a two to one win, officially eliminating BAFC from
postseason contention.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Before the game, Thorn's legend.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Christine Sinclair became the first player inducted into the Thorns
Ring of Honor and the first player ever to have
her jersey retired by the team. The other team that
was facing playoff elimination this weekend, the Utah Royals, managed
to live to fight another day, but just by the
skin of their teeth. They drew two to two with
the Chicago Stars, but got an assist from the San
(07:31):
Diego Wave, losing their match. The Wave fell to the
Washington Spirit two to one. They benefited from a pair
of goals from Rosamond Quasi, including a hail Mary game
winner at the death ninety eight minutes from deep.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
We'll link to that goal in the show notes. It
was abute.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Also some Spirit news this weekend, as stand out Casey Krueger,
who hasn't played since the NWSL one on Summer break
in July, has announced why she's expecting her second child.
Kruger's son Caleb, helped break the news to her teammates,
taking off a jacket after training to reveal a T
shirt that said big Bro. Kruger joins teammate Ashley Hatch
(08:08):
on maternity leave. A Hatch announced her pregnancy in July,
while teammate Andy Sullivan gave birth to her first child
in July and is working her way back into playing shape.
We'll link to Kruger's Instagram post of Caleb sharing the news.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
In the show notes.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
More NWSL a big win for Racing Louisville on Saturday.
They entered the weekend in the eighth and final playoff
spot and grabbed a three to one win over the
North Carolina Courage, who were lurking just one spot behind
them in ninth.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
And some Courage news as well.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Per Friend of the Show Jeff Casoof of ESPN Courage
and US women's national team, goalkeeper Casey Murphy has signed
a deal with expansion team Boston LEGACYFC. Sources Telcasoof that
Murphy will head East after her contract with the Courage
expires at the end of this season. Murphy's been North
Carolina's number one in net since the twenty twenty one season,
but she hasn't played since August, with Marissa Jordan starting
(08:56):
in her place. Week twenty three in the NWSL actually
continue tonight as Angel CITYFC hosts the Kansas City Current,
who have already clinched the shield and number.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
One seed in the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
ACFC is currently an eleventh place, so they need every
last point they can get to keep their postseason hopes alive.
You can catch that one at ten thirty pm Eastern
on CBS Sports Net to Tennis and the Hard Courts.
At the China Open, American Amanda Anisamova claimed the title
Sunday with a six zho two six, six to two
win over Linda Noskova, the third seed at Anisamova ended
(09:28):
fellow American Coco Goff's title defense in the semi final
before defeating Noskova for her second WTA one thousand title
of the season. Anisimova is now the world number four
after she also posted runner up finishes at the US
Open and Wimbledon this year. Finally, at Thursday's Leaders in
Sport conference in London, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced plans
(09:49):
to launch men's and women's professional flag football leagues. The
goal is to get the leagues up and running in
advance of flag football's Olympic debut at the twenty twenty
eight LA Games.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
We got to take a quick break when we come back.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
It's Cindy Brunson I talked to her Sunday night after
the Aces Game two victory, joining us for a second
time here on Good Games. She's the former TV play
by play voice for the Phoenix Mercury and former longtime
sports and her host on ESPN. You can now hear
(10:23):
her calling Arizona Women's basketball, Big Ten Basketball and NBC
Sports in Peacock, and she's entering her fifth season as
the principal play by play voice for Athletes Unlimited Basketball.
A proud Washington State alum, she's a walking billboard for
our show because she's always rocking her I'm a Slice
tea pretty much on just about every flight she's on.
It's Cindy Brunson, and I am wearing my I'm a
(10:44):
Slice for you in honor of your dedication to our
merch So thank you.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
Cindy Slice reporting for duties, Sarah, how are you.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
I'm good.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
I'm surprised this WNBA final series has not gone the
way I anticipated.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
We're going to get into it, and I.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Want to talk quickly about this new look Phoenix Mercury team.
We've been talking about them all season, and that new
look includes a new play by play voice and I'm
not dogging any new hires, but I do miss Cindy
Brunson on the call. So why are we not hearing
the dulctones of Cindy Slice when we're listening and watching
our mercury.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
I wanted to be there. I was told by the organization,
like they told Britney Griner, we're going in a different direction.
