September 20, 2024 • 34 mins
Orlando Pride defenders Emily Sams and Kylie Strom join Sarah to talk about what it’s like to be part of a brick wall. Plus, how do you pack a suitcase for the Olympics and what’s it like to go from worst to first? Sarah also makes her best guesses at how the WNBA regular season wrapped up – find out how close she was to reality!
-
Feeling like our WNBA playoff matchups were a little lacking? A more complete schedule is here
-
The NWSL schedule is here
-
Playa Society WNBA merch can be found here
-
Round21 WNBA merch is available here
-
And that WNBA Portland Nike tee that we mentioned is here
-
We love to hear from our slices! Leave us a voicemail at 872-204-5070 or send us a note at goodgame@wondermedianetwork.com
-
Follow Sarah on social! X: @SarahSpain Instagram: @Spain2323
-
Follow producer Misha Jones! X: @mishthejrnalist Instagram: @mishthejrnalist TikTok: @mishthejrnalist
-
Follow producer Alex Azzi! X: @ByAlexAzzi
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
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 sending
subliminal mind signals to WNBA Award voters warning them of
slow death by hemorrhoids if they so much as think
about giving Asia Wilson a fourth place vote. On today's show,
we'll be talking to Orlando Pride defenders Emily Samson Kylie
Strum about the team's twenty one game unbeaten streak and
their impenetrable backline, plus a wild statistical anomaly, your postseason picks,
(00:23):
and look good, Feel good, play good. It's all coming
up right after this. Welcome back, my little slices. Happy Friday.
Here's what you need to know today in the WNBA.
(00:45):
The regular season has officially concluded and the playoff matches
are set, but we're recording this before all the games
are over, So this is now a choose your own
adventure podcast. Select the sentence that most accurately matches reality.
Thet won the battle for the eighth seed. The Washington
Mystics won the Battle for the eighth seed. The Chicago
(01:07):
Sky won the Battle for the eighth seed. So the
playoffs begins Sunday. The first round is best of three,
and as a reminder, the first two games of each
series will be played on the higher seeds home court. Also,
technical foul counts are now reset to zero. The first
round matchups are the number one Liberty versus the number
eight team. I just told you that, were you not listening?
The number two Links versus the number seven Mercury, and
(01:30):
three verses six and four versus five? Which teams are those?
That's what Google's for. Okay, get your popcorn ready and
hold on to your butts. It's playoff time. Oh and
since we recorded this episode before all the games were locked,
that Mercury Storm contest, a freaking ten pm Eastern start,
wasn't yet over. So we're just gonna guess at what
(01:51):
might have happened in what might have been Diana Tarassi's
last regular season game ever and potentially her last home
game ever if Minnie sweeps him the first round of
the PLA.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
So here's what we do know.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
The Mercury came prepared before the game. The team released
a video that honestly made us feel some things. It
featured a handful of folks, including her wife, agent, and sister,
along with teammate Britney Griner, reading a letter titled Dear
d here's a snippet.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
If this is it, thank you will never be enough,
but it's a start.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Hello all of us. And before the game, every fan
received a commemorative T that said, quote the greatest of
all time period P E. R Io d T. And
on the back text from that aforementioned letter to DT.
The Mercury have been hinting if this is it, but
y'all the video and the shirt that really made it
(02:47):
feel like this is actually it Now what we don't know,
but we're guessing at after the game in which the
White Mamba scored let's say a points one more than
Kobe's best Yeah, yep, okay, and grabbed thirty boards yep,
(03:08):
that's correct. Yeah, all in fewer minutes, shorter games, and
got am I reading this right? Four technicals? She was
asked if she's retiring after the playoffs, and here's my
dramatic reenactment of Diana's response, not telling you shit.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
You'll find out when I figure it out, gocox.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
We'll see how close I am to reality to soccer.
There are a couple of NWSL games tonight, and three
of the top four squads are in action. First it's
the number two Washington Spirit and number four k C
Current at eight pm Eastern, then number one Orlando Pride
at number eight BFC at ten thirty pm Eastern. There
are four more games this weekend, so we'll link to
the schedule in our show notes. More NWSL news New York,
(03:47):
New Jersey Gotham FC announced yesterday former team captain in
twenty twenty three NWSL champ Ali Krieger will serve as
its first ever club ambassador. No, that doesn't mean she's
responsible for scheduling all the team's nightlife activities or will
should be tasked with leading the diplomats and staff serving
at a Gotham embassy or mission. Per Gotham's x account,
Kreeger's mission as ambassador is quote to elevate the club
(04:08):
women's sports and act as a connection to media on
and off the pitch end quote. A press release from
the team also states that the move is part of
the team's effort to keep collaborating with players after their
careers end and give them flowers for their leadership and
legacy and its breaking NWSL news. So Sportico is the
first report that Milwaukee Bucks owner Mark Lazry is nearing
a deal to buy a control stake in the NWSL's
(04:30):
NC Courage from Steve Mallick at a roughly one hundred
and eight million dollar valuation. The offer is for sixty
percent of the team, per the Sportico Report, quote Lazri,
who expressed interest in the Seattle reign and was in
the running to buy Angel City FC before will Obey
and Bob Eiger secured a control stake in the NWSL's
most valuable club at a two hundred and fifty million
(04:50):
dollars valuation. The Courage sit on the other end of
the NWSL's financial table, with one of the lowest revenues
in the league. The club has often been mentioned as
a potential seller given that near every other NWSL team
is either a new franchise or has a new principal
governor over the past four years, and most of those
ownership groups want to invest heavily to propel the league forward.
(05:10):
End quote. We'll keep you updated on that story as
we get more more soccer. The other day, we told
you about Team USA under twenty playing in the U
twenty World Cup. While they lost to North Korea one
nil on Wednesday in the semi finals, which makes this
the best showing for Team USA since their fourth place
finish in twenty sixteen. But they won't be grabbing gold.
They'll take on the Netherlands for the bronze on Saturday,
(05:31):
and it'll be North Korea versus Japan for the title
on Sunday. We're going to take a quick break. When
we come back, we step onto the pitch with Emily
Sam's and Kylie Strum. It's time for group chat, where
we take the tea from the text and bring it
onto the airwaves and joining us today, we've got a
(05:52):
defender for the top of the table, Orlando Pride of
the NWSL. She won gold with Team USA in Paris
and was a national champion with her Florida Seminoles. She's
a twin. She loves Dakota, a guy, not a state.
She's got cat's name Linguini and Rigatoni, and she got
married in February, but her wedding's in December. It's Emily
Sam's what's up, Emily, what's up?
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Thank you?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
That was crazy? Also joining her a defender for the
Orlando Pride. She's played in Germany, the Czech Republic and Spain.
And she's a proud b u alum. She was on
the most recent NWSL Best eleven for the month of August.
She's just a quiet gal who likes to read books
and watch Jeopardy, but says she turns into a monster
on the field. It's Kylie Strom. Hey, guys, ladies, it
(06:33):
is great to have you, and we are really excited
to shine a spotlight on this defense for the Pride.
I get why we have so many conversations about the
goal scorers like Barbara Banda and Marta, but we got
to talk about the lockdown that's been happening with the
Pride of late. You shut out your opponents in four
straight matches. You set a new club record for longest
clean sheet streak. You've also set a new club record
(06:54):
for regular season minutes played without conceding four hundred and
eleven consecutive minutes without giving up a goal. So let's
just start there. Emily, what's the secret, Like, what's been
the secret to this incredible defensive stretch?
