July 25, 2025 • 44 mins
AU Pro Sports senior reporter Savanna Collins joins Sarah to preview this weekend’s Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) Championship Series, discuss how the Talons and Bandits carved their paths to the final weekend, and share what surprised her most about the league’s inaugural season. Plus, the Portland Thorns give a superstar her flowers, the Phoenix Mercury celebrate a homecoming, and a “What The Fact” about players and porta-pottys.
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Follow Savanna on Instagram here
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Follow the AUSL’s Bandits here, Blaze here, Talons here, Volts here
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The AUSL All-Star Cup schedule and list of players is here
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Check out the video of Torchy here
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Read the Guardian’s report on the investigation into the San Diego Wave here
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Keep updated on the World Aquatics Championships here
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Read more about why Courtney Williams can’t show off her Moolah Kicks here
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The Tour de France Femmes schedule is here
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Check out the tribute video the Phoenix Mercury made for Brittney Griner here
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Leave us a voicemail at 872-204-5070 or send us a note at goodgame@wondermedianetwork.com
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Follow Sarah on social! Bluesky: @sarah
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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 we're catching
up on some non sports television.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Y'all see that South Park season premiere devilishly funny.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
It's Friday, July twenty fifth, and on today's show, we'll
be chatting with AU Pro Sports Senior reporter Savannah Collins
about this weekend's Athletes Unlimited Softball League Championship Series, the
keys for the Talons and the Bandits as they pursue
the title, her AUSL MVPs, and what surprised her most
about the league's inaugural season.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Plus Team USA has a tough.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Go in the pool, the Portland Thorns give a superstar
her flowers, and we call out yet another sports gender disparity,
this time on the diamond. It's all coming up right
after this Welcome back Slices, Happy Friday. Here's what you
(00:54):
need to know today in softball news. The Athletes Unlimited
Softball League Championship Series between the Talents and the Bandits
starts tomorrow at three pm Eastern on ESPN. These two
teams finished the inaugural AUSL regular season at the top
of the four team table, and we'll compete for the
right to call themselves the first ever league champions at
(01:15):
Rhodes Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Game two of the series
is slated for Sunday at two pm Eastern on ESPN,
and if necessary, Game three will go down on Monday,
seven pm Eastern on ESPN two. We'll get into that
best of three matchup and championship weekend with Savannah Collins
in just a few minutes. Speaking of AUSL, the league
is released the list of athletes chosen to compete in
(01:36):
the AUSL All Star Cup, a four week competition to
crown the ultimate individual softball champion. We'll put a link
in the show notes where you can see the sixty
athletes chosen and the schedule for that competition, which begins August.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Second to the Pool.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
The twenty twenty five World Aquatics Championships in Singapore are
well underway and the US water polo team advanced all
the way to the semi finals before falling to Greece
four thirteen ten on Monday. Then on Wednesday, the squad
came up just short in the bronze medal match, losing
to Spain by a hare thirteen to twelve. Grease won gold.
That's the team's first medal of any color in fourteen years,
(02:13):
while Hungary took silver. There are lots of other events
being contested through August third, including swimming, diving and artistic swimming,
and don't forget those much anticipated Katie Ldecki versus Summer
Macintosh races. We'll link to the Championships website in our
show notes and keep you posted on competition results as
the action rolls on.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
To the NWSL.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
On Thursday, The Guardian reported that an investigation commissioned by
the NWSL found that the San Diego Wavefront office quote
could have done more end quote in handling a sexual
assault allegation that was made by a member of the
staff in October twenty twenty three. The Guardian's reporting is
based on the summary of an investigation that was not
previously made public. The investigation, conducted by Connecticut basse law
(02:54):
firm Finn, Dixon and Hurlan, detailed what unfolded after a
Wave staff member reported that she had been quote unquote
traumatized by a male coworker.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
In reporting the incident.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
To her manager, the staff member said she didn't want lawyers,
the club or the league to investigate further. She was
later fired after her work performance declined. The investigation found
that while the club could have done more to uncover
details about what had caused the trauma, there was quote
no specific issue with how the claim was handled because
the alleged victim did not use the term sexual when
(03:24):
describing her experience end quote. Six months after the investigation
into that alleged assault, a lawsuit was filed by five
former Wave employees against the NWSL. The suit, filed at
October of twenty twenty four, focused on complaints of an
abusive work environment, sexual harassment, sexual assault and wrongful termination.
Will link to the Guardians reporting in the show notes
and keep you updated if we learn more more.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
NWSL.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Canadian footy icon and friend of the show Christine Sinclair
is said to become the first inductee into the Portland
Thorns Hall of Fame. The franchise will honor her during
Portland's home match against BFC on October fourth. Saint Clair
reti hired in September twenty twenty four, and her incredible
twenty five year soccer career included twelve years with the Thorns.
She led the franchise to three NWSL championships in twenty thirteen, seventeen,
(04:11):
and twenty twenty two, and two NWSL shields.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
In twenty sixteen and twenty twenty one.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Sinclair retired as the club's all time leading goalscorer with
seventy nine goals across all NWSL competitions, and her two
hundred and thirty seven matches played, two hundred and fifteen
games started, eighteen thousy, five hundred and seventy nine minutes played,
and ten penalty goals are all club records as well.
Needless to say, Sink deserves the honor and we can't
(04:37):
wait to watch or get her flowers, which we got
to assume will be Rose's on ion.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
October fourth, over to hoops.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Unrivaled co founder and Minnesota link Start if You Si
Callier pointed out an intriguing statistical note during an appearance
on Between the Lines, the Just Women's Sports podcast hosted
by WNBA legend Lisa Leslie. During the episode recorded live
at WNBA All Star this past week, Leslie asked Collier
whether she thought playing and Unrivaled in the off season
helped her game.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Take a listen to fees answer.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Yeah, I definitely think Unrivaled helped and In fact, I
think it's like ninety ninety five percent of Unrivaled players
are having record breaking years.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yeah, let's go give it up. That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
I mean the phrase iron Sharpen's iron, and I think
exactly what's happening at Unrivaled. You have the best players
in the world playing it against each other in a
format where they're touching the ball every procession, where it's
fast paced, every game ends on a game winner.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
I mean, what more could you ask for? Now?
Speaker 1 (05:33):
I know your immediate reaction might be, can somebody confirm
the stats on this?
Speaker 2 (05:36):
And the answer is yes.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Mostly per stats compiled by Unrivaled and released on Monday,
ninety one percent of the players who competed in the
league have posted a career high in at least one
statistical category during the twenty twenty five WNBA season. More
than one third of Unrivaled bets are currently posting career
high points per game, thirty eight percent of Unrivaled participants
are dishing out career high assists per game, and over
(06:00):
quarter of Unrivaled players are also enjoying career best rebound rates. Now,
it's worth noting that we don't know how these stats
compared to the WNBA as a whole. So while they
may seem impressive, are they actually an anomaly. We're digging
into it and we'll keep your posted once we get
to the bottom of it. More basketball. The Phoenix Mercury
played the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday night for the first
time since Britney Griner left the franchise, and the Valley
(06:21):
welcomed her back with open arms. Phoenix put together a
beautiful tribute video for Grinder that played pregame and well,
you just got to watch it for yourself. We'll link
to it in our show notes and a warning, get
out the tissues. Grinder suited up for the Mercury from
twenty thirteen to twenty twenty four after they selected her
first overall in the twenty thirteen WNBA draft. She won
(06:41):
a title with the squad in twenty fourteen and was
a nine time All Star in.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
A Mercury uniform.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
She didn't play in the twenty twenty two season as
she was wrongfully detained in Russia for nearly ten months,
and the franchise was extremely active in the push to
get her back home to the US. While the Superstar
Center and the Mercury clearly have ties. That's it in
Stop Grinder and the dream from stealing a game on
the road defeating Phoenix ninety seventy nine. More w On Thursday,
(07:08):
the Indiana Fever provided an update on Caitlin Clark's status.
Clark was evaluated by team medical staff and they confirmed
she hasn't suffered any additional injuries or damage.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
There's still no timetable for.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Her return, though you'll recall she's been out nursing a
groin injury and even had to miss the Three Point Contest,
an All Star game this past weekend in Indianapolis. She's
only played in thirteen of the Fevers twenty four games
this season. As of the time of the statement, she'd
only played in thirteen of the Fevers twenty four games,
and the team, which started the season with championship aspirations,
were just twelve and twelve seventh in the standings heading
(07:40):
into Thursday night's game against the Las Vegas Aces. Finally,
in cycling news, the Tour de France fem begins on Saturday.
This year's seven hundred and twenty three mile route begins
in Vaughan, ends in Chatel and has a record total
elevation gain of fifty six thousand feet. After consisting of
eight stages last summer, the tour increased to nine stages
(08:01):
this year. Polish rider Kasia Nuiadoma won the overall title
last year despite not winning a single individual stage. She'll
look to defend her title in this year's race. You
can watch all nine stages on Peacock and we'll link
to the tour site in our show notes.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Slices.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
If you haven't picked a squad to root for in
the AUSL Championship Series this weekend, my interview with Savannah
Collins might help. She's going to tell you her league
MVPs during the regular season, plus how both the Talents
and Bandits made it to the final weekend, and which
stars to watch four in Tuscalosa. But if you want
to get crazy and pick a team based on best names,
(08:39):
you're going to have to root for the Bandits. According
to my personal name rankings, they've got three of the
five top named athletes in the game. Drum roll please,
because it's time for my top five AUSL player names.