So it was out of my control. And hmmm, that's it.
That's all. I missed. The job. I missed representing and
driving to the arena, working with the Hall of Famer
and Myers Drysdale. I thought I comported myself well and
(11:42):
did right by the players and the fans, which is
always my goal whenever I get behind the mic. So
it was a bummer. It was unexpected, but it is
what it is, and it's their loss ultimately.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Yeah, I mean, that's kind of the only way you
could think about it, because obviously you're still quite busy
doing your other work and proving your chops are great.
You've actually been flying around to games too. I've been
watching you. You're keeping tabs on the w You're bouncing
around to different games. So let's talk about what we're
seeing in these finals. Because I'm seeing an ACES team that,
through two games, finally feels focused. Were past the beginning
(12:14):
of the season when they were a mess, past the
win streak where they seemed sort of unbeatable, and early
in the playoffs they were pushed to the brink in
both series and you could see flashes of it working
and then flashes of what the hell are they doing
out there? Bad passes, lack of focus, an inefficient offense,
poor ball movement. But through two games, this team looks
(12:38):
real tough to be What are you seeing with the Aces?
Speaker 5 (12:41):
I tell you what. I was able to tour the WNBA,
like you mentioned, wearing my sliced T shirt on various
flights throughout the regular season because I wanted to maximize
the opportunity. Right, I don't get to go to games
in other arenas like I had in years past having
been with the Mercury, so I took advantage of that
and I got to see the Aces up close as
(13:01):
a result, and I saw them in Chicago most recently,
and I tell you what, that team remembered who it
is the only thing that was missing when they were
fourteen and fourteen and in the eighth spot a few
months ago was their swagger. There are so many current
Olympians and All Stars and champions on that roster. They
(13:25):
just had to look in the mirror and remember who
they are. And they can send thank you notes to
Seattle and to Indiana for reminding them that they can
rely on each other when the going gets tough. They
are tested, tried and true. Conversely, in the other locker room,
you have a couple of champions, only one starter and
(13:48):
only two returning players from last year's Mercury team. There's
a lot of unfamiliarity, and their path to the finals
was markedly different, a little bit easier, even though they
went through last year's finals combatants, because those teams just
weren't quite together, whether it was injury or what have you.
(14:10):
That wasn't the New York team that we saw at
the beginning of the season, and Minnesota wasn't quite right.
So they just didn't have the same tests, if you will,
that Indiana and that Seattle provided for Las Vegas.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
I don't know if I agree with you on that.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
I'd certainly agree with you on the liberty, but the
links to me beside that final game, of course, without
Cheryl Reeven, if He's a Collier. That team, to me
at moments, looked unbeatable. I think the Mercury had a
tougher road, but they were playing so well it didn't
matter Whereas I thought the Aces in theory could have
(14:51):
put away Atlanta or Indiana.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
If they had had their shit together.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Their shit has not been together for a full game
or close to it until I think this series. So
what are they doing to make a Mercury team that
I thought looked unbeatable look so fallible?
Speaker 5 (15:07):
They are taking away what they like to do, shoot
the three. The three ball is not falling in this
series for Phoenix like it did during the regular season
and earlier in the playoffs. And then you have the
knee injury to Sammy Whitcomb, which is huge. Remember how
critical she was against Minnesota in that twenty point comeback,
hitting that dagger three to force overtime. Ever since she
(15:31):
went down with injury, she hasn't been right. She was
scoreless in Game two and fourteen minutes of action on
the floor. And then you have Satu Sombli going down
with an ankle injury late in the fourth quarter. And
this is a young woman that spent part of the
season in a wheelchair and in a boot for Phoenix,
so that could bloom very large for a game three.