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Oh gosh, I would say, although we're talking to two
defenders right now, it's definitely a team effort. Yeah, even
just like the midfielders from to the forwards. Everyone's included
in our defending and I think that's what helps make
it so successful. And of course, having players like Marta
and Barbara on offense, I think changes teams to their
(07:28):
behaviors and makes them play maybe a little bit more defensively,
which makes them makes our job easier.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
That's such a defensive player's answer to just defer. That's
why I never could have played defense. I'm way too
much about myself. I'm like, give me the goals. Meanwhile,
you're just spreading the love. But it's true. It's incredibly
complete team and that's what's made it so impressive to watch.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
And that goes back to the goalkeeping.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
To Emily, Anna Moorhouse tied in NWSL single season record
the other day in your nil nil draw with Case.
That was her eleventh clean she of the season. So
tell me.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
About playing with Anna and your communication back there.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Yeah, we're trying to get twelve for her so she
can set the NWSL record.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Yeah, Anna's great. I mean, she's obviously has a big
presence and like, for example, end of the game, we
have a corner, like we have full confidence that she's
gonna come out grab the ball and just like secure
the win for us, or you know, get the shut
out for us. So it's been great, and yeah, I
think too. Part of what makes it so great is
that we can communicate in practice, like get it all
(08:31):
out there, like we can just she says her opinion.
She's a very strong opinion, which is good. And I
think I'm strong opinion too, So we can just like
swear it all out there on the field and not
you know, dance around what's going on. We'll just get
it all out there and come to a common ground.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Yeah, Kylie, is there something in particular that the defense
has worked on or prioritized of late or is this
just a team clicking in the final stretch.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
Honestly, I think it's just kind of like a mentality,
you know. I think our coach, Sam Hines, he was
a defense in his career, and yeah, we just take
a lot of pride in our defending. I think we
have like such good camaraderie from front to back, and
I think like the defensive unit is super tight and
like we all have a common goal. So yeah, hopefully
(09:16):
we can keep it going well.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Twenty one games unbeaten. That's the most in league history.
There's only a few weeks left in the regular season,
so how much pressure is there to try to go
an entire season without a loss?
Speaker 4 (09:27):
Kiley honestly, like, like it's not a main goal for us,
Like we've broken a lot of records and all that stuff,
but it's never once been a goal for us. I mean,
we want to win the Shield, we want to win
a championship, I mean, we want to go to playoffs,
which we've accomplished already, but we just want to keep
(09:48):
playing like our best games ever game. So that's kind
of the motivation here. No pressure with any of like
going undefeated and stuff. So we're just we're just going
with it.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Is it like a jinx mentality, like you don't even
talk about it?
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Or is it like mentioned we.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
Don't even talk about it on it Like I think
sometimes we look at each other, like we tell this
story a lot, Like in the beginning of the year,
but like preseason times, we were going through our schedule
and kind of like predicting, like you know, how many
points we would have and which games we would win
maybe like draw, lose, whatever, and we gave ourselves like
a ridiculous amount of points, like crazy and we're like
(10:28):
afterwards we went through We're like, guys, this probably is
a little unrealistic, you know, like let's be real and
like now we're like even out performing on me. So yeah,
I think sometimes we're just like, wow, this is crazy.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
And we call that manifesting.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Right, you just put it out there, like here's all
the points that we want and then you just made
it happen.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Let's talk about Marta FIFA World Player of the Year
six times, first football or of any gender to score
five different World Cups, first of any gender to score
five straight Olympic games, Like, Kylie, what's it like playing
with an all time great like that. You've had a
couple of years with her.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
It's unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
Like I think every single day we step out on
the field with her is like such a privilege and
an honor. She is hands down the greatest of all time,
Like no debate, and the fact that she's like still
doing these things that she's doing like at her age,
like she's like getting better if that's even possible. Yeah,
(11:31):
it's it's just like such.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
An honor and a privilege to be her teammate.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
I remember talking to some of my Chicago Red Stars
players at an end of season event, and I ask
the question, like, is there a player that you got
out in the field and you have trouble just playing
with or against because a little bit of you is
like kind of freaking out a little And I feel
like that would be the case with Marta. Did you
feel that way when you were in your first couple
of practices together.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
The coolest thing about Marta is like she'll never make
you feel like she's, you know, the greatest of all
the time, Like she doesn't act like it or anything.
Like she's so humble. She's just like another person, and
it's like, you know, like you you meet her, she's
I'm like, oh, I'm kind of like, oh Marta, Like.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
That's like oh Madonna, Okay, yeah one.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Has she taught you anything or is there anything that
stands out from your years playing with her that that
she's taught you? Oh?
Speaker 4 (12:28):
I mean I've learned so much from her, you know,
just her like being a captain and the way she
leads is one of the most inspiring things.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
She's so passionate about everything that she does, like every
single training, like she's she's not there to just like
show up and you know, do her job, like she
wants to win. So I think she just showed me,
like what it what it takes to be a winner.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Yeah, Emily, it's just her first year, but it feels
like Barbara Abanda is a legend in the making in
the same way.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
What makes her so special?
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Yeah, I think she's a world class player. She's so
hard to defend. You know, there's times where I go
against your own practice and she's making me better, and
I hope I'm making her better. But she's obviously she
has her speed, and but she's good to you know
with like back to goalplay and like to connect with
as the nine. So she's got like both of those
(13:27):
aspects she's so good at like just a little flick
ons and to get behind the back line, and of
course her speed, Like she's just so good.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Yeah, it feels like you have this incredible torch passing happening.
And I'm certainly not pushing Marda out, but like to
have the greatest of all time and then have this
player that in such a short amount of time has
sort of taken this league by storm. It feels very
promising for the future of this team, and that's really
nice to see. I think I don't mean this in
(13:56):
a condescending way, but there are certain teams that go
through such struggles that it's hard not to root for
them when they start to find success, and the Pride
are kind of one of those teams, like best in
the league right now. But things haven't always been so
sunny in Orlando. The team has missed the postseason for
the last five regular seasons.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
They've missed the.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Postseason and all but one of the seasons that the
team has existed. You've already clinched a playoff, Berth. You're
playing so while, like Kylie, you've been on this team
since twenty twenty one, why is this year so different?
Speaker 4 (14:26):
Yeah, it's it's been a roller coaster to say the least.
So to kind of finally see everything coming together is
like the best feeling in the world. I think like
one of the strengths of this team and something that
makes us really special is just the bond and like
(14:46):
the culture that we have amongst the girls. It's something
that I've never experienced on any other team. And I've
been a part of some really good teams but something
that we have is just really special, kind of unexplainable.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Yeah, how did you deal with it when the team
was sort of the butt of jokes? I mean we
had Ali Riley and said LaRue and I was talking
to sid about her time there and how literally people
would be like, oh, if you play too badly, you're
gonna end up with the Pride. Like being a team
that's sort of the butt of the joke is hard.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
How did you handle that?
Speaker 4 (15:18):
Oh? Yeah, like nobody wanted to come to the Pride.
Like I remember there was like before one of the seasons,
there was like this meme I wonder if I could
find it, and it was literally like like you know,
Pride potential starting eleven and it was like Marta and
then like the rest was like a rock and.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
Like but like we're like, oh wow, yeah, so we
were down bad, but we climbed our way.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Out of it.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
You know. I think we made a lot of good
changes from you know, like front office standpoints and stuff,
and people have just really invested in the culture of
this team and took it really seriously. So it's pretty
incredible how drastic of a turnaround it took. In a
(16:08):
rather short amount of time.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Yeah, Emily, it's just your second season with the team.
It's the only NWSL squad you've been a part of.