First honorable mention to the Volts Deja Moulipola. That's just
a real fun name. To say, and her home highlights
(09:00):
are called Deja's Dingers So Good.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
But she's just outside.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
The top five because number five is The Bandits Delaney Whiz.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
I'm a child, I'll always laugh when I say Whiz.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Number four The Bandits Odyssey Alexander, Number three the Talent's
Montana Fouts, Number two the Volts Cis Baits, and number
one The Bandits Bubba Nichols, who does now have a
(09:36):
married name, and it's hyphenated, but for the purposes of
this game, we're sticking with Bubba nichol O. Congrats to
my all name team, an honor almost as meaningful as
the first ever AUSL title. Speaking of, after this break,
we'll talk AUSL with Kick Ass Athletes Unlimited Reporter Savannah
Collins stick around.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Joining us now.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
She's the senior reporter for au Pro Sports, working as
a sideline reporter for the league's TV broadcast and host
of The Gap Show, a live stadium show broadcasted by
ESPN as part of the network's coverage of pro softball.
Plus she's writing, hosting, and producing content on women's.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Professional basketball, softball, and volleyball.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
She also works as an analyst covering college basketball and
softball for the American Conference and as a sideline reporter
for college football. She's a Gator alum, a dancing queen,
and always on the hunt for the biggest fish. It's
Savannah Collins.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Hi, savvy, Hey, glad to be here.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
How are you?
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Oh good? I feel like it's we're a couple of
days off from the championship. My adrenaline is starting to
pump because I know what's coming for the AUSL.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Yeah, let's talk about Athletes Unlimited before we get to
specifically softball, because you are the face of Athletes Unlimited
every sport, every season.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Can you tell us how you first got started with
AU Sports. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
I remember being in my office in the NPF, so
the league that is no more, but you know, helped
pave the way for where we are now. I will
not forget the day I saw AU Prosoftball on my
Instagram feed and I turned to my coworker and I'm like,
I gotta work there, Like I have to work there,
and so I basically bang down the door until somebody
gave me a job, you know, and you kind of
(11:21):
use those player connections and stuff that you have of like, hey,
you know, how's it going.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Do you like it?
Speaker 4 (11:26):
What's the process?
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Like?
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Can you tell me who runs like the content department?
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Maybe?
Speaker 4 (11:30):
And so that's how I got in. You know, it's funny.
I didn't ever expect my like niche to be pro softball,
but at the time, I was one of the only
pro softball reporters in the country, and so with a
new league starting, it was an easy transition in. And then,
you know, thankful to my parents who put me in
a lot of sports growing up. Because as AU added sports,
they were ones I had played. We added volleyball. I
(11:51):
played volleyball at a basketball I'm a lifelong basketball fan.
My dad's a coach. So it just kind of happened
to where I'm like, everything that this league has gone
on has kind of been like my multi sport life,
and I'm really grateful. So I hopped in in twenty
twenty in year one and have been rolling since.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
I was going to ask you the biggest challenge in
covering all the different sports and leagues that AU does.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Yeah, I think for me it sometimes comes down to
you don't always get to dive completely into one sport
year round. You've got to constantly change gears. So you know,
it can be tough, like when we're playing our softball season.
Oftentimes the WNBA is going on, and while i'd love
to be, you know, in the weeds of that, we've
got soft We're in our softball season. So you know,
as we're going into year five, that's a big part
(12:35):
of my job that's kind of starting to change of
just just being softball focused. We've got a new reporter
on staff, Sierra, who's going to take over volleyball and basketball,
so that's going to be different. It's a former challenge,
but now I think the new challenge is, you know,
how do you really become the expert in the all around,
you know, go to person for a sport. So former challenge,
I think it might be changing here soon.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Yeah, that's a conversation I've had a lot back when
I did local radio than switched to national.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
There are benefits to both.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Local you need to know the last person on the
bench of every team in your city all the way
down to like what they had for breakfast, and then
nationale you need to know every single team in every
single city, in every single sport.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
But you get to be a little bit more broad
about it because.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
You're not expected to dive as deep in every single one,
and I.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Think it depends on what your interest is. I love
being a generalist.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
I like to know about as many things as possible,
and I'm a little less nitpicky into like making sure
I remember someone's like batting average off the fly, whereas
some people love when they can really really break down
all the numbers and every little detail.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
So it's nice for you.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
You're kind of getting to see both and maybe it'll
help you figure out what you like better.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
I think throughout this AUSL season just kind of like
blinders have been on for like just softballs pretty much
all I've thought about since May, and it's kind of
neat because I am I definitely feel myself becoming that
person of like, well, somebody will bring up a player
we're at dinner and they're like, oh, so insad of
a game, and I'm like, did you know she.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Ate this this?
Speaker 4 (14:00):
In Like, oh, I'm becoming that person.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Though, and sports like I think women's sports need the
true die hard deep dive experts because too often the
content that we get is very surface level, and for
real fans, they want someone who's their front center and
can bring them all the good stuff, which is what
you've done for au And let's talk about the AUSL.
We're grabbing you in the tiny gap between the end
of the regular season and the start of the first
(14:27):
ever AUSL Championship Series. So I want to start with
a little recap of the first ever regular season. So
what surprised you most about how this first AUSL season went?
Speaker 4 (14:38):
Gosh, you know, I you kind of set your hopes
on this, like being in pro softball since twenty eighteen,
you're always hoping that, like, I hope this next one
is it, Like I hope this next first thing becomes
our last first thing, And you don't always know, and
you worry and you wonder how it's gonna go, like
will people show up? Like will people watch? Will people
(14:59):
come out? And I think the thing that has just
blown me away is the crowds. I've never seen anything
like it, like in my life. You know, to go
to a game and there's over six thousand people there
on a Saturday night. Now we've had nineteen sellouts, and
we've been in some like different kinds of markets. You know,
you're in a smaller area like Omaha, we sell out.
(15:21):
You know, you go to somewhere as large as like
the Austin area, being in Round Rock at a minor
league stadium, also like sold out crowds Seattle, Salt Lake, Rosemont,
which has been our home for a long time. And
I think for me that is what continuously takes is
kind of taking me aback because you see the numbers,
you see the viewership for the Women's College World Series,
and you're like, can we just can we tap into that?
(15:44):
You know, are we gonna get there? And to step
back this season and go, holy smokes, like we not
only had like a successful first year, I felt like
we took the country by storm. You don't always know
that when you're in the weeds and in the moment,
but as we're going into this championship, I'm kind of
in all. You know, when you look at pictures and
video and it's just packed behind you because it's not
(16:04):
the case there's a lot of pro softball games, so
there's a lot of empty seats in the past, that
for me has been a treat. There's nothing like a
big crowd for a game.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
What was the biggest surprise in terms of location where
you either were surprised by the makeup of the fans
or the size of the crowd.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
Yeah, I think for me it was the pro softball
or just softball history in Omaha, you know, going there
and getting to talk to Connie Clawsan who you know,
started what would become one day the Women's College World Series,
you know, and hearing from her in her lifetime that
she was trying to create a softball program, you know,
(16:41):
before Title nine, and was sending checks in the mail
to get girls to come out and join the team.
So I think that shocked me, you know, because you
think of Omaha being the men's College World Series site,
but Amanda's that town love their softball. It was a
beautiful stadium, and it was really neat because you kind
of step into places that I wouldn't necessarily consider Omaha
(17:01):
softball hotbed. You know, you know they're going to show
up right outside of Austin. We know that they're there
in Chicago, you know, same with Seattle, like they Washington
loves their softball, and to go into a town like
that and just to be so warmly received and know
that like there's people in those stands, like you know,
Coach Clawston, who like built this from when she was
(17:22):
an athletic director.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Wasn't an athletic.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Director then it was like physical education director.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
Yeah yeah, yeah, that's awesome. What's the most important improvement
you think you'd like to see for the AUSL next season?
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Oh, man, improvement for the AUSL next season. And I
know it's coming, but like we we just got to
play more games with more teams. I feel for these
pictures in particular, you know, to face the same three
lineups day in and day out, it's tough.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Murderers row too, the best, the best and the best.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Like when teams are all hitting above three hundred, like
it's got to give. So I think that would be
like for me, an improvement in parity and gameplay, because
we did have two dominant teams this season, and we
had two teams that struggled. And I think that for
me would be a big point of improvement is to
go into most series and really not know on any
(18:20):
given night who's going to come out on top. And
as you know, talent is distributed from four teams to six.
You would hope that the teams kind of find some
equalizers to where I would hope that we're down to
the last games of the regular season and teams are
fighting for that championship slot. That's an improvement I'd like
to see now.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
I know they've talked about the inevitable expansion. Is there
a date set for that already?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
No date.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
I'm wondering too. You know, who are these next two
teams going to be, What are they going to look like?
You know, what are their team names going to be?
And then where are they going to be too? Yeah,
we're still, you know, in the process of figuring out
where will these teams be based.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Because this season was a barnstorming style where different cities
hosted games of the four existing teams that are not
affiliated with cities. But next year is when they will
assign teams to cities and start playing in locations.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Yeah, which you know, I think will be neat. We've
had some good indicators too, of like where where do
the crowds come out?
Speaker 1 (19:16):
I feel pretty good about Chicago hanging on to the Bandits.
I feel pretty good about the Bandits being in Rosemont,
seeing as that's been a historical, historical team in that spot.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
Without a doubt.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
You work for AU and cover AU, this gives you
incredible access, you are known by all the players and
the folks in charge. Do you ever feel conflicted if
you want to criticize something, whether it's a player that
you're going to see all the time or something that
the league itself chooses to do.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
How do you handle that?
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Yeah, I think that's something I really started to feel
this year, you know, because you're when we're in our
leader board system, it's a little bit different. That's a
lot of like we're just talking about the highlights. If
people don't do well, they're at the bottom of the
leader board. I don't really have to talk about them.
This is different, you know, because we've got four teams
who are competing for a championship. You know, there's coaches
and players that you know, are are paid and now
(20:08):
like it's based on performance only as a unit. So
that's something I've tried to learn to navigate a little
bit better this year. You know, coming out with my
draft grades for the teams that got selected was tough.
You know, I'm like, man, you know this this is different.
So that's been a challenge for me this year. I'm
trying to learn, you know, where is that balance of
(20:29):
being like critical without being you know, I think harsh
in a way because I you know, I do work
for the league and I want to have those great relationships.