The only player who was consistently hitting threes in the
(15:52):
first two games is Cock Copper. She cannot do it
all alone. And the defense that Las Vegas has relied
on to get past Indiana in particular, and all of
the three points shooting that that team could bring to
the table even though they were so injured, I tell
you it's made them ready to take on this Phoenix group.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Yeah five for twenty eight from beyond the Arc for
the Mercury, they started out three or four and just
went downhill from there. You mentioned Colia Kopper to me,
the only Phoenix player looking efficient and in rhythm, taking
shots when they come to her and finishing sa too
sobbly in particular, looked impatient early on a lot of
jumpers early in the shot clock. Most of the damage
she did if you just look at the box score,
(16:33):
looks pretty good, but mostly with the game out of reach.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
What is not clicking in this Mercury offense.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Let's say they do take a meeting after this one
and say we can't rely on the three they're defending
the perimeter. Why aren't they going in to Alisa Thomas,
the bulldog in the middle.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Why aren't they using the.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
Physicality that has helped them so often leading up to
this series.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
Because Alicsa Thomas, every time she gets near the paint,
she's met by a double team and a little guard,
whether it is Jewel Lloyd or Dana Evans, swiping at
that basketball, creating turnovers. Las Vegas is expertly taking away
what Phoenix wants to do. And I keep waiting for
Phoenix to adjust, and they're just not adjusting in real time.
(17:15):
We see Las Vegas adjusting in real time. We see
them go to the zone in Game one, which completely
fouled up. Thanks, and then we see them just goat
Phoenix into a double team on Asia. Right, she went
off with thirteen points in the second quarter. You're gonna
single cover me. I'm gonna show you why I'm a
(17:36):
four time MVP. So they adjust, right, They bring the
help in the third quarter, and then Jackie Young says,
thank you, I will eat now and score a w
NBA record twenty one points in the third quarter. Like
that's what Becky drew up. She's like telling her fellow
South Dakota coach in Nate tibbets, I'm setting this trap
(17:58):
and he's falling for it every time. And that gets
me back to my original point. This is a team
in Las Vegas that has been there and done that.
The core group of this franchise with Becky, Asia, Jackie,
and Chelsea and you could even add in Kirsten Bell
because she's been there the whole time too. They understand
(18:21):
what this is supposed to look like. They understand how
big of a deal it is to protect home court.
And even though they were crazy tired after that incredible
Indiana series, they found a way. Phoenix let him screw
up and find a way and get Game one, because
that was the gettable game for Phoenix. Yeah, and they
(18:41):
didn't get it. They didn't get it.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
They needed Game one. That was the gettable game. Especially now.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Jackie Young after the game, kind of joking around but
being serious, she said she called what her legs felt
like in Game one forty four and for those who
don't know what that meant, that was the reference to
this is the first season where they played four forty
four games and then the playoff series that they had
to battle through together or she was tired. She found
her legs for this one. Becky Hammond gave it the
day off yesterday and that certainly helped. I want to
(19:09):
talk about that. The first game, aces bench gets the
job done. This game, they're superstars show up. Yes, Asia
Wilson twenty eight points, fourteen rebounds, three assists, Jackie Young
thirty two points twenty one and the third you mentioned
that a record for a quarter in the WNBA Finals.
For Game three, you're Nate Tibbitts invites you into the
(19:29):
huddle to give them a game plan. Who are you stopping,
who are you focusing on, and what are you changing
for yourself to give you a shot to get back
in the series.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
I think you let Asia Wilson eat because she's going
to beat you with mostly twos and not threes. You've
got to defend the perimeter better. You can't let Chelsea
greg get an open three, you can't let Jewel Lloyd
get an open three. And you've got to try to
contain Jackie Young. And that's a tall order because every
defender that Phoenix had in uniform that was on the
(19:59):
floor or tried valiantly, but it did not work to
stop Jackie young. I mean, she just was eating uncontrollably
and it was awesome. She was just on one. She
went on a heater and there was nothing Phoenix could
do about it. So they have had success Phoenix throughout
the season with live ball turnovers and relying on their defense,
(20:22):
and they've got to go back to that. But for me,
the biggest question for Phoenix is the health Sammy wickhamb
not being able to score a single point is a
problem because she's your your bench cheater right she comes
off the pine. She gives you instant offense, instant energy,
calms everybody down, makes everybody comfortable because she makes it
look so easy with that quick release. If she is
(20:44):
not providing points, then Nate has to get uncomfortable and
expand the bench that he's tightened up to eight players.
Speaker 4 (20:52):
Yet.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
To me, it also just feels like Alyssa Thomas isn't
everywhere on the court like she has been in the past.