But I wonder how much the team staff, coaches, anybody
talks about those past seasons or previous struggles this year.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Yeah, I was just thinking. I feel like one of
the main messages from Seb last year was just like
changing the narrative of Orlando. So yeah, people would come
to Orlando and be like, Okay, easy three points. Like
SEB would always just hammer that message into us and
he's like, we have to change the narrative. We have
to make it a nightmare for teams to come here
and play. And I think we just had that chip
on our shoulder last year of like, no, you're not
(16:44):
gonna come here and just get an easy three points
and go back home. Like it's we're trying to make
it a nightmare to come here. And same thing with Away.
You know, obviously it's a different like shot at you
when you go to another person stadium, but you know,
same thing, like we're not gonna this isn't going to
be an easy game for anybody. And I think even
from like two years ago to last year, like, although
(17:05):
I wasn't part of the team two years ago, we
did better and we were so close to making playoffs,
and I think even almost making playoffs was again more
fuel for us this year to be like, Okay, we
could have done it last year, and now we've added
more players and now we definitely know we can do
it this year. And I mean it's worked, it's been
I don't think it's any team has walked away thinking
(17:27):
it's been easy to play.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Us, certainly not since nobody's beaten you.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Yeah, I can't imagine.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
I think it's easy to take a drawer or loss.
Speaking of going from struggling to the top of the game,
the US women's national team had its worst World Cup
finish last year, bounced back to win gold this summer
in Paris. You know, I've heard players like Glenn Williams
rave about the vibes, the energy, the camaraderie just felt
different to her from that World Cup teamer previous iterations.
What was your experience like in Paris? Did it feel
(17:53):
like the team was carrying the weight of that World
Cup failure or had moved on to this new vibe.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Yeah, I definitely don't have the experience from previous years
and under different coaches and stuff like that with the
national team. But I think that was like one of
the first things that the team talked about and that
Emma talked about. Like she came in and just had
her what she wanted from the team, her expectations, and
we would have like meetings that weren't even anything about soccer,
(18:20):
but just how can we build the togetherness and the
cohesion within the team and like forget all the distractions,
forget all like you know, previous results, Like let's forget
all of that, Like we're here for a reason. We're
a really good team. And she just did such a
good job of, like I said, building that cohesion between us,
and then I think the players kind of like caught
(18:41):
that vibe too, Like so when we would have our
team meetings with no staff, we would echo some of
the same things that she was saying. And I think
the players, of course recognize how hard it's been in
previous years, and so I'd hear a lot of them
tell stories about like, oh, you know, like stay off
the media and like stuff. They have all that experience,
and so I think just hearing them talk about previous
(19:04):
years to this tournament. I think, I'm like I can
kind of get the picture and could definitely tell that
the vibes were way different.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
You started out as an alternate. How did you approach
your role in what you could bring.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
To the team.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
Yeah, I was honestly like forgot or I didn't know
the rules for the Olympics. So when Emma sits me
down and tells me you're going to the Olympics, I
was like, what the heck is going on? So I
think from that moment on, I was like, which is
a learning thing for me? I wasn't like prepared for
that role or preparing myself for that role. Of course,
(19:36):
I was like, first camp, I'm gonna try my hardest,
but like it's just a week, and you know, it's
not about me, it's about the team getting ready for
the Olympics. But just the fact that it changed so quick,
I think, yeah, definitely learn from that experience to like
always be ready and so then preparing differently and just
knowing that at anytime something can change. And then of
course making the roster. I'm like, I don't think she's
(19:57):
gonna put me in, but like you never what's looking
at happen, So just preparing myself in every way for
that scenario should have come up.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Yeah, we saw a lot of different experiences. We saw
the starters thriving. We saw someone like Lynn Williams, who
was originally an alternate, coming in scoring a goal, playing
a huge role. We saw players suffer injuries and lose
out on their dream of getting to the Olympics, and
then even different experiences for alternates. You end up on
the roster getting a medal, and then you have alternates
(20:26):
that don't get that. How is that kind of balancing
getting and experiencing a dream but also being alongside teammates
that maybe didn't get out of it what they'd hoped.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
Yeah, I think it's like devastating for them. I mean,
I think the rules are just stupid in that regard.
I think they're there away from their homes across the
world for just the same amount of time as everyone else,
and they had to be ready to be called into
the squad at any moment, to be called into play
at any moment, just like the rest of us. So
I feel like I feel so lucky that I was
(20:59):
put on the I mean, yeah, that was put on
the roster I hate that people got hurt all that stuff,
but I just wish that they could yeah get the
get their medals too, because they were alongside every single
one of us the whole time. And I love like
during the podium during the metal ceremony, you know, people
took off their medals right away and put them on
them and we like got pictures and everything. So of
(21:21):
course that's not nearly enough, but I hope that they,
you know, felt celebrated and appreciate, appreciated and all those
things the same as everybody else.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Kylie were there.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Team viewing parties for the Olympics were all the Pride
folks watching together.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
Absolutely every game we watched. The final is interesting for
sure because.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
We had a.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
Yeah and then yeah, so that was that was a
tough one. You know, you're you're like so torn, but
it was it was so incredible to like watch all
of them just be on the biggest stage and smash it.
Like we were so pumped for and like I just
remember like like when she like got called into campus
and she was so excited and you know, like like
(22:07):
you said, just have the mentality like yeah, like let's
just you know, see, you know, I'm gonna enjoy my
time and you know, then I'm gonna go visit my grandparents.
After then she gets called in and like doesn't even
have a suitcase, Like.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
It's sorry, Grandma.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
Like such a cool story and like just so well deserved.
So it was it was awesome to see them.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Wait, so Kylie just said that you didn't have a suitcase,
so you literally didn't know the rules, Like you thought
you were going to go to campus and alternate, help
them prepare and then leave, and instead you're going to France.
So take us through that moment. Are you like speed packing?
Like what's the plan there? How do you react?
Speaker 3 (22:44):
Yeah? We were in New Jersey and I had packed
my little suitcase, my little carry on for one week
and so she yeah, she's like, you're going to the
Olympics and that's like a six week trip. So I
like ran up or went up the stairs to my room,
called my husban right away. I was like crying and
all that stuff, and I was like, okay, I need
you to pack me a suitcase, like and I didn't
(23:05):
even have my past No, you travel too for the husband. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
So then like the next day we like got on
FaceTime and I was like, yeah, I need that, I
need that or whatever, and he packed me a suitcase
and he sent it and it got there the day
before we left for France.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
He had to mail your suitcase. Okay, first of all, Emily,
let's have a chat here. Why didn't you read the
rules or ask questions about like what's this process? Like
what happens after this week?
Speaker 3 (23:33):
I was supposed to, yeah, go home, and then like
because a player got hurt and from the eighteen and
then you know, Lynn got moved up, and then I
got moved to the alternate. So I just I thought that, like,
once the roster was set, it was set, and so yeah,
I guess I should ask more questions and learn the
rules earlier. But yeah, Dakota, my husband had to send
me a bag and my passport. It was very stressful.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Okay, so you walked him through on FaceTime to pick
out certain things. But in the end, whatever the husband
packed for you, was that good enough? Or like, listen,
this is a very fashionable team out there. You got
to wear a lot of your Ralph Lauren stuff, so
that's helpful. You had some outfits planned for you, But
did you feel like you were like Oh, I can't
believe you forgot to put this in or I needed
this and I forgot it.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
No, I felt I felt well prepared. I'm not a
good dress upper person. I'm just wearing We all were
wearing swubpants and T shirts, and the I literally could
have packed two suitcases or two T shirts have been
fine because I just rotated the same my favorite T shirts.
So yeah, I had more than enough while I was there.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
All right, Good to hear, Good to hear.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
How was it for you in that Olympic final You're
facing off against four of your Pride teammates, Marta, Adriana, Angelina, Raphael.