But I try and lean on just knowing who these
players are and that you know, if I'm criticizing them
or if I'm criticizing their team, that it's always warranted
and it's always back down by something. Expectations fair fair
(20:52):
is but sometimes fair is hard and sometimes their hurts.
And so I think as the league gets bigger, it's
it's going to be a challenge. It makes me nervous,
but in a good way.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Yeah, before we get to the top two teams that
are going to face off in the championship, who were
a few players across all four teams that stood out
as sort of MVPs of the season too?
Speaker 4 (21:11):
Oh man, offensively, you could do almost the bandits one, two, three,
which is crazy. Sidney McKinney, Morgan's Circle, Aaron Koffle, I
cannot believe those three hitters like are in a row lineup.
They just continue to find a way on base and
they all did it so differently. You know, when I
submitted my ballots for you know, hitter of the Year
(21:33):
in MVP, like those are three that I was looking
at hard because they all were productive in different ways.
You know, some had higher slugging but then others they
were just consistently on base. So they were a great defender.
But Aaron Koffle put together a season of hitting that
I've really never seen before. I mean it was incredible
just her ability to hit the long ball, find a
way on bass, get hit by pitches, also walk, you know.
(21:55):
So for me, like she was my top MVP coming
in out of this season. And then Georgina krk to
have you know, how low of an era that she
has in this league and how often she has to
face these hitters, she just just dealed. You know, There's
only two. There's only two like complete games like in
(22:15):
the season, and they belonged to George. And so for me,
those were two that really stood out. And then one
maybe not necessarily in the MVP category, but I think
was the breakout star of the season was Jadlen Alcin.
She came out of the reserve player pool, so she
wasn't a contracted player. She came in because the talents
had injuries, and she secured herself a spot in the
(22:39):
two hole and was one of the best hitters on
the team, So to be somebody who wasn't drafted in
the allocation draft and to train and commit and not
even knowing if she would ever get an opportunity. To me,
that has been I think my favorite story of the
season that's tied into the person and performance together.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
So Georgina and Jadelene are or talons. The other three
you mentioned are bandits. Can you shout out a player
from each of the other two teams that you thought
had a great season even though they struggled as a team.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
Oh Man, Rookie of the Year on a gold she
tore it up. To me, there's no question that she
was the best newcomer this season, you know, coming out
a duke a program that's still building up its reputation
in college softball, and then to take this season by storm.
She hits so well. But I think for me as
a rookie to come in and play not only the
(23:30):
hot corner, but then shift to play shortstop, like those
opportunities are often afforded to rookies in pro softball and
so on, on the Blaze just put together like an
incredible season on both sides of the ball. She was
up there for me for Defensive Player of the Year two,
not just Rookie of the Year. So from the Blaze
(23:50):
on a gold really comes to mind. And then from
the Vaults, No, Mandela Lorenz continues to be one of
the best hitters in the world. You know, I'll be
down on that just about any day of the week
that nobody can hit a ball like Amandla Rins and
she was really a bright spot of that team to
have the most consistent offense in a team that struggled
with offense. So when nobody is always like consistently hitting
(24:13):
around you for me, what really I've learned about Amanda
is that she will have good days regardless of the
circumstances at the plate. And so those are two players
that really stood out to me this season of just
like you know, their team struggled. They went through a
lot of rollercoasters and a lot of times staying down,
but they didn't lose their game and that was really
impressive to me.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Quick question for you, do you know are these players
staying on these teams next season regardless of where they're located,
or are these contracts for a year and then they
can shift around depending on where the cities are.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
Man, we have to go through an expansion draft, so
when we add those two teams, those things will change.
You know, a lot of our league conversations have been
looking at, you know, what did the WNBA do when
they've expanded and they've added the Valkyrie. So taking a
look at how leagues have managed that process of how
do you keep some core players that kind of you're
(25:05):
starting to associate with a uniform, Like after just one year,
there's some players I'd have a hard time seeing in
a different uniform, but still creating parity for those other
two teams to be able to have some of the
veteran top talent. So we have to go through that process.
So there will be some rosters that are definitely shaken up.
And I kind of feel in a way for a
lot of the bandits and talents rosters because those feel
(25:26):
like real core teams. But I know people are going
to want to pick from those players because they're of
course this season.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Yeah all right, so tell us about the talents.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
They finish the regular season on top, they've got home
field advantage in the championship series this weekend.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
What got them here?
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (25:40):
Man? You know, I think the stats are great for
the talents. They have the best era in the league.
You can always rely on good pitching, third best batting average,
but they hit incredibly well situationally. Hannah Flippan described it
to me that when they see somebody on second base,
they just go, oh, she's going to score, Like there's
no doubt that when somebody gets this and base, they're
(26:00):
going to score. So they've just got a really great
pitching staff and a veteran group too, just across the board,
and a good mix of some new rookie talent like
Sierra Saco coming out of Mississippi State. Raylen chaf And
has tore up in the circle as a rookie. Brie
Ellis is on that squad too. But I really want
to talk about like Howard Dobson, their head coach. You
(26:20):
know what he's done with that group. He to me,
is like Ted Lasso in person. He has metaphors and
acronyms for everything, and you know, as you're kind of
getting to know him, you're like, man like, he's always
got something to pull out of his pocket to describe
something to you. But he just does a really great
(26:40):
job of simplifying the game, and that team is in
the film room. They are in their day in and
day out. So to me my self, ball IQ I
feel like has skyrocketed being around the talents, players and
coaching staff, and so you know, coming into this series,
they're not a team that really gets rattled. I think
it's gonna be really tough to best them multiple days
(27:03):
in a row. I don't see a sweep happening in
this championship, but that's kind of been been their big
identity and I've gel kind of since day one, which
is neat because they had a lot of players who
came in late from playing in Japan. So to me,
that's the talents.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
And then the Bandits.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
You've got the Bandits the second seed, and these two
teams split their regular season meetings. No team won consecutive
games or consecutive series, so this feels like we are
set up for what could be a really incredible championship series.
How did the Bandits make their way to the first
ever AUSL postseason.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
Gosh, they hit their way there, that is for sure.
You know, as a team, they've got a three thirty
one batting average. Their eer is pretty solid too. But
it was just so fascinating to watch the Bandits team,
especially going you know one through nine, that it could
be anybody and that's me is just so exhausting. It
(27:56):
was neat too, the way that they just like bought
into their team culture. I got to spend a lot
of the front half of the season with them, so
I was on the bus with the Bandits and on
planes and things like that, and by week two I
was like, man, this is a real team. And that's
a credit to their GM Jenny Dalton Hill and then
their head coach Stacy Newman Denise who just from day
(28:16):
one really set the standard. They had an intense spring training,
like they grinded and it was tough, and somehow, like
in that same way it's always worked, like when you
go through that with somebody, you just become very close.
And so that's been their big identity. They lean into
each other a lot. They don't feel a lot of
pressure personally to perform because they know they're going to
(28:37):
be picked up. And that's really what stood out to
me about the Bandits. And then they've got a head
coach who has you know, coached for that team before,
which is so special. So they're a team that's got
really strong culture. Obviously, they hit incredibly well and they
just have a never say die attitude. You can never
count them out. They will come back on you at
(28:57):
any given time. Not big momentumss of the Bandits, So
they've been really fun to watch and they've got a
big crowd.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
For those who don't know, can you explain the coach
carrying over situation? Because the Bandits were a team that
existed in a previous league and they're the only team
in the AUSL that sort of has a little bit
of an identity carrying over. So when you talk about
the coach having coached, how many of those players are
the same as the previous Bandits roster and how much
(29:25):
is there really carry over and a feeling that this
Bandits team is the same as previous iterations totally.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
So throughout the National Pro Fast Pitch League, the Bandits
were the longest standing team of that league and so
they had a lot of stability. They also played in
the only dedicated pro softball stadium in the country, and
so it created this really unique atmosphere that the people
of like Rosemont in the Chicago area embraced. And so
(29:54):
when the AUSL was starting up, you know, that was
kind of a legacy program that not only did fans
want to see, but just I think pro softball as
a whole like wanted to come back because a lot
of those players still have a lot of pride in
being a Bandit. And so coach Stacy Newman Denise, she
coached the Bandits. She took them to the NPF championship
(30:16):
in twenty eighteen, and she's had a great pro career
herself too, and so that was, you know, really neat
to see her have like worn that uniform before coach
that program. And then we have some players who played
for the Bandits in the NPF before they disbanded who
are now on this roster today and so they kind
(30:38):
of picked up where they left off. It's wild to
me to be in Rosema and see people in like
the old logo and old T shirts, which has been
really neat because it's kind of like, oh, they will
eventually like have a throwback and like.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Have the old school unis, and that's so hard to
do in women's sports. Like one of the things I
always think about, and especially when I was a part
of the ownership of the Chicago Stars formerly Chicago Red Stars,
was how do you create the nostalgia and the feeling
of history that we all have for like the Chicago
Cubs with a league that's been around less than a
(31:13):
decade at the time, right, And how do you have
organic moments of tradition and memories that fans bring to
the next game And when this or that happens, they go, oh,
I know what this is, I've been here before. Let
me tell my new friends about this, and then you
feel like the expert. It becomes a part of your identity.
You want to bring folks back and tell them what
it is to go to a game and have that experience,
(31:33):
and for the bandits to have that through line as
the rest of the league builds. It's really important to
me for the reasons that you said, whether that's folks
rocking the old school jerseys to people having memories of that,
it does add a little history to something that is
very brand new in the AUSL.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
So I love that. I mean I'm a little biased,
but I love that they made it to the Championship Series.
I get it. What's the format for the Championship Series
this weekend?
Speaker 4 (32:00):
Sure? So it's a best of three, So first team
to two wins is going to take it home. We
play Saturday Sunday. Monday is the IF game. I'm very
confident we will need the if game. So it's that's
another thing when he asked about, you know, maybe improvements
and changes, like would love to see an expanded championship
next year, like want I want more?