And I don't know if that's thing that Aces are doing,
or if she's tired, or if they're just not in
a flow offensively, but I certainly feel like we need
to feel the presence of Alissa Thomas on both ends.
A bit more now, even if it means fighting through
those double teams.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
I want to talk about the officiating in.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
This game because I've seen throughout these series in the playoffs,
certainly some calls that didn't look great, but this one
there were.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
So many egregious ones.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
And this is about the last thing I think Kathy
Engelbert wanted to see was a game full of controversial
calls and phantom calls.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
This one had plenty. There was a call on Chelsea
Gray and.
Speaker 1 (21:31):
The third followed immediately by a terrible fourth foul picked
up by Alissa Thomas and the fourth a complete miss
calling Collia Cooppra on an offensive foul when Jewell Lloyd
was falling into or trying to defend before that.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
What do you make of the officiating this one?
Speaker 1 (21:42):
And were you surprised that Nate Tibbitts didn't use his
challenges until the very end when the game was essentially over.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
Well, Nate tibbets has called himself out right. He didn't
call time out correctly at the end of game one,
and I think he'll regret not using his challenges earlier
in game two, and that's thing that he can adjust
to right this is his first time in a WNBA finals.
Becky Hammond is used to this. She's been there, done that.
She's a two time WNBA champion coach. She knows the
(22:12):
ebb and flow, and she has had to deal with
officiating that she has called out. Nate Tibbins has been
the quiet coach in all of the officiating rants throughout
these playoffs. We've heard plenty from Cheryl Reeve, We've heard
plenty from Becky. Everybody has had something to say about
the officiating. Stephanie White as well, and understandably, you know,
(22:32):
we as fans, we have eyeballs. We see what's going
on our TV screens. For me, the officiating at both
the collegiate and professional levels, whether it's athletes unlimited or
the WNBA or NCAA Women's Division one basketball has been
terrible since twenty nineteen. And that's the last precipitous jump
(22:53):
for me in my mind's eye of the uptick and
athleticism and speed and shot making official and see that
we see all over the place. Now, I just don't think, yeah,
the officiating has leveled up to that yet and is
still playing catch up in that regard, and it just
needs to be held to account when these athletes are playing.
(23:17):
They deserve top tier officiating, period, point blank.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Yeah, completely agree.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
I want to appease the internet demons and just ask
you quickly. Asia Wilson two fouls total in two games.
Something fishy or just a controlled defender.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
I think she's an elite and controlled defender. She doesn't
body up her opponent, and I think that's a big
difference between her and Alyssa Thomas.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
You know, at is there.
Speaker 5 (23:44):
She lets you feel her where because she's such an
elite shot blocker. Remember as many times as she has
won MVP four times, she could have just as many
defensive Player of the Year awards. And she does that
because of her leaping ability. She has that volleyball block
leap ability, and because she has that, she stays for
(24:08):
work way. Yeah, her footwork easy elite, So she stays away.
She gives her opponent that little bit of space, so
she's jumping up and in and not necessarily bodying, and
so I don't think that she has Maybe they might
have missed one, maybe two, but I don't think there's
any balance there, just based on the way she defends.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
I don't see a lot of it either, but you know,
throwing a bone to those who are convinced that the
fix is in.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
I said, for whom and to what end? They didn't relate.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Someone's always complaining about officiating, which is something we acknowledge
every year, and it was certainly part of the complaints
from coaches and the FISA Collier. But Callier's statement made
such a splash because it wasn't really about just officiating
needing to be better for the quality of the product.
It was also about failures in leadership. You've been covering
the game a long time. What did you make of
(25:02):
the statement, and what did you make of Kathy Engelbert
alleging in her press availability that essentially call your lied
or misrepresented to be a slightly softer version of the
same thing that Kathy alleged.
Speaker 5 (25:15):
I am ten toes down with the FISA Collier.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
I believe every word that.
Speaker 5 (25:21):
Came out of her mouth in her statement. That was
the strongest four and a half minutes in sports that
I have seen in a very long time. I have
been covering professional sports for the last three decades plus,
and I was so blown away and completely impressed with NEFISA.