What was that like for you recognizing so many people
on the other side and then realizing that you had
to beat them and steal their dream.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Yeah, that was definitely tough, just especially like with Marta
being her last in and out national game or last
international tournament. I was like, I really want to win.
I want to go home with the gold medal. But
and I was even thinking too, like I can't stand
and like go back into the facility and see them
all holding their gold medals and I just have my
little silver medal like that. But of course, yeah, I
(25:18):
mean it was it was really cool just to see
Audrey Marda and yeah, all of them Rafa get on
the field and super cool to be able to see
them after and just to like experience that with them.
It was really cool.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
And you have an opportunity with the Pride to do
a little bit of a make good with Marta now
on the same side with her, trying to help her
potentially go out in style. I know she's only announced
the retirement from international play, but boy, would that be
a pretty cool way to cap off this year. What
message do you have for the fans of the Pride.
I know there's been time to, you know, react to
(25:54):
the success you're having, and it's hard to demand this
huge outpouring for a team that has struggled in the past,
but I'd like to see Orlando get behind a squad
that's doing unprecedented things. Kylie, what would you say to
fans to try to get them to come out and
see what y'all are doing?
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Yeah, we have some of the best players in the world,
Marta Barbara Like, there's there's literally nothing more you could
ask for. You know, we're flying right now, so yeah,
we we have great fans. Our environment this year especially
has been like so great, and yeah, it'd be nice
if if one day we could sell out enter inco.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
And keep this going.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
How about you, Emily, Yeah, I would say the same.
Like the growth even from last year to this year
has been awesome. You know, we're starting to fill out
the upper part of the stadium, or not fill out,
but starting to get people there. So I just want
to keep that going. Like, huge shout out to the
fans that have been with us, you know, through the
hard times and through last year, and that have been
(26:54):
here every game this year. So bring your friends, bring
your friends, friends, bring your parents, whatever you got to.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Like, let's bring your enemies.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
Yeah, yes, exactly, literally anybody.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
And the last thing I want to ask you to
is to tell me something about your team that most
of the fans wouldn't know. I feel like there's been
such incredible coverage of the soccer, but I don't really
know a lot of the members of your team as
well as some other teams. So give me some good stuff, Kylie.
What's something like and team inside joke or somebody on
the team that's always like singing or or in charge
(27:27):
of the music in the locker room or dancing or
doing tiktokic.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
What are some of the characters of your team that
we should get.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
I don't even know where to start. Like I feel
like we have a really fun team. Yeah, Like I
mean Lauro a lot o cats. She's a special one.
She's bringing all the pregame vibes in the locker room.
She's getting everybody going. She's like so important to this team.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Oh God, Like there's so many What about you, Emily.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
Yeah, I would say as far as like tiktoks, like
mac cron gets her little squad and like Ali Lemos,
they like love making their tiktoks so on the field
and they yeah, they provide all that content for like
on the field tiktoks, which is kind of fun. And
they try to like pull someone of this in Like
me and Kyler are like, no, you got go ahead,
But yeah, they rope some people in somehow. Uh.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
Yeah, it's so funny because like we have some you know,
like Ali Limos, like she's so young and like I
feel like an old grandma, but like at the same time,
like she's one of my favorite people. Like we just
like get along so well, and she just is teaching
me nonsense.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
And with all the like international players and especially all
the Brazilians, are we mixing it up? Are we getting
like some Bossa Nova and some samba music and stuff
in there or is it? Are there little clicks of
like all the international players and then all the Americans
are hanging over here.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
I would say, like in the locker room, it's funny
because we'll be like playing like you know, rap music
or you know, Drake whatever, Like I can't even tell
you who the new rappers are. I don't listen to
that crap, but they'll that'll be playing the locker room,
and I know, like come they'll like come a time
where like Marta and someone's like, Okay, we're like tired
of this, and then they'll like go over and put
(29:12):
their Brazilian playlist on, and then everyone's like, hey, a
little nice vibe, like let's go yeah. I feel like
they get yeah, they get fed up, and they're like
we're changing the vibe.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
Then em comes in and puts like I don't know,
like journey On.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Or something amazing. I feel like we've we've got like
a movie in the making here, sort of like a
bring it on style, but like not enemies. It's just
the warring factors of the locker room Bossanova rap going
back and forth. Or we could get some pretty fire remixes,
to be honest, if you just put them together and
you combine forces. Well, thank you to so much for
joining us. Was so great to talk to you. Congratulations
(29:48):
on the success you're having. It has been really fun
to watch. And I don't know yet what's gonna happen
with my Red Stars and the playoffs, but I will
secretly be rooting for the Pride a little bit of
a side peace action here because I just want y'all
to see some of the success that has eluded you
in the past.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
So good luck. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
Appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Yeah, thank you, Sarah, I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
Thanks again to Emily and Kylie forgiving us some time.
Don't forget that Pride unbeaten streak is back on the
line tonight. We got to take another break when we
come back. You gotta say it with your chest. Welcome
back Orange Slices. With the final w regular season games
done and the statistical seasons in the books, wanted to
(30:34):
share a wild statistical anomaly. So a couple weeks ago,
a newsletter from the Next Hoops dot Com mentioned an
interesting note regarding the Dallas Wings, the fact that the
team looked like it might finish the season with four
different seventeen points per game scores on their statue. According
to Sports Reference, that has never happened before in WNBA history.
So I kept an eye out the last few weeks
(30:54):
and it happened. Ari Gae Agunbowale, Natasha Howard, Satusabli, and
Odyssey Simms did it all average more than seventeen points
for the year. Now, it's worth noting that Simms was
a mid season signing and then was released, so she
played in just nine games for the Wings, and Sabli
was injured for the pre Olympic stretch and played in
just fourteen for Dallas. But the stat remains true. Now
(31:14):
it makes it so interesting. Isn't just that it's the
first time it's ever happened. It's that the Wings are
not playoff bound, unlike previous teams with three seventeen plus
point scorers. They've struggled this year. The Next pointed out
quote four previous teams in league history had three players
averaging seventeen points, two of them won a title twoy
seven Phoenix and twenty twenty three Las Vegas. Another lost
(31:37):
the winner take all game of possibly the most exciting
semi finals ever twenty eighteen Phoenix, and the other lost
one of their leading scorers midway through the season but
still made the second round anyway, twenty twenty Phoenix end quote. So, yeah,
the Wings missed the playoffs, and even when they were
at their best offensively, they were still losing games. All
those three persons seventeen plus point teams had a lot
(31:57):
of success, but four teen plus point scores and they
couldn't even make the postseason. A case of too many
cooks in the kitchen. Could be They've also got the
worst defensive rating in the league. They sent opponents to
the line more than any other team and had the
third most turnovers in the league. Could be that, but
still first team to four seventeen plus point scores. So
(32:20):
congrats and we're sorry, and defense wins championships. We 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. Make your picks. Who do you
think will emerge victorious from the first round of the
WNBA playoffs. Don't be scared, send them to us. We
want those receipts. Leave us a voicemail at eight seven
two two four fifty seventy or hit us up on email.
(32:41):
Good game at wondermedianetwork dot com and watch the games
playoffs tip on Sunday. People, don't forget to subscribe, rate
and review. It's easy, watch Round twenty one and play
a society. WNBA Merch rating five out of five very
fashionable Stars in review. These are two brands bring and
some heat in the merch department. The designs are super
(33:03):
unique and super versatile, and the creators are locked in
with w culture. Shout out Jasmine Maetta, Shema Love and
Esther Wallace.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
If you're looking for.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Some gear to wear to a playoff game near you,
or just on your couch while you're watching all the action,
check them out. We'll link to their sites in our
episode notes. Oh and Nike just released a new WNBA
Portland tea, so if you're digging that expansion move and
you want some merch to match, we'll link to that too.