Speaker 2 (32:21):
Yeah, sounds like it.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
And Tuscaloosa, Alabama is the location for the championship. I
should know this, But did they have games in the
regular season there or did Tuscaloosa just get get the
good stuff at the end?
Speaker 4 (32:34):
So they got two regular season games actually this week.
So the Volts and the Talents played their last two
games of the regular season yesterday in the day before
in Tuscaloosa, And so they get the championship too, which
is kind of a treat because it's going to be
the best series we see all season, without a doubt.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Okay, what's the key for the Bandits to win it all?
Speaker 4 (32:53):
Oh man, Well, the Bandits kind of had a wrench
thrown in them in this last two games. They had
two injuries. The status has not been updated, but Skyler Wallace,
they're starting shortstop. She went down kind of looked like
a lower leg like ankle type injury. Then Odyssey Alexander,
you know, one of their pitchers kind of looked like
she took a ball like off of her hand and
(33:14):
both of them had to come out of the game.
So that to me is a really big unknown. When
we talked to coaches tomorrow at availability, I think that
is going to be huge. They need their full pitching
staff and Skyler is is their very vocal leader.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
On the field.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
You know, she is kind of the commander in that way.
Those are two presences. I would not want them to
miss out, but for them, I think that they will
need to like ride the momentum changes that the talent creates. Well,
I was kind of talking to both head coaches the
last time they met, and I'm like, when you're just
exchanging blows like who wins, and coach Nuveman Denise said
(33:52):
she was like, it's going to come down to like
here she goes. You know, it might be a little philosophical,
but it really is going to come down to the
buy in. And so for her, she wants them to
lean into their culture and their trust. But they're going
to have to continue the hitting streak that they have
and knock it down, facing one of the best staffs
in the league.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
And what's the secret for the talents? What has to
go right for them to win?
Speaker 4 (34:13):
Yeah, they are not going to be able to make
errors in the field. They haven't done it a lot
this season. They had the lowest of any team. They've
only made thirteen twenty four games just wild. So they
need to play clean and then they're gonna have to
just like continuously hit well Situationally, We've seen them when
they do it well, they win. They've kind of had
(34:35):
a couple shutouts and some slow offense the last couple
of games, so that I think will be key for them.
And then to just like utilize that staff well, like
when they can keep the runs low, just like that
has scored by the band. It's like they just got
to continuously bring in run support, you know, kind of
just basic stuff. But I think, you know, for the talents,
when they kind of get those three pieces going, like
(34:57):
solid offense, defense that creates momentum, and then a chip
away like naggy type offense, that's when they do well.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
All right.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
So Saturday three Eastern on ESPN at Rhodes Stadium and
Tescaloosa Sunday at two eastern on ESPN, and if necessary,
Monday's game would be seven eastern on ESPN two. There's
also tickets available you can go, I think still available.
You can go check it out in person if you're
anywhere near Tescalusa. Before we let you go savvy, you
(35:27):
do have to answer our question, our version of bench
start cut, which is good gooder, goodest, So nothing gets cut,
but something is just good and the other two are
gooder and goodest.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
So hecause you're good good or goodest? The bandits home
run cowboy hat that's been dazzled and rhinestoned, the Blaze
making sacrifices to Torchy, the stuffed flame, or the talents
claws out celebration, Oh man, good give us good first?
Speaker 4 (35:58):
Yeah good his claws out, goodest claws out. I think
that one is the most, you know, most organic. I
also like the weirder things get to me, the gooder.
Then I'm gonna go with a badazzled cowboy hat because
that thing is pristine, and I love like, especially the
players who like don't wear anything like that to interview them,
(36:20):
I got love it. Gooder, Goodest is Torchi let me, like,
bring out the superstitions and sacrifices and weird stuff.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
I love it.
Speaker 4 (36:31):
And I love when they like squeeze his little stuffed
head and put it in a butN.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
So weird.
Speaker 4 (36:37):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
For the olds out there, Drew bo needs a chicken sacrifice.
This is of course deep cut from Major League, the ritual,
the crazy like hair thing that like the guy that
was in the locker. I love that they're repeating that
kind of And I love Torchi, although Torchi's legs sometimes
(37:02):
to me look like cinnamon roll penises, and I don't
want to.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
Put that in people's heads.
Speaker 1 (37:06):
If you google Torchi, I hope that you see a cute,
just stuffed campfire. Unfortunately for me, once I saw the
cinnamon roll penises, I couldn't not see them.
Speaker 4 (37:16):
I can't move past that.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
I can't move past it. But delicious, I guess.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Savvy, thanks for coming on every glastekend.
Speaker 4 (37:25):
Thanks can't wait.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Thanks so much to Savannah for joining us. We got
to take another break. When we come back.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
A softball what the fact That'll make your head spin
like a curveball?
Speaker 2 (37:51):
Welcome back, Slices.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
It's time for another What the fact Back in twenty
twenty one, following outcry over the disparities between the NCAA
men's and women's basketball tournaments, lots of women's college softball
players began asking if there were major disparities in how
the NCAA treated them versus their counterparts in men's baseball.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
The answer, in a word, was yes.
Speaker 1 (38:14):
While the NCAA baseball and softball tournaments have long drawn
large and comparable audiences on television, the reality on the
ground looked dramatically different. An independent report into gender equity
in the NCAA found that in twenty nineteen, the organization
spent approximately ninety two hundred dollars on each baseball athlete
compared to forty nine hundred dollars on each softball athlete.
(38:36):
The report came to the conclusion that quote Division one
baseball is better funded, has significantly better facilities and more
staff support, and offers more amenities for student athletes and
their fans end quote. For example, the softball tournament was
contested in half as many days as the baseball tournament,
with no buffers built in for rain delays or late nights.
(38:56):
Baseball players had access to massages, while softball players didn't.
The men's tourney featured perks like a golf outing and
necessities like instant replay, while the women's had neither. Up
until twenty eleven, softball players didn't even have locker rooms
or bathrooms in the dugouts at their championship venue. Players
instead changed into their uniforms on the team bus or
hotel and shared bathrooms with fans or used porta potties.
(39:19):
The bathroom situation thankfully changed in twenty fourteen, but as
of twenty twenty three, players still didn't have showers in
the locker rooms. Baseball also has the ability to make
more revenue from ticket sales. The longtime venue for baseball's
World Series, Charles Schwab Field and Omaha, can hold upwards
of twenty five thousand fans, while the softball venue, Devon
Park in Oklahoma City currently holds a max of thirteen thousand,
(39:42):
and they're set to host every Women's World Series through
twenty thirty five. As a reminder, Devin Park is also
the stadium slated to host the sport of the twenty
twenty eight Los Angeles Olympics. Now in recent years, the
NCAA has heard these complaints, adding two days to the
length of the Softball World Series tournament to help with
player rest and recovery, and approving and adding instant replay.
(40:04):
But even with improvements, it's clear that college softball is
a fast growing, revenue driving sport that's been prevented from
capitalizing on its appeal and success by the very institution
meant to support it and sell it. So there's still
a lot of progress to be made. This what the
fact brought to you by ELF Beauty. And here's another fact.
When a company reflects the community it serves, it makes
(40:26):
elfing sense, especially when it starts in the highest seats
of decision making. ELF Beauty, who has delivered twenty five
consecutive quarters of net sales growth and market share gains,
is one of only five publicly traded companies in the
US with a board of directors that's sixty seven percent
women and forty four percent diverse. It is the only
cosmetics brand to grow market share every single quarter for
(40:47):
the past twenty five quarters. Elf is for every eye, lip,
and face, and one You're for the every everyone wins.
Learn more about what ELF Beauty is doing to help
diversify corporate boards. Visit Change the board game. We always
love that you're listening, but we want you to get
in the game every day too, So here's our good
game play of the day. Follow Savannah and the four
(41:08):
AUSL squads on Instagram. We'll link to their accounts in
our show notes. We'll also link to a video of
Torchi so you can see those cinnamon roal penises. Tell
me I'm lying, you can't. We'd love to hear from you.
Hit us up on email good game at wondermedianetwork dot
com or leave us a voicemail at eight seven two
two four fifty seventy, and don't forget to subscribe, rate
(41:29):
and review slices. It's easy watch the WNBA issuing fines
to players wearing shoes made by brands they endorse, rating
zero out of ten for picking people's pockets.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
Review.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Okay, so this is grinding my gears a bit. Minnesota
Links guard Courtney Williams, one half of the stud Buds,
who has an endorsement deal with Friend of the show
Natalie White's Moolah Kicks, isn't allowed to wear Moola sneakers
and games without getting fined unless.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
She covers up the logo.
Speaker 1 (41:59):
Why because the WNBA has a rule that states players
can't wear sneakers from brands that don't have contracts with
the league. Now, I get that the league has got
to make that money, and I understand exclusivity contracts.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
But in my opinion, shoes should be exempt.
Speaker 1 (42:14):
They're an essential part of performance and players should be
allowed to wear whatever feels best. A New York Times
article outlines that Williams has received four separate buns for
the shoes, starting at one hundred.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
Bucks and doubling for each instance.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Now, it's not a lot of money, but it's the
principal and shoes aren't the only things the w is
cracking down on. We told you in a previous show,
Member New York Liberty players Natasha Cloud and Isabel Harrison
were issued fine warnings for the hats they wore on
the sideline.
Speaker 2 (42:39):
When they weren't even playing.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Cloud's a black cap with the words Calm before the
Storm on it and Harrison's a white beret. Per friend
at the show, Ben Pickman at the Athletic, Cloud didn't
even know she could be penalized for wearing a hat
on the sideline during a game she didn't suit up for.
Speaker 2 (42:55):
I can't lie to you.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
This all seems extremely unnecessary. Why penalize players for trying
to support brands that support them or for harmless self expression.