(25:41):
And as for Kathy Ingelbert's response, lukewarm. It just you know,
at this point she has made so many missteps.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
I just.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
And for her to even intimate that NAFISA is lying. Uh,
that just did not sit will with me and I
understand exactly why I call your canceled their previously scheduled
meeting as a result.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
Think when you've got a player in the heat of
the moment, it is much more likely to believe that
their paraphrasing is incorrect than when you have a player
who is vice president of the Players Association who has premeditatively.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Is that a word?
Speaker 1 (26:27):
I don't care written down a four minute plus statement
to read from knowing full well what the outcome and
fallout might be. You are going to be careful with
what you say and what quotes you attribute to someone.
It feels highly unlikely that she made up or misrepresented
Kathy Engelbert. There is a lot more skin for Kathy
(26:47):
to deny than there is four feet to invent those
Her argument could be the same without those direct quotes,
so I very much believe that they exist. Do you
think Kathy Engelbert survives this mess? And if so, is
it maybe after a CBA negotiations are done because they're
in the midst of that or is it something where
it's very hard to tell because we really don't hear
(27:09):
from Adam Silver and the NBA and the folks who
are essentially in charge.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Of her job.
Speaker 5 (27:13):
Yeah, that is the rub right. I don't know what
Adam Silver is thinking. He hasn't put out any sort
of statement in support or anything like. He has just
been out of sight, out of mind. So that's frustrating.
I know from a player's perspective, being friendly with so
many of them and in contact with so many of them,
(27:33):
they do not want Kathy Engelbert anywhere near this product, period,
point blank. And there are so many elite women who
could step into that role as former players and represent beautifully.
I think I've Swing Cash and Lisa Leslie just today.
I'm a couple off the top of my head. I
(27:56):
just I know Nekka is still playing, but Nekogumackay for
me as the current president of the WNBAPA would also
be an excellent choice. There's just too many elite leaders.
I get rubbed the wrong way as a fan period
when Kathy intimates that these players don't understand business. They
(28:20):
are business women. They are individual business entities marketing themselves
and their personal brands all over the place. So for
Kathy Engelbert to say, yeah, they just don't understand a
big picture, no, boo boo, you don't understand. You don't
understand the quality and caliber of athlete that you are
(28:41):
dealing with here in the year of our Lord twenty
twenty five. And as a result, you're missing the message.
You just miss the mark over and over and over again.
And I just I know they're fed up with it.
I know I am. The players just deserve better because,
as the shirts say, pay us what you owe us,
(29:03):
they are the product. We don't have a league without
the players. We don't have expansion, we don't have a
first time seven game WNBA Finals without them. We don't
have anything that we enjoy as a fan base without
the players.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
Yeah, and I'm interested in the conversations we've had about
commissioners at other leagues, and the one that stands out
to me is someone like Roger Goodell, who can be
constantly embattled and criticized, but ultimately is paid big bucks
to take the.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Slings and arrows of the media.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
The players, the fans to protect and do the bidding
of the owners, which is ultimately who he works for.
Now it's more complicated in the WNBA because Kathy Engelberg,
who works for the NBA, she works for the owners,
some of whom are also NBA owners, some of whom
are longtime w some are brand new, some are expanding,
Like whether or not the missteps or the potentially calculated
(29:58):
choices she makes that get sized are done in order
to toe the line that is being set by the NBA,
which includes oftentimes criticizing its own product right before negotiations
or during times when it will benefit the NBA to
count the WNBA as a loss, and without transparency around
financials and everything else, it really makes it tough. And
(30:21):
so I'm just curious to see whether what we expect
and what the players will demand from Kathy feels different
than what is sometimes expected and demanded by other of
other commissioners. And a lot of that I think has
to do with her statements on social issues race bullying,
toxic fan behavior, etc. As opposed to the business side,
(30:42):
because that's where she steps in it the most, and
that's where to me it feels like there's the biggest
disconnect between her and the league that she is.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Tasked with running.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
One last thought about this, I wanted to ask you
what do you make of the players who have chosen
not to publicly support fee or have offered up a
no comment so far. I know there are so many
players in the league and not all of them have
had an opportunity to speak yet, but I'm thinking in particular,
someone like Alyssa Thomas, who you know well. Her team's
in the finals, she was an MVP finalist. She's been
(31:10):
in this league a long time. She's one of the
best players. Are you surprised that she chose no comment?