Now's your turn, rate and review. Thanks for listening, slices,
have a great weekend. And see you Monday. Good Game, Emily,
Good Game, Kylie, Thank you. Ten pm Eastern starts. Good
(33:36):
Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production
in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
You can find us on.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
The iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzi
and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz,
Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Jenny Kaplan,
Emily Rudder, Britney Martinez and Grace. Production assistance from Lucy
Jones and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're sending
subliminal mind signals to WNBA Award voters warning them of
slow death by hemorrhoids if they so much as think
about giving Asia Wilson a fourth place vote. On today's show,
we'll be talking to Orlando Pride defenders Emily Samson Kylie
Strum about the team's twenty one game unbeaten streak and
their impenetrable backline, plus a wild statistical anomaly, your postseason picks,
(00:23):
and look good, Feel good, play good. It's all coming
up right after this. Welcome back, my little slices. Happy Friday.
Here's what you need to know today in the WNBA.
(00:45):
The regular season has officially concluded and the playoff matches
are set, but we're recording this before all the games
are over, So this is now a choose your own
adventure podcast. Select the sentence that most accurately matches reality.
Thet won the battle for the eighth seed. The Washington
Mystics won the Battle for the eighth seed. The Chicago
(01:07):
Sky won the Battle for the eighth seed. So the
playoffs begins Sunday. The first round is best of three,
and as a reminder, the first two games of each
series will be played on the higher seeds home court. Also,
technical foul counts are now reset to zero. The first
round matchups are the number one Liberty versus the number
eight team. I just told you that, were you not listening?
The number two Links versus the number seven Mercury, and
(01:30):
three verses six and four versus five? Which teams are those?
That's what Google's for. Okay, get your popcorn ready and
hold on to your butts. It's playoff time. Oh and
since we recorded this episode before all the games were locked,
that Mercury Storm contest, a freaking ten pm Eastern start,
wasn't yet over. So we're just gonna guess at what
(01:51):
might have happened in what might have been Diana Tarassi's
last regular season game ever and potentially her last home
game ever if Minnie sweeps him the first round of
the PLA.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
So here's what we do know.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
The Mercury came prepared before the game. The team released
a video that honestly made us feel some things. It
featured a handful of folks, including her wife, agent, and sister,
along with teammate Britney Griner, reading a letter titled Dear
d here's a snippet.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
If this is it, thank you will never be enough,
but it's a start.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Hello all of us. And before the game, every fan
received a commemorative T that said, quote the greatest of
all time period P E. R Io d T. And
on the back text from that aforementioned letter to DT.
The Mercury have been hinting if this is it, but
y'all the video and the shirt that really made it
(02:47):
feel like this is actually it Now what we don't know,
but we're guessing at after the game in which the
White Mamba scored let's say a points one more than
Kobe's best Yeah, yep, okay, and grabbed thirty boards yep,
(03:08):
that's correct. Yeah, all in fewer minutes, shorter games, and
got am I reading this right? Four technicals? She was
asked if she's retiring after the playoffs, and here's my
dramatic reenactment of Diana's response, not telling you shit.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
You'll find out when I figure it out, gocox.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
We'll see how close I am to reality to soccer.
There are a couple of NWSL games tonight, and three
of the top four squads are in action. First it's
the number two Washington Spirit and number four k C
Current at eight pm Eastern, then number one Orlando Pride
at number eight BFC at ten thirty pm Eastern. There
are four more games this weekend, so we'll link to
the schedule in our show notes. More NWSL news New York,
(03:47):
New Jersey Gotham FC announced yesterday former team captain in
twenty twenty three NWSL champ Ali Krieger will serve as
its first ever club ambassador. No, that doesn't mean she's
responsible for scheduling all the team's nightlife activities or will
should be tasked with leading the diplomats and staff serving
at a Gotham embassy or mission. Per Gotham's x account,
Kreeger's mission as ambassador is quote to elevate the club
(04:08):
women's sports and act as a connection to media on
and off the pitch end quote. A press release from
the team also states that the move is part of
the team's effort to keep collaborating with players after their
careers end and give them flowers for their leadership and
legacy and its breaking NWSL news. So Sportico is the
first report that Milwaukee Bucks owner Mark Lazry is nearing
a deal to buy a control stake in the NWSL's
(04:30):
NC Courage from Steve Mallick at a roughly one hundred
and eight million dollar valuation. The offer is for sixty
percent of the team, per the Sportico Report, quote Lazri,
who expressed interest in the Seattle reign and was in
the running to buy Angel City FC before will Obey
and Bob Eiger secured a control stake in the NWSL's
most valuable club at a two hundred and fifty million
(04:50):
dollars valuation. The Courage sit on the other end of
the NWSL's financial table, with one of the lowest revenues
in the league. The club has often been mentioned as
a potential seller given that near every other NWSL team
is either a new franchise or has a new principal
governor over the past four years, and most of those
ownership groups want to invest heavily to propel the league forward.
(05:10):
End quote. We'll keep you updated on that story as
we get more more soccer. The other day, we told
you about Team USA under twenty playing in the U
twenty World Cup. While they lost to North Korea one
nil on Wednesday in the semi finals, which makes this
the best showing for Team USA since their fourth place
finish in twenty sixteen. But they won't be grabbing gold.
They'll take on the Netherlands for the bronze on Saturday,
(05:31):
and it'll be North Korea versus Japan for the title
on Sunday. We're going to take a quick break. When
we come back, we step onto the pitch with Emily
Sam's and Kylie Strum. It's time for group chat, where
we take the tea from the text and bring it
onto the airwaves and joining us today, we've got a
(05:52):
defender for the top of the table, Orlando Pride of
the NWSL. She won gold with Team USA in Paris
and was a national champion with her Florida Seminoles. She's
a twin. She loves Dakota, a guy, not a state.
She's got cat's name Linguini and Rigatoni, and she got
married in February, but her wedding's in December. It's Emily
Sam's what's up, Emily, what's up?
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Thank you?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
That was crazy? Also joining her a defender for the
Orlando Pride. She's played in Germany, the Czech Republic and Spain.
And she's a proud b u alum. She was on
the most recent NWSL Best eleven for the month of August.
She's just a quiet gal who likes to read books
and watch Jeopardy, but says she turns into a monster
on the field. It's Kylie Strom. Hey, guys, ladies, it
(06:33):
is great to have you, and we are really excited
to shine a spotlight on this defense for the Pride.
I get why we have so many conversations about the
goal scorers like Barbara Banda and Marta, but we got
to talk about the lockdown that's been happening with the
Pride of late. You shut out your opponents in four
straight matches. You set a new club record for longest
clean sheet streak. You've also set a new club record
(06:54):
for regular season minutes played without conceding four hundred and
eleven consecutive minutes without giving up a goal. So let's
just start there. Emily, what's the secret, Like, what's been
the secret to this incredible defensive stretch?
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Oh gosh, I would say, although we're talking to two
defenders right now, it's definitely a team effort. Yeah, even
just like the midfielders from to the forwards. Everyone's included
in our defending and I think that's what helps make
it so successful. And of course, having players like Marta
and Barbara on offense, I think changes teams to their
(07:28):
behaviors and makes them play maybe a little bit more defensively,
which makes them makes our job easier.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
That's such a defensive player's answer to just defer. That's
why I never could have played defense. I'm way too
much about myself. I'm like, give me the goals. Meanwhile,
you're just spreading the love. But it's true. It's incredibly
complete team and that's what's made it so impressive to watch.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
And that goes back to the goalkeeping.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
To Emily, Anna Moorhouse tied in NWSL single season record
the other day in your nil nil draw with Case.