It's ridiculous, So stop making or fork out the moolah
for wearing moola. Now it's your turn, y'all rate and review,
Thanks for listening, See you next week. Good Game, Savannah,
(43:16):
Good Game sync few network execs who cave to the
thin skinned and tiny petered man who can't handle jokes
being made about him. Good Game with Sarah Spain is
an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue
Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Production by
(43:37):
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 Loftus and I'm Your Host Sarah
(43:57):
Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're catching
up on some non sports television.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Y'all see that South Park season premiere devilishly funny.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
It's Friday, July twenty fifth, and on today's show, we'll
be chatting with AU Pro Sports Senior reporter Savannah Collins
about this weekend's Athletes Unlimited Softball League Championship Series, the
keys for the Talons and the Bandits as they pursue
the title, her AUSL MVPs, and what surprised her most
about the league's inaugural season.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Plus Team USA has a tough.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Go in the pool, the Portland Thorns give a superstar
her flowers, and we call out yet another sports gender disparity,
this time on the diamond. It's all coming up right
after this Welcome back Slices, Happy Friday. Here's what you
(00:54):
need to know today in softball news. The Athletes Unlimited
Softball League Championship Series between the Talents and the Bandits
starts tomorrow at three pm Eastern on ESPN. These two
teams finished the inaugural AUSL regular season at the top
of the four team table, and we'll compete for the
right to call themselves the first ever league champions at
(01:15):
Rhodes Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Game two of the series
is slated for Sunday at two pm Eastern on ESPN,
and if necessary, Game three will go down on Monday,
seven pm Eastern on ESPN two. We'll get into that
best of three matchup and championship weekend with Savannah Collins
in just a few minutes. Speaking of AUSL, the league
is released the list of athletes chosen to compete in
(01:36):
the AUSL All Star Cup, a four week competition to
crown the ultimate individual softball champion. We'll put a link
in the show notes where you can see the sixty
athletes chosen and the schedule for that competition, which begins August.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Second to the Pool.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
The twenty twenty five World Aquatics Championships in Singapore are
well underway and the US water polo team advanced all
the way to the semi finals before falling to Greece
four thirteen ten on Monday. Then on Wednesday, the squad
came up just short in the bronze medal match, losing
to Spain by a hare thirteen to twelve. Grease won gold.
That's the team's first medal of any color in fourteen years,
(02:13):
while Hungary took silver. There are lots of other events
being contested through August third, including swimming, diving and artistic swimming,
and don't forget those much anticipated Katie Ldecki versus Summer
Macintosh races. We'll link to the Championships website in our
show notes and keep you posted on competition results as
the action rolls on.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
To the NWSL.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
On Thursday, The Guardian reported that an investigation commissioned by
the NWSL found that the San Diego Wavefront office quote
could have done more end quote in handling a sexual
assault allegation that was made by a member of the
staff in October twenty twenty three. The Guardian's reporting is
based on the summary of an investigation that was not
previously made public. The investigation, conducted by Connecticut basse law
(02:54):
firm Finn, Dixon and Hurlan, detailed what unfolded after a
Wave staff member reported that she had been quote unquote
traumatized by a male coworker.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
In reporting the incident.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
To her manager, the staff member said she didn't want lawyers,
the club or the league to investigate further. She was
later fired after her work performance declined. The investigation found
that while the club could have done more to uncover
details about what had caused the trauma, there was quote
no specific issue with how the claim was handled because
the alleged victim did not use the term sexual when
(03:24):
describing her experience end quote. Six months after the investigation
into that alleged assault, a lawsuit was filed by five
former Wave employees against the NWSL. The suit, filed at
October of twenty twenty four, focused on complaints of an
abusive work environment, sexual harassment, sexual assault and wrongful termination.
Will link to the Guardians reporting in the show notes
and keep you updated if we learn more more.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
NWSL.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Canadian footy icon and friend of the show Christine Sinclair
is said to become the first inductee into the Portland
Thorns Hall of Fame. The franchise will honor her during
Portland's home match against BFC on October fourth. Saint Clair
reti hired in September twenty twenty four, and her incredible
twenty five year soccer career included twelve years with the Thorns.
She led the franchise to three NWSL championships in twenty thirteen, seventeen,
(04:11):
and twenty twenty two, and two NWSL shields.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
In twenty sixteen and twenty twenty one.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Sinclair retired as the club's all time leading goalscorer with
seventy nine goals across all NWSL competitions, and her two
hundred and thirty seven matches played, two hundred and fifteen
games started, eighteen thousy, five hundred and seventy nine minutes played,
and ten penalty goals are all club records as well.
Needless to say, Sink deserves the honor and we can't
(04:37):
wait to watch or get her flowers, which we got
to assume will be Rose's on ion.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
October fourth, over to hoops.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Unrivaled co founder and Minnesota link Start if You Si
Callier pointed out an intriguing statistical note during an appearance
on Between the Lines, the Just Women's Sports podcast hosted
by WNBA legend Lisa Leslie. During the episode recorded live
at WNBA All Star this past week, Leslie asked Collier
whether she thought playing and Unrivaled in the off season
helped her game.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Take a listen to fees answer.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Yeah, I definitely think Unrivaled helped and In fact, I
think it's like ninety ninety five percent of Unrivaled players
are having record breaking years.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yeah, let's go give it up. That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
I mean the phrase iron Sharpen's iron, and I think
exactly what's happening at Unrivaled. You have the best players
in the world playing it against each other in a
format where they're touching the ball every procession, where it's
fast paced, every game ends on a game winner.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
I mean, what more could you ask for? Now?
Speaker 1 (05:33):
I know your immediate reaction might be, can somebody confirm
the stats on this?
Speaker 2 (05:36):
And the answer is yes.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Mostly per stats compiled by Unrivaled and released on Monday,
ninety one percent of the players who competed in the
league have posted a career high in at least one
statistical category during the twenty twenty five WNBA season. More
than one third of Unrivaled bets are currently posting career
high points per game, thirty eight percent of Unrivaled participants
are dishing out career high assists per game, and over
(06:00):
quarter of Unrivaled players are also enjoying career best rebound rates. Now,
it's worth noting that we don't know how these stats
compared to the WNBA as a whole. So while they
may seem impressive, are they actually an anomaly. We're digging
into it and we'll keep your posted once we get
to the bottom of it. More basketball. The Phoenix Mercury
played the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday night for the first
time since Britney Griner left the franchise, and the Valley
(06:21):
welcomed her back with open arms. Phoenix put together a
beautiful tribute video for Grinder that played pregame and well,
you just got to watch it for yourself. We'll link
to it in our show notes and a warning, get
out the tissues. Grinder suited up for the Mercury from
twenty thirteen to twenty twenty four after they selected her
first overall in the twenty thirteen WNBA draft. She won
(06:41):
a title with the squad in twenty fourteen and was
a nine time All Star in.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
A Mercury uniform.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
She didn't play in the twenty twenty two season as
she was wrongfully detained in Russia for nearly ten months,
and the franchise was extremely active in the push to
get her back home to the US. While the Superstar
Center and the Mercury clearly have ties. That's it in
Stop Grinder and the dream from stealing a game on
the road defeating Phoenix ninety seventy nine. More w On Thursday,
(07:08):
the Indiana Fever provided an update on Caitlin Clark's status.
Clark was evaluated by team medical staff and they confirmed
she hasn't suffered any additional injuries or damage.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
There's still no timetable for.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Her return, though you'll recall she's been out nursing a
groin injury and even had to miss the Three Point Contest,
an All Star game this past weekend in Indianapolis. She's
only played in thirteen of the Fevers twenty four games
this season. As of the time of the statement, she'd
only played in thirteen of the Fevers twenty four games,
and the team, which started the season with championship aspirations,
were just twelve and twelve seventh in the standings heading
(07:40):
into Thursday night's game against the Las Vegas Aces. Finally,
in cycling news, the Tour de France fem begins on Saturday.
This year's seven hundred and twenty three mile route begins
in Vaughan, ends in Chatel and has a record total
elevation gain of fifty six thousand feet. After consisting of
eight stages last summer, the tour increased to nine stages
(08:01):
this year. Polish rider Kasia Nuiadoma won the overall title
last year despite not winning a single individual stage. She'll
look to defend her title in this year's race. You
can watch all nine stages on Peacock and we'll link
to the tour site in our show notes.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
Slices.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
If you haven't picked a squad to root for in
the AUSL Championship Series this weekend, my interview with Savannah
Collins might help. She's going to tell you her league
MVPs during the regular season, plus how both the Talents
and Bandits made it to the final weekend, and which
stars to watch four in Tuscalosa. But if you want
to get crazy and pick a team based on best names,
(08:39):
you're going to have to root for the Bandits. According
to my personal name rankings, they've got three of the
five top named athletes in the game. Drum roll please,
because it's time for my top five AUSL player names.
First honorable mention to the Volts Deja Moulipola. That's just
a real fun name. To say, and her home highlights
(09:00):
are called Deja's Dingers So Good.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
But she's just outside.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
The top five because number five is The Bandits Delaney Whiz.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
I'm a child, I'll always laugh when I say Whiz.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Number four The Bandits Odyssey Alexander, Number three the Talent's
Montana Fouts, Number two the Volts Cis Baits, and number
one The Bandits Bubba Nichols, who does now have a
(09:36):
married name, and it's hyphenated, but for the purposes of
this game, we're sticking with Bubba nichol O. Congrats to
my all name team, an honor almost as meaningful as
the first ever AUSL title. Speaking of, after this break,
we'll talk AUSL with Kick Ass Athletes Unlimited Reporter Savannah
Collins stick around.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Joining us now.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
She's the senior reporter for au Pro Sports, working as
a sideline reporter for the league's TV broadcast and host
of The Gap Show, a live stadium show broadcasted by
ESPN as part of the network's coverage of pro softball.