Speaker 5 (31:16):
Not at this juncture because she's chasing something she's never
had before, and that's a championship, And I think she
I'm giving her grace because I know her focus and
just based on comments she has made previously, I know
she's in luck step with me. I don't have to
even hear her say it, but I think for her
(31:37):
the no comment is right now. All I'm focused in
is leading this team to a championship, because if she
doesn't do that, then she continues to be the bridesmaid
that she has been her entire WNBA career, and quite frankly,
I know for a fact she doesn't like that label
and wants to shake it.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Yeah, I mean, I agree with you in the sense
that for Lyssa Thomas, this is in keeping right. She
hasn't posted something on Instagram in months.
Speaker 2 (32:08):
She hasn't.
Speaker 5 (32:10):
She's not a social media person.
Speaker 1 (32:12):
Yeah, and so I will say others who are also
pursuing their first title, who are also singularly focused on winning,
have commented during this week or so, But also they
are people that are much more often in front of
a mic on their phones, you know, commenting on things.
That is to say, though, I do hope that all
of the best players and loudest players and most involved
(32:36):
players do take a moment to stand with fee because ultimately,
that's what we've seen across every single sport and every
single opportunity for women to take a step forward is
unfortunately they've had to do it for themselves, and they've
had to do it publicly calling out the people in
the way, because behind the scenes hasn't seemed to work
for the US women's national team. The you know women's
(32:58):
hockey players, you know, Billy Jean King and company. Like
if you go back in history, it ends up having
to be shame, sadly, or public defamation that forces folks
who should already be acting.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
To finally act.
Speaker 5 (33:13):
It's incredible how in our day to day life, I
feel like shame doesn't exist, but we need it in
women's sports, and it still exists, thankfully, because we have
to call things out and call attention to them over
and over and over again. And that's the only way
by that drum bea continually going, we get things done.
(33:33):
And thankfully we have that in this women's basketball space,
and like we've seen in soccer and tennis, hopefully we
can get this done. But yeah, I just it's frustrating
and I feel for the players, but I know ultimately
it's going to be for the greater good.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
Yeah, that's such a great point, and I hate to
be super cynical, but it's hard not to be at
this moment when the rest of the country, and particularly
the Trump administration, is trying to push women into lanes
that are restrictive and backwards and send us back into
the kitchen. It feels scary to have this place of
(34:11):
great progress be fighting itself. Yes, at a moment when
it needs to come together and push forward and take
advantage of such an incredible time of interest and engagement
and investment to be fighting itself when we could have
even more dangerous forces looking to slow it down and
(34:31):
send it backward.
Speaker 5 (34:32):
And this is why I don't think Kathy is the
person for the job, period point blank. Because if she
says in her news conference that, you know, she's admitting
that she's not built to take the slings and arrows
that you mentioned. Roger Goodell, does I think that forty
million dollar a year's salary helps him do that? But
ultimately he doesn't care, right, He is a successful guy.
(34:53):
He's been doing it forever. You can say whatever you
want about him, But you say a few things credibly
about Kathy and all of a sudden, oh my kids
heard that. Oh no, Well, maybe this isn't the job
for you then, honey, Because I don't think Nafisa Collier
is going to put together four and a half minutes
that she has spelled out, written out and is reading
(35:15):
to everybody in the world and not do so accurately
and truthfully. So if that's a problem, go ahead and
step aside. Because there are several women off the top
of my head, swing Cash being at the top of
the list, Lisa Leslie, on and on and on, who
are built for that job. I think it is one
of the few commissioner positions in the world that demands
(35:40):
a former player be in it.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Yeah, I have empathy for any person who's going through
a tough time and anyone whose kids are sad about
that getting criticized publicly.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
But if you think that's tough, then.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
You should be in the shoes of the players who
have been fighting on behalf of this league for the
entirety of its existence and see what that feels like,
especially if, more likely and not, those comments did come
from you and you.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
Just don't want to have to owne up to them publicly.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Cindy, I could listen to you talk about this all day,
I could ask you a million questions, but we got
to go. Thank you so much for coming on, Thank
you so much for knowing all the things all the
time and being just the best at this. Looking forward
to hearing you on the call for AU and college Ball.