That was her eleventh clean she of the season. So
tell me.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
About playing with Anna and your communication back there.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Yeah, we're trying to get twelve for her so she
can set the NWSL record.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Yeah, Anna's great. I mean, she's obviously has a big
presence and like, for example, end of the game, we
have a corner, like we have full confidence that she's
gonna come out grab the ball and just like secure
the win for us, or you know, get the shut
out for us. So it's been great, and yeah, I
think too. Part of what makes it so great is
that we can communicate in practice, like get it all
(08:31):
out there, like we can just she says her opinion.
She's a very strong opinion, which is good. And I
think I'm strong opinion too, So we can just like
swear it all out there on the field and not
you know, dance around what's going on. We'll just get
it all out there and come to a common ground.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Yeah, Kylie, is there something in particular that the defense
has worked on or prioritized of late or is this
just a team clicking in the final stretch.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
Honestly, I think it's just kind of like a mentality,
you know. I think our coach, Sam Hines, he was
a defense in his career, and yeah, we just take
a lot of pride in our defending. I think we
have like such good camaraderie from front to back, and
I think like the defensive unit is super tight and
like we all have a common goal. So yeah, hopefully
(09:16):
we can keep it going well.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Twenty one games unbeaten. That's the most in league history.
There's only a few weeks left in the regular season,
so how much pressure is there to try to go
an entire season without a loss?
Speaker 4 (09:27):
Kiley honestly, like, like it's not a main goal for us,
Like we've broken a lot of records and all that stuff,
but it's never once been a goal for us. I mean,
we want to win the Shield, we want to win
a championship, I mean, we want to go to playoffs,
which we've accomplished already, but we just want to keep
(09:48):
playing like our best games ever game. So that's kind
of the motivation here. No pressure with any of like
going undefeated and stuff. So we're just we're just going
with it.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Is it like a jinx mentality, like you don't even
talk about it?
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Or is it like mentioned we.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
Don't even talk about it on it Like I think
sometimes we look at each other, like we tell this
story a lot, Like in the beginning of the year,
but like preseason times, we were going through our schedule
and kind of like predicting, like you know, how many
points we would have and which games we would win
maybe like draw, lose, whatever, and we gave ourselves like
a ridiculous amount of points, like crazy and we're like
(10:28):
afterwards we went through We're like, guys, this probably is
a little unrealistic, you know, like let's be real and
like now we're like even out performing on me. So yeah,
I think sometimes we're just like, wow, this is crazy.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
And we call that manifesting.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Right, you just put it out there, like here's all
the points that we want and then you just made
it happen.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Let's talk about Marta FIFA World Player of the Year
six times, first football or of any gender to score
five different World Cups, first of any gender to score
five straight Olympic games, Like, Kylie, what's it like playing
with an all time great like that. You've had a
couple of years with her.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
It's unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (11:07):
Like I think every single day we step out on
the field with her is like such a privilege and
an honor. She is hands down the greatest of all time,
Like no debate, and the fact that she's like still
doing these things that she's doing like at her age,
like she's like getting better if that's even possible. Yeah,
(11:31):
it's it's just like such.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
An honor and a privilege to be her teammate.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
I remember talking to some of my Chicago Red Stars
players at an end of season event, and I ask
the question, like, is there a player that you got
out in the field and you have trouble just playing
with or against because a little bit of you is
like kind of freaking out a little And I feel
like that would be the case with Marta. Did you
feel that way when you were in your first couple
of practices together.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
The coolest thing about Marta is like she'll never make
you feel like she's, you know, the greatest of all
the time, Like she doesn't act like it or anything.
Like she's so humble. She's just like another person, and
it's like, you know, like you you meet her, she's
I'm like, oh, I'm kind of like, oh Marta, Like.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Yeah, I know.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
That's like oh Madonna, Okay, yeah one.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Has she taught you anything or is there anything that
stands out from your years playing with her that that
she's taught you? Oh?
Speaker 4 (12:28):
I mean I've learned so much from her, you know,
just her like being a captain and the way she
leads is one of the most inspiring things.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
She's so passionate about everything that she does, like every
single training, like she's she's not there to just like
show up and you know, do her job, like she
wants to win. So I think she just showed me,
like what it what it takes to be a winner.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Yeah, Emily, it's just her first year, but it feels
like Barbara Abanda is a legend in the making in
the same way.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
What makes her so special?
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Yeah, I think she's a world class player. She's so
hard to defend. You know, there's times where I go
against your own practice and she's making me better, and
I hope I'm making her better. But she's obviously she
has her speed, and but she's good to you know
with like back to goalplay and like to connect with
as the nine. So she's got like both of those
(13:27):
aspects she's so good at like just a little flick
ons and to get behind the back line, and of
course her speed, Like she's just so good.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
Yeah, it feels like you have this incredible torch passing happening.
And I'm certainly not pushing Marda out, but like to
have the greatest of all time and then have this
player that in such a short amount of time has
sort of taken this league by storm. It feels very
promising for the future of this team, and that's really
nice to see. I think I don't mean this in
(13:56):
a condescending way, but there are certain teams that go
through such struggles that it's hard not to root for
them when they start to find success, and the Pride
are kind of one of those teams, like best in
the league right now. But things haven't always been so
sunny in Orlando. The team has missed the postseason for
the last five regular seasons.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
They've missed the.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Postseason and all but one of the seasons that the
team has existed. You've already clinched a playoff, Berth. You're
playing so while, like Kylie, you've been on this team
since twenty twenty one, why is this year so different?
Speaker 4 (14:26):
Yeah, it's it's been a roller coaster to say the least.
So to kind of finally see everything coming together is
like the best feeling in the world. I think like
one of the strengths of this team and something that
makes us really special is just the bond and like
(14:46):
the culture that we have amongst the girls. It's something
that I've never experienced on any other team. And I've
been a part of some really good teams but something
that we have is just really special, kind of unexplainable.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Yeah, how did you deal with it when the team
was sort of the butt of jokes? I mean we
had Ali Riley and said LaRue and I was talking
to sid about her time there and how literally people
would be like, oh, if you play too badly, you're
gonna end up with the Pride. Like being a team
that's sort of the butt of the joke is hard.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
How did you handle that?
Speaker 4 (15:18):
Oh? Yeah, like nobody wanted to come to the Pride.
Like I remember there was like before one of the seasons,
there was like this meme I wonder if I could
find it, and it was literally like like you know,
Pride potential starting eleven and it was like Marta and
then like the rest was like a rock and.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
Like but like we're like, oh wow, yeah, so we
were down bad, but we climbed our way.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Out of it.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
You know. I think we made a lot of good
changes from you know, like front office standpoints and stuff,
and people have just really invested in the culture of
this team and took it really seriously. So it's pretty
incredible how drastic of a turnaround it took. In a
(16:08):
rather short amount of time.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Yeah, Emily, it's just your second season with the team.
It's the only NWSL squad you've been a part of.
But I wonder how much the team staff, coaches, anybody
talks about those past seasons or previous struggles this year.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
Yeah, I was just thinking. I feel like one of
the main messages from Seb last year was just like
changing the narrative of Orlando. So yeah, people would come
to Orlando and be like, Okay, easy three points. Like
SEB would always just hammer that message into us and
he's like, we have to change the narrative. We have
to make it a nightmare for teams to come here
and play. And I think we just had that chip
on our shoulder last year of like, no, you're not
(16:44):
gonna come here and just get an easy three points
and go back home. Like it's we're trying to make
it a nightmare to come here. And same thing with Away.