Plus she's writing, hosting, and producing content on women's.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Professional basketball, softball, and volleyball.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
She also works as an analyst covering college basketball and
softball for the American Conference and as a sideline reporter
for college football. She's a Gator alum, a dancing queen,
and always on the hunt for the biggest fish. It's
Savannah Collins.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Hi, savvy, Hey, glad to be here.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
How are you?
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Oh good? I feel like it's we're a couple of
days off from the championship. My adrenaline is starting to
pump because I know what's coming for the AUSL.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Yeah, let's talk about Athletes Unlimited before we get to
specifically softball, because you are the face of Athletes Unlimited
every sport, every season.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Can you tell us how you first got started with
AU Sports. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
I remember being in my office in the NPF, so
the league that is no more, but you know, helped
pave the way for where we are now. I will
not forget the day I saw AU Prosoftball on my
Instagram feed and I turned to my coworker and I'm like,
I gotta work there, Like I have to work there,
and so I basically bang down the door until somebody
gave me a job, you know, and you kind of
(11:21):
use those player connections and stuff that you have of like, hey,
you know, how's it going.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Do you like it?
Speaker 4 (11:26):
What's the process?
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Like?
Speaker 4 (11:27):
Can you tell me who runs like the content department?
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Maybe?
Speaker 4 (11:30):
And so that's how I got in. You know, it's funny.
I didn't ever expect my like niche to be pro softball,
but at the time, I was one of the only
pro softball reporters in the country, and so with a
new league starting, it was an easy transition in. And then,
you know, thankful to my parents who put me in
a lot of sports growing up. Because as AU added sports,
they were ones I had played. We added volleyball. I
(11:51):
played volleyball at a basketball I'm a lifelong basketball fan.
My dad's a coach. So it just kind of happened
to where I'm like, everything that this league has gone
on has kind of been like my multi sport life,
and I'm really grateful. So I hopped in in twenty
twenty in year one and have been rolling since.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
I was going to ask you the biggest challenge in
covering all the different sports and leagues that AU does.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Yeah, I think for me it sometimes comes down to
you don't always get to dive completely into one sport
year round. You've got to constantly change gears. So you know,
it can be tough, like when we're playing our softball season.
Oftentimes the WNBA is going on, and while i'd love
to be, you know, in the weeds of that, we've
got soft We're in our softball season. So you know,
as we're going into year five, that's a big part
(12:35):
of my job that's kind of starting to change of
just just being softball focused. We've got a new reporter
on staff, Sierra, who's going to take over volleyball and basketball,
so that's going to be different. It's a former challenge,
but now I think the new challenge is, you know,
how do you really become the expert in the all around,
you know, go to person for a sport. So former challenge,
I think it might be changing here soon.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Yeah, that's a conversation I've had a lot back when
I did local radio than switched to national.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
There are benefits to both.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Local you need to know the last person on the
bench of every team in your city all the way
down to like what they had for breakfast, and then
nationale you need to know every single team in every
single city, in every single sport.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
But you get to be a little bit more broad
about it because.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
You're not expected to dive as deep in every single one,
and I.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Think it depends on what your interest is. I love
being a generalist.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
I like to know about as many things as possible,
and I'm a little less nitpicky into like making sure
I remember someone's like batting average off the fly, whereas
some people love when they can really really break down
all the numbers and every little detail.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
So it's nice for you.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
You're kind of getting to see both and maybe it'll
help you figure out what you like better.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
I think throughout this AUSL season just kind of like
blinders have been on for like just softballs pretty much
all I've thought about since May, and it's kind of
neat because I am I definitely feel myself becoming that
person of like, well, somebody will bring up a player
we're at dinner and they're like, oh, so insad of
a game, and I'm like, did you know she.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Ate this this?
Speaker 4 (14:00):
In Like, oh, I'm becoming that person.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Though, and sports like I think women's sports need the
true die hard deep dive experts because too often the
content that we get is very surface level, and for
real fans, they want someone who's their front center and
can bring them all the good stuff, which is what
you've done for au And let's talk about the AUSL.
We're grabbing you in the tiny gap between the end
of the regular season and the start of the first
(14:27):
ever AUSL Championship Series. So I want to start with
a little recap of the first ever regular season. So
what surprised you most about how this first AUSL season went?
Speaker 4 (14:38):
Gosh, you know, I you kind of set your hopes
on this, like being in pro softball since twenty eighteen,
you're always hoping that, like, I hope this next one
is it, Like I hope this next first thing becomes
our last first thing, And you don't always know, and
you worry and you wonder how it's gonna go, like
will people show up? Like will people watch? Will people
(14:59):
come out? And I think the thing that has just
blown me away is the crowds. I've never seen anything
like it, like in my life. You know, to go
to a game and there's over six thousand people there
on a Saturday night. Now we've had nineteen sellouts, and
we've been in some like different kinds of markets. You know,
you're in a smaller area like Omaha, we sell out.
(15:21):
You know, you go to somewhere as large as like
the Austin area, being in Round Rock at a minor
league stadium, also like sold out crowds Seattle, Salt Lake, Rosemont,
which has been our home for a long time. And
I think for me that is what continuously takes is
kind of taking me aback because you see the numbers,
you see the viewership for the Women's College World Series,
and you're like, can we just can we tap into that?
(15:44):
You know, are we gonna get there? And to step
back this season and go, holy smokes, like we not
only had like a successful first year, I felt like
we took the country by storm. You don't always know
that when you're in the weeds and in the moment,
but as we're going into this championship, I'm kind of
in all. You know, when you look at pictures and
video and it's just packed behind you because it's not
(16:04):
the case there's a lot of pro softball games, so
there's a lot of empty seats in the past, that
for me has been a treat. There's nothing like a
big crowd for a game.
Speaker 1 (16:13):
What was the biggest surprise in terms of location where
you either were surprised by the makeup of the fans
or the size of the crowd.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
Yeah, I think for me it was the pro softball
or just softball history in Omaha, you know, going there
and getting to talk to Connie Clawsan who you know,
started what would become one day the Women's College World Series,
you know, and hearing from her in her lifetime that
she was trying to create a softball program, you know,
(16:41):
before Title nine, and was sending checks in the mail
to get girls to come out and join the team.
So I think that shocked me, you know, because you
think of Omaha being the men's College World Series site,
but Amanda's that town love their softball. It was a
beautiful stadium, and it was really neat because you kind
of step into places that I wouldn't necessarily consider Omaha
(17:01):
softball hotbed. You know, you know they're going to show
up right outside of Austin. We know that they're there
in Chicago, you know, same with Seattle, like they Washington
loves their softball, and to go into a town like
that and just to be so warmly received and know
that like there's people in those stands, like you know,
Coach Clawston, who like built this from when she was
(17:22):
an athletic director.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Wasn't an athletic.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
Director then it was like physical education director.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
Yeah yeah, yeah, that's awesome. What's the most important improvement
you think you'd like to see for the AUSL next season?
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Oh, man, improvement for the AUSL next season. And I
know it's coming, but like we we just got to
play more games with more teams. I feel for these
pictures in particular, you know, to face the same three
lineups day in and day out, it's tough.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Murderers row too, the best, the best and the best.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
Like when teams are all hitting above three hundred, like
it's got to give. So I think that would be
like for me, an improvement in parity and gameplay, because
we did have two dominant teams this season, and we
had two teams that struggled. And I think that for
me would be a big point of improvement is to
go into most series and really not know on any
(18:20):
given night who's going to come out on top. And
as you know, talent is distributed from four teams to six.
You would hope that the teams kind of find some
equalizers to where I would hope that we're down to
the last games of the regular season and teams are
fighting for that championship slot. That's an improvement I'd like
to see now.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
I know they've talked about the inevitable expansion. Is there
a date set for that already?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
No date.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
I'm wondering too. You know, who are these next two
teams going to be, What are they going to look like?
You know, what are their team names going to be?
And then where are they going to be too? Yeah,
we're still, you know, in the process of figuring out
where will these teams be based.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Because this season was a barnstorming style where different cities
hosted games of the four existing teams that are not
affiliated with cities. But next year is when they will
assign teams to cities and start playing in locations.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Yeah, which you know, I think will be neat. We've
had some good indicators too, of like where where do
the crowds come out?
Speaker 1 (19:16):
I feel pretty good about Chicago hanging on to the Bandits.
I feel pretty good about the Bandits being in Rosemont,
seeing as that's been a historical, historical team in that spot.
Speaker 4 (19:26):
Without a doubt.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
You work for AU and cover AU, this gives you
incredible access, you are known by all the players and
the folks in charge. Do you ever feel conflicted if
you want to criticize something, whether it's a player that
you're going to see all the time or something that
the league itself chooses to do.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
How do you handle that?
Speaker 4 (19:47):
Yeah, I think that's something I really started to feel
this year, you know, because you're when we're in our
leader board system, it's a little bit different. That's a
lot of like we're just talking about the highlights. If
people don't do well, they're at the bottom of the
leader board. I don't really have to talk about them.
This is different, you know, because we've got four teams
who are competing for a championship. You know, there's coaches
and players that you know, are are paid and now
(20:08):
like it's based on performance only as a unit. So
that's something I've tried to learn to navigate a little
bit better this year. You know, coming out with my
draft grades for the teams that got selected was tough.
You know, I'm like, man, you know this this is different.
So that's been a challenge for me this year. I'm
trying to learn, you know, where is that balance of
(20:29):
being like critical without being you know, I think harsh
in a way because I you know, I do work
for the league and I want to have those great relationships.
But I try and lean on just knowing who these
players are and that you know, if I'm criticizing them
or if I'm criticizing their team, that it's always warranted
and it's always back down by something. Expectations fair fair
(20:52):
is but sometimes fair is hard and sometimes their hurts.
And so I think as the league gets bigger, it's
it's going to be a challenge. It makes me nervous,
but in a good way.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Yeah, before we get to the top two teams that
are going to face off in the championship, who were
a few players across all four teams that stood out
as sort of MVPs of the season too?