Speaker 5 (36:18):
Thanks appreciate it, Cindy Slice checking out.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
Thanks again to Cindy for taking the time. She is
the best. We gotta take another break when we come back.
No goggles for you. Welcome back, Slices.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
We love that you're listening, but you know we always
want you to get in the game too, and y'all
have been doing a great job delivering on our good
game plays of the day. First, want to shout out
super Slice Sean Quinn for calling in to congratulate us
on the Signal Award nomination for Best Daily Podcast and
to remind you that you can vote through October ninth,
and we need some votes.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
Y'all.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
We're losing, so check the link in our show notes,
vote early and often, tell your friends, tell your enemies.
Truly takes less than link twenty seconds to plug in
an email and vote, so it'll help us go do it. Also,
we asked you all for your finals predictions.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
We got some good ones.
Speaker 1 (37:14):
Super Slice Amanda Valo not only chimed in with her pick,
which is aces in five, but she also sent some
prop bets for the finals. A couple funny ones in there,
including quote Kathy Engelbert doesn't need to buy any goggles,
she will not be invited into the Winter's locker room,
and the refs hoop swallowed the whistles will not be
given heimlicks. Valve also suggested that Big Citrus shows aren't
(37:36):
kick ass, they're squeeze ass. And I'm sorry, Manda, but
we're going to stay away from that one for obvious
HR reasons.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
We're gonna stick with kickass.
Speaker 1 (37:45):
She also sent over some fun end of season WNBA
awards for slices to vote on, like best hoops and
gay shit and who's excelling in the sheets spreadsheets that is.
We'll get to those in an upcoming show, and that's
what we call it tease. And this biz, folks, we
always love to hear from you. Hit us up on email,
good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a
(38:06):
voicemail at eight seven two two o four fifty seventy
and don't forget to subscribe, rate and review. It's easy,
like I say every time, real easy.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
Watch Screaming Pink Pony Club.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
At the top of your lungs with thirty thousand strangers
rating ten out of ten bangers to keep us dancing
through this shit storm.
Speaker 2 (38:26):
Review. The other day, on.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
One of my favorite podcasts, We Can Do Hard Things,
my friend Glennon Doyle shared some words from queer activists
and writer Dan Savage. The quote was during the darkest
days of the AIDS crisis, we buried our friends in
the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced
all night.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
And that quote stood out to me because obviously, right
now feels super heavy, in between extra judicial killings in
the Caribbean and a government shutdown and ice raids in Chicago,
and what feels like a complete and utter loss of
humanity by way too much any of our fellow American citizens.
It's pretty hard not to want to scream or cry
or hide under your covers or all three. And it's
(39:07):
fine to do all three, frankly, but we still got
to keep showing up. And in order to show up,
we need to recharge our battery. We need to surround
ourselves with kindness and like minded people, and we need
to remind ourselves how many people out there still do
care about other people and about what's right and legal
and fair. And I have to say that Friday night
(39:31):
in Kansas City, I was in this sea of awesome people,
friendly and joyful and kind, no matter how packed tightly
we were, no matter if someone accidentally spilled some beer
on them, and we were singing along to Chapel Ron
who was telling us all that she was so proud
to create these safe spaces where people could show up
and be themselves and be together, and she was amazing.
(39:53):
The night was a very necessary break from reality, and
it was a just reminder that after we cry and
scream and hide, we have to go out and protest.
We have to go out and fight, and then we
got a dance at night. So I hope you, slices,
are finding some ways to do that. If you're like me,
it's probably by listening to the new Taylor Swift every
single minute of the day. You're not at a Chapel
(40:14):
Run concert. All right, Slices, now it's your turn, rate
and review. Thanks for listening, See you tomorrow. Good Game, Cindy,
Good Game, Asia and Jackie, thank you, two mentions of
Roger Goodell and a women's sports show. Good Game with
Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership
with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us
(40:35):
on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get
your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are
Alex Azzie and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett,
Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder. Our editors are
Emily Rutter, Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch and Gianna Palmer. Our
associate producer is Lucy Jones. Production assistance from Avery loftis
(41:00):
your host Sarah Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
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