You know, obviously it's a different like shot at you
when you go to another person stadium, but you know,
same thing, like we're not gonna this isn't going to
be an easy game for anybody. And I think even
from like two years ago to last year, like, although
(17:05):
I wasn't part of the team two years ago, we
did better and we were so close to making playoffs,
and I think even almost making playoffs was again more
fuel for us this year to be like, Okay, we
could have done it last year, and now we've added
more players and now we definitely know we can do
it this year. And I mean it's worked, it's been
I don't think it's any team has walked away thinking
(17:27):
it's been easy to play.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Us, certainly not since nobody's beaten you.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
Yeah, I can't imagine.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
I think it's easy to take a drawer or loss.
Speaking of going from struggling to the top of the game,
the US women's national team had its worst World Cup
finish last year, bounced back to win gold this summer
in Paris. You know, I've heard players like Glenn Williams
rave about the vibes, the energy, the camaraderie just felt
different to her from that World Cup teamer previous iterations.
What was your experience like in Paris? Did it feel
(17:53):
like the team was carrying the weight of that World
Cup failure or had moved on to this new vibe.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Yeah, I definitely don't have the experience from previous years
and under different coaches and stuff like that with the
national team. But I think that was like one of
the first things that the team talked about and that
Emma talked about. Like she came in and just had
her what she wanted from the team, her expectations, and
we would have like meetings that weren't even anything about soccer,
(18:20):
but just how can we build the togetherness and the
cohesion within the team and like forget all the distractions,
forget all like you know, previous results, Like let's forget
all of that, Like we're here for a reason. We're
a really good team. And she just did such a
good job of, like I said, building that cohesion between us,
and then I think the players kind of like caught
(18:41):
that vibe too, Like so when we would have our
team meetings with no staff, we would echo some of
the same things that she was saying. And I think
the players, of course recognize how hard it's been in
previous years, and so I'd hear a lot of them
tell stories about like, oh, you know, like stay off
the media and like stuff. They have all that experience,
and so I think just hearing them talk about previous
(19:04):
years to this tournament. I think, I'm like I can
kind of get the picture and could definitely tell that
the vibes were way different.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
You started out as an alternate. How did you approach
your role in what you could bring.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
To the team.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
Yeah, I was honestly like forgot or I didn't know
the rules for the Olympics. So when Emma sits me
down and tells me you're going to the Olympics, I
was like, what the heck is going on? So I
think from that moment on, I was like, which is
a learning thing for me? I wasn't like prepared for
that role or preparing myself for that role. Of course,
(19:36):
I was like, first camp, I'm gonna try my hardest,
but like it's just a week, and you know, it's
not about me, it's about the team getting ready for
the Olympics. But just the fact that it changed so quick,
I think, yeah, definitely learn from that experience to like
always be ready and so then preparing differently and just
knowing that at anytime something can change. And then of
course making the roster. I'm like, I don't think she's
(19:57):
gonna put me in, but like you never what's looking
at happen, So just preparing myself in every way for
that scenario should have come up.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Yeah, we saw a lot of different experiences. We saw
the starters thriving. We saw someone like Lynn Williams, who
was originally an alternate, coming in scoring a goal, playing
a huge role. We saw players suffer injuries and lose
out on their dream of getting to the Olympics, and
then even different experiences for alternates. You end up on
the roster getting a medal, and then you have alternates
(20:26):
that don't get that. How is that kind of balancing
getting and experiencing a dream but also being alongside teammates
that maybe didn't get out of it what they'd hoped.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
Yeah, I think it's like devastating for them. I mean,
I think the rules are just stupid in that regard.
I think they're there away from their homes across the
world for just the same amount of time as everyone else,
and they had to be ready to be called into
the squad at any moment, to be called into play
at any moment, just like the rest of us. So
I feel like I feel so lucky that I was
(20:59):
put on the I mean, yeah, that was put on
the roster I hate that people got hurt all that stuff,
but I just wish that they could yeah get the
get their medals too, because they were alongside every single
one of us the whole time. And I love like
during the podium during the metal ceremony, you know, people
took off their medals right away and put them on
them and we like got pictures and everything. So of
(21:21):
course that's not nearly enough, but I hope that they,
you know, felt celebrated and appreciate, appreciated and all those
things the same as everybody else.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Kylie were there.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
Team viewing parties for the Olympics were all the Pride
folks watching together.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
Absolutely every game we watched. The final is interesting for
sure because.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
We had a.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
Yeah and then yeah, so that was that was a
tough one. You know, you're you're like so torn, but
it was it was so incredible to like watch all
of them just be on the biggest stage and smash it.
Like we were so pumped for and like I just
remember like like when she like got called into campus
and she was so excited and you know, like like
(22:07):
you said, just have the mentality like yeah, like let's
just you know, see, you know, I'm gonna enjoy my
time and you know, then I'm gonna go visit my grandparents.
After then she gets called in and like doesn't even
have a suitcase, Like.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
It's sorry, Grandma.
Speaker 4 (22:23):
Like such a cool story and like just so well deserved.
So it was it was awesome to see them.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Wait, so Kylie just said that you didn't have a suitcase,
so you literally didn't know the rules, Like you thought
you were going to go to campus and alternate, help
them prepare and then leave, and instead you're going to France.
So take us through that moment. Are you like speed packing?
Like what's the plan there? How do you react?
Speaker 3 (22:44):
Yeah? We were in New Jersey and I had packed
my little suitcase, my little carry on for one week
and so she yeah, she's like, you're going to the
Olympics and that's like a six week trip. So I
like ran up or went up the stairs to my room,
called my husban right away. I was like crying and
all that stuff, and I was like, okay, I need
you to pack me a suitcase, like and I didn't
(23:05):
even have my past No, you travel too for the husband. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
So then like the next day we like got on
FaceTime and I was like, yeah, I need that, I
need that or whatever, and he packed me a suitcase
and he sent it and it got there the day
before we left for France.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
He had to mail your suitcase. Okay, first of all, Emily,
let's have a chat here. Why didn't you read the
rules or ask questions about like what's this process? Like
what happens after this week?
Speaker 3 (23:33):
I was supposed to, yeah, go home, and then like
because a player got hurt and from the eighteen and
then you know, Lynn got moved up, and then I
got moved to the alternate. So I just I thought that, like,
once the roster was set, it was set, and so yeah,
I guess I should ask more questions and learn the
rules earlier. But yeah, Dakota, my husband had to send
me a bag and my passport. It was very stressful.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Okay, so you walked him through on FaceTime to pick
out certain things. But in the end, whatever the husband
packed for you, was that good enough? Or like, listen,
this is a very fashionable team out there. You got
to wear a lot of your Ralph Lauren stuff, so
that's helpful. You had some outfits planned for you, But
did you feel like you were like Oh, I can't
believe you forgot to put this in or I needed
this and I forgot it.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
No, I felt I felt well prepared. I'm not a
good dress upper person. I'm just wearing We all were
wearing swubpants and T shirts, and the I literally could
have packed two suitcases or two T shirts have been
fine because I just rotated the same my favorite T shirts.
So yeah, I had more than enough while I was there.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
All right, Good to hear, Good to hear.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
How was it for you in that Olympic final You're
facing off against four of your Pride teammates, Marta, Adriana, Angelina, Raphael.
What was that like for you recognizing so many people
on the other side and then realizing that you had
to beat them and steal their dream.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Yeah, that was definitely tough, just especially like with Marta
being her last in and out national game or last
international tournament. I was like, I really want to win.
I want to go home with the gold medal. But
and I was even thinking too, like I can't stand
and like go back into the facility and see them
all holding their gold medals and I just have my
little silver medal like that. But of course, yeah, I
(25:18):
mean it was it was really cool just to see
Audrey Marda and yeah, all of them Rafa get on
the field and super cool to be able to see
them after and just to like experience that with them.