Speaker 4 (21:11):
Oh man, offensively, you could do almost the bandits one, two, three,
which is crazy. Sidney McKinney, Morgan's Circle, Aaron Koffle, I
cannot believe those three hitters like are in a row lineup.
They just continue to find a way on base and
they all did it so differently. You know, when I
submitted my ballots for you know, hitter of the Year
(21:33):
in MVP, like those are three that I was looking
at hard because they all were productive in different ways.
You know, some had higher slugging but then others they
were just consistently on base. So they were a great defender.
But Aaron Koffle put together a season of hitting that
I've really never seen before. I mean it was incredible
just her ability to hit the long ball, find a
way on bass, get hit by pitches, also walk, you know.
(21:55):
So for me, like she was my top MVP coming
in out of this season. And then Georgina krk to
have you know, how low of an era that she
has in this league and how often she has to
face these hitters, she just just dealed. You know, There's
only two. There's only two like complete games like in
(22:15):
the season, and they belonged to George. And so for me,
those were two that really stood out. And then one
maybe not necessarily in the MVP category, but I think
was the breakout star of the season was Jadlen Alcin.
She came out of the reserve player pool, so she
wasn't a contracted player. She came in because the talents
had injuries, and she secured herself a spot in the
(22:39):
two hole and was one of the best hitters on
the team, So to be somebody who wasn't drafted in
the allocation draft and to train and commit and not
even knowing if she would ever get an opportunity. To me,
that has been I think my favorite story of the
season that's tied into the person and performance together.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
So Georgina and Jadelene are or talons. The other three
you mentioned are bandits. Can you shout out a player
from each of the other two teams that you thought
had a great season even though they struggled as a team.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
Oh Man, Rookie of the Year on a gold she
tore it up. To me, there's no question that she
was the best newcomer this season, you know, coming out
a duke a program that's still building up its reputation
in college softball, and then to take this season by storm.
She hits so well. But I think for me as
a rookie to come in and play not only the
(23:30):
hot corner, but then shift to play shortstop, like those
opportunities are often afforded to rookies in pro softball and
so on, on the Blaze just put together like an
incredible season on both sides of the ball. She was
up there for me for Defensive Player of the Year two,
not just Rookie of the Year. So from the Blaze
(23:50):
on a gold really comes to mind. And then from
the Vaults, No, Mandela Lorenz continues to be one of
the best hitters in the world. You know, I'll be
down on that just about any day of the week
that nobody can hit a ball like Amandla Rins and
she was really a bright spot of that team to
have the most consistent offense in a team that struggled
with offense. So when nobody is always like consistently hitting
(24:13):
around you for me, what really I've learned about Amanda
is that she will have good days regardless of the
circumstances at the plate. And so those are two players
that really stood out to me this season of just
like you know, their team struggled. They went through a
lot of rollercoasters and a lot of times staying down,
but they didn't lose their game and that was really
impressive to me.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Quick question for you, do you know are these players
staying on these teams next season regardless of where they're located,
or are these contracts for a year and then they
can shift around depending on where the cities are.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
Man, we have to go through an expansion draft, so
when we add those two teams, those things will change.
You know, a lot of our league conversations have been
looking at, you know, what did the WNBA do when
they've expanded and they've added the Valkyrie. So taking a
look at how leagues have managed that process of how
do you keep some core players that kind of you're
(25:05):
starting to associate with a uniform, Like after just one year,
there's some players I'd have a hard time seeing in
a different uniform, but still creating parity for those other
two teams to be able to have some of the
veteran top talent. So we have to go through that process.
So there will be some rosters that are definitely shaken up.
And I kind of feel in a way for a
lot of the bandits and talents rosters because those feel
(25:26):
like real core teams. But I know people are going
to want to pick from those players because they're of
course this season.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Yeah all right, so tell us about the talents.
Speaker 1 (25:33):
They finish the regular season on top, they've got home
field advantage in the championship series this weekend.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
What got them here?
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (25:40):
Man? You know, I think the stats are great for
the talents. They have the best era in the league.
You can always rely on good pitching, third best batting average,
but they hit incredibly well situationally. Hannah Flippan described it
to me that when they see somebody on second base,
they just go, oh, she's going to score, Like there's
no doubt that when somebody gets this and base, they're
(26:00):
going to score. So they've just got a really great
pitching staff and a veteran group too, just across the board,
and a good mix of some new rookie talent like
Sierra Saco coming out of Mississippi State. Raylen chaf And
has tore up in the circle as a rookie. Brie
Ellis is on that squad too. But I really want
to talk about like Howard Dobson, their head coach. You
(26:20):
know what he's done with that group. He to me,
is like Ted Lasso in person. He has metaphors and
acronyms for everything, and you know, as you're kind of
getting to know him, you're like, man like, he's always
got something to pull out of his pocket to describe
something to you. But he just does a really great
(26:40):
job of simplifying the game, and that team is in
the film room. They are in their day in and
day out. So to me my self, ball IQ I
feel like has skyrocketed being around the talents, players and
coaching staff, and so you know, coming into this series,
they're not a team that really gets rattled. I think
it's gonna be really tough to best them multiple days
(27:03):
in a row. I don't see a sweep happening in
this championship, but that's kind of been been their big
identity and I've gel kind of since day one, which
is neat because they had a lot of players who
came in late from playing in Japan. So to me,
that's the talents.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
And then the Bandits.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
You've got the Bandits the second seed, and these two
teams split their regular season meetings. No team won consecutive
games or consecutive series, so this feels like we are
set up for what could be a really incredible championship series.
How did the Bandits make their way to the first
ever AUSL postseason.
Speaker 4 (27:35):
Gosh, they hit their way there, that is for sure.
You know, as a team, they've got a three thirty
one batting average. Their eer is pretty solid too. But
it was just so fascinating to watch the Bandits team,
especially going you know one through nine, that it could
be anybody and that's me is just so exhausting. It
(27:56):
was neat too, the way that they just like bought
into their team culture. I got to spend a lot
of the front half of the season with them, so
I was on the bus with the Bandits and on
planes and things like that, and by week two I
was like, man, this is a real team. And that's
a credit to their GM Jenny Dalton Hill and then
their head coach Stacy Newman Denise who just from day
(28:16):
one really set the standard. They had an intense spring training,
like they grinded and it was tough, and somehow, like
in that same way it's always worked, like when you
go through that with somebody, you just become very close.
And so that's been their big identity. They lean into
each other a lot. They don't feel a lot of
pressure personally to perform because they know they're going to
(28:37):
be picked up. And that's really what stood out to
me about the Bandits. And then they've got a head
coach who has you know, coached for that team before,
which is so special. So they're a team that's got
really strong culture. Obviously, they hit incredibly well and they
just have a never say die attitude. You can never
count them out. They will come back on you at
(28:57):
any given time. Not big momentumss of the Bandits, So
they've been really fun to watch and they've got a
big crowd.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
For those who don't know, can you explain the coach
carrying over situation? Because the Bandits were a team that
existed in a previous league and they're the only team
in the AUSL that sort of has a little bit
of an identity carrying over. So when you talk about
the coach having coached, how many of those players are
the same as the previous Bandits roster and how much
(29:25):
is there really carry over and a feeling that this
Bandits team is the same as previous iterations totally.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
So throughout the National Pro Fast Pitch League, the Bandits
were the longest standing team of that league and so
they had a lot of stability. They also played in
the only dedicated pro softball stadium in the country, and
so it created this really unique atmosphere that the people
of like Rosemont in the Chicago area embraced. And so
(29:54):
when the AUSL was starting up, you know, that was
kind of a legacy program that not only did fans
want to see, but just I think pro softball as
a whole like wanted to come back because a lot
of those players still have a lot of pride in
being a Bandit. And so coach Stacy Newman Denise, she
coached the Bandits. She took them to the NPF championship
(30:16):
in twenty eighteen, and she's had a great pro career
herself too, and so that was, you know, really neat
to see her have like worn that uniform before coach
that program. And then we have some players who played
for the Bandits in the NPF before they disbanded who
are now on this roster today and so they kind
(30:38):
of picked up where they left off. It's wild to
me to be in Rosema and see people in like
the old logo and old T shirts, which has been
really neat because it's kind of like, oh, they will
eventually like have a throwback and like.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Have the old school unis, and that's so hard to
do in women's sports. Like one of the things I
always think about, and especially when I was a part
of the ownership of the Chicago Stars formerly Chicago Red Stars,
was how do you create the nostalgia and the feeling
of history that we all have for like the Chicago
Cubs with a league that's been around less than a
(31:13):
decade at the time, right, And how do you have
organic moments of tradition and memories that fans bring to
the next game And when this or that happens, they go, oh,
I know what this is, I've been here before. Let
me tell my new friends about this, and then you
feel like the expert. It becomes a part of your identity.
You want to bring folks back and tell them what
it is to go to a game and have that experience,
(31:33):
and for the bandits to have that through line as
the rest of the league builds. It's really important to
me for the reasons that you said, whether that's folks
rocking the old school jerseys to people having memories of that,
it does add a little history to something that is
very brand new in the AUSL.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
So I love that. I mean I'm a little biased,
but I love that they made it to the Championship Series.
I get it. What's the format for the Championship Series
this weekend?
Speaker 4 (32:00):
Sure? So it's a best of three, So first team
to two wins is going to take it home. We
play Saturday Sunday. Monday is the IF game. I'm very
confident we will need the if game. So it's that's
another thing when he asked about, you know, maybe improvements
and changes, like would love to see an expanded championship
next year, like want I want more?
Speaker 2 (32:21):
Yeah, sounds like it.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
And Tuscaloosa, Alabama is the location for the championship. I
should know this, But did they have games in the
regular season there or did Tuscaloosa just get get the
good stuff at the end?
Speaker 4 (32:34):
So they got two regular season games actually this week.