It was really cool.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
And you have an opportunity with the Pride to do
a little bit of a make good with Marta now
on the same side with her, trying to help her
potentially go out in style. I know she's only announced
the retirement from international play, but boy, would that be
a pretty cool way to cap off this year. What
message do you have for the fans of the Pride.
I know there's been time to, you know, react to
(25:54):
the success you're having, and it's hard to demand this
huge outpouring for a team that has struggled in the past,
but I'd like to see Orlando get behind a squad
that's doing unprecedented things. Kylie, what would you say to
fans to try to get them to come out and
see what y'all are doing?
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Yeah, we have some of the best players in the world,
Marta Barbara Like, there's there's literally nothing more you could
ask for. You know, we're flying right now, so yeah,
we we have great fans. Our environment this year especially
has been like so great, and yeah, it'd be nice
if if one day we could sell out enter inco.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
And keep this going.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
How about you, Emily, Yeah, I would say the same.
Like the growth even from last year to this year
has been awesome. You know, we're starting to fill out
the upper part of the stadium, or not fill out,
but starting to get people there. So I just want
to keep that going. Like, huge shout out to the
fans that have been with us, you know, through the
hard times and through last year, and that have been
(26:54):
here every game this year. So bring your friends, bring
your friends, friends, bring your parents, whatever you got to.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Like, let's bring your enemies.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
Yeah, yes, exactly, literally anybody.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
And the last thing I want to ask you to
is to tell me something about your team that most
of the fans wouldn't know. I feel like there's been
such incredible coverage of the soccer, but I don't really
know a lot of the members of your team as
well as some other teams. So give me some good stuff, Kylie.
What's something like and team inside joke or somebody on
the team that's always like singing or or in charge
(27:27):
of the music in the locker room or dancing or
doing tiktokic.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
What are some of the characters of your team that
we should get.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
I don't even know where to start. Like I feel
like we have a really fun team. Yeah, Like I
mean Lauro a lot o cats. She's a special one.
She's bringing all the pregame vibes in the locker room.
She's getting everybody going. She's like so important to this team.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Oh God, Like there's so many What about you, Emily.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
Yeah, I would say as far as like tiktoks, like
mac cron gets her little squad and like Ali Lemos,
they like love making their tiktoks so on the field
and they yeah, they provide all that content for like
on the field tiktoks, which is kind of fun. And
they try to like pull someone of this in Like
me and Kyler are like, no, you got go ahead,
But yeah, they rope some people in somehow. Uh.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
Yeah, it's so funny because like we have some you know,
like Ali Limos, like she's so young and like I
feel like an old grandma, but like at the same time,
like she's one of my favorite people. Like we just
like get along so well, and she just is teaching
me nonsense.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
And with all the like international players and especially all
the Brazilians, are we mixing it up? Are we getting
like some Bossa Nova and some samba music and stuff
in there or is it? Are there little clicks of
like all the international players and then all the Americans
are hanging over here.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
I would say, like in the locker room, it's funny
because we'll be like playing like you know, rap music
or you know, Drake whatever, Like I can't even tell
you who the new rappers are. I don't listen to
that crap, but they'll that'll be playing the locker room,
and I know, like come they'll like come a time
where like Marta and someone's like, Okay, we're like tired
of this, and then they'll like go over and put
(29:12):
their Brazilian playlist on, and then everyone's like, hey, a
little nice vibe, like let's go yeah. I feel like
they get yeah, they get fed up, and they're like
we're changing the vibe.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
Then em comes in and puts like I don't know,
like journey On.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Or something amazing. I feel like we've we've got like
a movie in the making here, sort of like a
bring it on style, but like not enemies. It's just
the warring factors of the locker room Bossanova rap going
back and forth. Or we could get some pretty fire remixes,
to be honest, if you just put them together and
you combine forces. Well, thank you to so much for
joining us. Was so great to talk to you. Congratulations
(29:48):
on the success you're having. It has been really fun
to watch. And I don't know yet what's gonna happen
with my Red Stars and the playoffs, but I will
secretly be rooting for the Pride a little bit of
a side peace action here because I just want y'all
to see some of the success that has eluded you
in the past.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
So good luck. Thank you so much.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
Appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Yeah, thank you, Sarah, I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
Thanks again to Emily and Kylie forgiving us some time.
Don't forget that Pride unbeaten streak is back on the
line tonight. We got to take another break when we
come back. You gotta say it with your chest. Welcome
back Orange Slices. With the final w regular season games
done and the statistical seasons in the books, wanted to
(30:34):
share a wild statistical anomaly. So a couple weeks ago,
a newsletter from the Next Hoops dot Com mentioned an
interesting note regarding the Dallas Wings, the fact that the
team looked like it might finish the season with four
different seventeen points per game scores on their statue. According
to Sports Reference, that has never happened before in WNBA history.
So I kept an eye out the last few weeks
(30:54):
and it happened. Ari Gae Agunbowale, Natasha Howard, Satusabli, and
Odyssey Simms did it all average more than seventeen points
for the year. Now, it's worth noting that Simms was
a mid season signing and then was released, so she
played in just nine games for the Wings, and Sabli
was injured for the pre Olympic stretch and played in
just fourteen for Dallas. But the stat remains true. Now
(31:14):
it makes it so interesting. Isn't just that it's the
first time it's ever happened. It's that the Wings are
not playoff bound, unlike previous teams with three seventeen plus
point scorers. They've struggled this year. The Next pointed out
quote four previous teams in league history had three players
averaging seventeen points, two of them won a title twoy
seven Phoenix and twenty twenty three Las Vegas. Another lost
(31:37):
the winner take all game of possibly the most exciting
semi finals ever twenty eighteen Phoenix, and the other lost
one of their leading scorers midway through the season but
still made the second round anyway, twenty twenty Phoenix end quote. So, yeah,
the Wings missed the playoffs, and even when they were
at their best offensively, they were still losing games. All
those three persons seventeen plus point teams had a lot
(31:57):
of success, but four teen plus point scores and they
couldn't even make the postseason. A case of too many
cooks in the kitchen. Could be They've also got the
worst defensive rating in the league. They sent opponents to
the line more than any other team and had the
third most turnovers in the league. Could be that, but
still first team to four seventeen plus point scores. So
(32:20):
congrats and we're sorry, and defense wins championships. We 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. Make your picks. Who do you
think will emerge victorious from the first round of the
WNBA playoffs. Don't be scared, send them to us. We
want those receipts. Leave us a voicemail at eight seven
two two four fifty seventy or hit us up on email.
(32:41):
Good game at wondermedianetwork dot com and watch the games
playoffs tip on Sunday. People, don't forget to subscribe, rate
and review. It's easy, watch Round twenty one and play
a society. WNBA Merch rating five out of five very
fashionable Stars in review. These are two brands bring and
some heat in the merch department. The designs are super
(33:03):
unique and super versatile, and the creators are locked in
with w culture. Shout out Jasmine Maetta, Shema Love and
Esther Wallace.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
If you're looking for.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Some gear to wear to a playoff game near you,
or just on your couch while you're watching all the action,
check them out. We'll link to their sites in our
episode notes. Oh and Nike just released a new WNBA
Portland tea, so if you're digging that expansion move and
you want some merch to match, we'll link to that too.
Now's your turn, rate and review. Thanks for listening, slices,
have a great weekend. And see you Monday. Good Game, Emily,
Good Game, Kylie, Thank you. Ten pm Eastern starts. Good
(33:36):
Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production
in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
You can find us on.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
The iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are Alex Azzi
and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz,
Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Jenny Kaplan,
Emily Rudder, Britney Martinez and Grace. Production assistance from Lucy
Jones and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!