So the Volts and the Talents played their last two
games of the regular season yesterday in the day before
in Tuscaloosa, And so they get the championship too, which
is kind of a treat because it's going to be
the best series we see all season, without a doubt.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Okay, what's the key for the Bandits to win it all?
Speaker 4 (32:53):
Oh man, Well, the Bandits kind of had a wrench
thrown in them in this last two games. They had
two injuries. The status has not been updated, but Skyler Wallace,
they're starting shortstop. She went down kind of looked like
a lower leg like ankle type injury. Then Odyssey Alexander,
you know, one of their pitchers kind of looked like
she took a ball like off of her hand and
(33:14):
both of them had to come out of the game.
So that to me is a really big unknown. When
we talked to coaches tomorrow at availability, I think that
is going to be huge. They need their full pitching
staff and Skyler is is their very vocal leader.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
On the field.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
You know, she is kind of the commander in that way.
Those are two presences. I would not want them to
miss out, but for them, I think that they will
need to like ride the momentum changes that the talent creates. Well,
I was kind of talking to both head coaches the
last time they met, and I'm like, when you're just
exchanging blows like who wins, and coach Nuveman Denise said
(33:52):
she was like, it's going to come down to like
here she goes. You know, it might be a little philosophical,
but it really is going to come down to the
buy in. And so for her, she wants them to
lean into their culture and their trust. But they're going
to have to continue the hitting streak that they have
and knock it down, facing one of the best staffs
in the league.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
And what's the secret for the talents? What has to
go right for them to win?
Speaker 4 (34:13):
Yeah, they are not going to be able to make
errors in the field. They haven't done it a lot
this season. They had the lowest of any team. They've
only made thirteen twenty four games just wild. So they
need to play clean and then they're gonna have to
just like continuously hit well Situationally, We've seen them when
they do it well, they win. They've kind of had
(34:35):
a couple shutouts and some slow offense the last couple
of games, so that I think will be key for them.
And then to just like utilize that staff well, like
when they can keep the runs low, just like that
has scored by the band. It's like they just got
to continuously bring in run support, you know, kind of
just basic stuff. But I think, you know, for the talents,
when they kind of get those three pieces going, like
(34:57):
solid offense, defense that creates momentum, and then a chip
away like naggy type offense, that's when they do well.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
All right.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
So Saturday three Eastern on ESPN at Rhodes Stadium and
Tescaloosa Sunday at two eastern on ESPN, and if necessary,
Monday's game would be seven eastern on ESPN two. There's
also tickets available you can go, I think still available.
You can go check it out in person if you're
anywhere near Tescalusa. Before we let you go savvy, you
(35:27):
do have to answer our question, our version of bench
start cut, which is good gooder, goodest, So nothing gets cut,
but something is just good and the other two are
gooder and goodest.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
So hecause you're good good or goodest? The bandits home
run cowboy hat that's been dazzled and rhinestoned, the Blaze
making sacrifices to Torchy, the stuffed flame, or the talents
claws out celebration, Oh man, good give us good first?
Speaker 4 (35:58):
Yeah good his claws out, goodest claws out. I think
that one is the most, you know, most organic. I
also like the weirder things get to me, the gooder.
Then I'm gonna go with a badazzled cowboy hat because
that thing is pristine, and I love like, especially the
players who like don't wear anything like that to interview them,
(36:20):
I got love it. Gooder, Goodest is Torchi let me, like,
bring out the superstitions and sacrifices and weird stuff.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
I love it.
Speaker 4 (36:31):
And I love when they like squeeze his little stuffed
head and put it in a butN.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
So weird.
Speaker 4 (36:37):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
For the olds out there, Drew bo needs a chicken sacrifice.
This is of course deep cut from Major League, the ritual,
the crazy like hair thing that like the guy that
was in the locker. I love that they're repeating that
kind of And I love Torchi, although Torchi's legs sometimes
(37:02):
to me look like cinnamon roll penises, and I don't
want to.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
Put that in people's heads.
Speaker 1 (37:06):
If you google Torchi, I hope that you see a cute,
just stuffed campfire. Unfortunately for me, once I saw the
cinnamon roll penises, I couldn't not see them.
Speaker 4 (37:16):
I can't move past that.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
I can't move past it. But delicious, I guess.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Savvy, thanks for coming on every glastekend.
Speaker 4 (37:25):
Thanks can't wait.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Thanks so much to Savannah for joining us. We got
to take another break. When we come back.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
A softball what the fact That'll make your head spin
like a curveball?
Speaker 2 (37:51):
Welcome back, Slices.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
It's time for another What the fact Back in twenty
twenty one, following outcry over the disparities between the NCAA
men's and women's basketball tournaments, lots of women's college softball
players began asking if there were major disparities in how
the NCAA treated them versus their counterparts in men's baseball.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
The answer, in a word, was yes.
Speaker 1 (38:14):
While the NCAA baseball and softball tournaments have long drawn
large and comparable audiences on television, the reality on the
ground looked dramatically different. An independent report into gender equity
in the NCAA found that in twenty nineteen, the organization
spent approximately ninety two hundred dollars on each baseball athlete
compared to forty nine hundred dollars on each softball athlete.
(38:36):
The report came to the conclusion that quote Division one
baseball is better funded, has significantly better facilities and more
staff support, and offers more amenities for student athletes and
their fans end quote. For example, the softball tournament was
contested in half as many days as the baseball tournament,
with no buffers built in for rain delays or late nights.
(38:56):
Baseball players had access to massages, while softball players didn't.
The men's tourney featured perks like a golf outing and
necessities like instant replay, while the women's had neither. Up
until twenty eleven, softball players didn't even have locker rooms
or bathrooms in the dugouts at their championship venue. Players
instead changed into their uniforms on the team bus or
hotel and shared bathrooms with fans or used porta potties.
(39:19):
The bathroom situation thankfully changed in twenty fourteen, but as
of twenty twenty three, players still didn't have showers in
the locker rooms. Baseball also has the ability to make
more revenue from ticket sales. The longtime venue for baseball's
World Series, Charles Schwab Field and Omaha, can hold upwards
of twenty five thousand fans, while the softball venue, Devon
Park in Oklahoma City currently holds a max of thirteen thousand,
(39:42):
and they're set to host every Women's World Series through
twenty thirty five. As a reminder, Devin Park is also
the stadium slated to host the sport of the twenty
twenty eight Los Angeles Olympics. Now in recent years, the
NCAA has heard these complaints, adding two days to the
length of the Softball World Series tournament to help with
player rest and recovery, and approving and adding instant replay.
(40:04):
But even with improvements, it's clear that college softball is
a fast growing, revenue driving sport that's been prevented from
capitalizing on its appeal and success by the very institution
meant to support it and sell it. So there's still
a lot of progress to be made. This what the
fact brought to you by ELF Beauty. And here's another fact.
When a company reflects the community it serves, it makes
(40:26):
elfing sense, especially when it starts in the highest seats
of decision making. ELF Beauty, who has delivered twenty five
consecutive quarters of net sales growth and market share gains,
is one of only five publicly traded companies in the
US with a board of directors that's sixty seven percent
women and forty four percent diverse. It is the only
cosmetics brand to grow market share every single quarter for
(40:47):
the past twenty five quarters. Elf is for every eye, lip,
and face, and one You're for the every everyone wins.
Learn more about what ELF Beauty is doing to help
diversify corporate boards. Visit Change the board game. We always
love that you're listening, but we want you to get
in the game every day too, So here's our good
game play of the day. Follow Savannah and the four
(41:08):
AUSL squads on Instagram. We'll link to their accounts in
our show notes. We'll also link to a video of
Torchi so you can see those cinnamon roal penises. Tell
me I'm lying, you can't. We'd love to hear from you.
Hit us up on email good game at wondermedianetwork dot
com or leave us a voicemail at eight seven two
two four fifty seventy, and don't forget to subscribe, rate
(41:29):
and review slices. It's easy watch the WNBA issuing fines
to players wearing shoes made by brands they endorse, rating
zero out of ten for picking people's pockets.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
Review.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Okay, so this is grinding my gears a bit. Minnesota
Links guard Courtney Williams, one half of the stud Buds,
who has an endorsement deal with Friend of the show
Natalie White's Moolah Kicks, isn't allowed to wear Moola sneakers
and games without getting fined unless.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
She covers up the logo.
Speaker 1 (41:59):
Why because the WNBA has a rule that states players
can't wear sneakers from brands that don't have contracts with
the league. Now, I get that the league has got
to make that money, and I understand exclusivity contracts.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
But in my opinion, shoes should be exempt.
Speaker 1 (42:14):
They're an essential part of performance and players should be
allowed to wear whatever feels best. A New York Times
article outlines that Williams has received four separate buns for
the shoes, starting at one hundred.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
Bucks and doubling for each instance.
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Now, it's not a lot of money, but it's the
principal and shoes aren't the only things the w is
cracking down on. We told you in a previous show,
Member New York Liberty players Natasha Cloud and Isabel Harrison
were issued fine warnings for the hats they wore on
the sideline.
Speaker 2 (42:39):
When they weren't even playing.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Cloud's a black cap with the words Calm before the
Storm on it and Harrison's a white beret. Per friend
at the show, Ben Pickman at the Athletic, Cloud didn't
even know she could be penalized for wearing a hat
on the sideline during a game she didn't suit up for.
Speaker 2 (42:55):
I can't lie to you.
Speaker 1 (42:56):
This all seems extremely unnecessary. Why penalize players for trying
to support brands that support them or for harmless self expression.
It's ridiculous, So stop making or fork out the moolah
for wearing moola. Now it's your turn, y'all rate and review,
Thanks for listening, See you next week. Good Game, Savannah,
(43:16):
Good Game sync few network execs who cave to the
thin skinned and tiny petered man who can't handle jokes
being made about him. Good Game with Sarah Spain is
an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue
Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Production by
(43:37):
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 Loftus and I'm Your Host Sarah
(43:57):
Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
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