November 13, 2025 • 46 mins
New Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello joins Sarah to discuss why her ouster from the New York Liberty didn’t come as a surprise, how she’s approaching team building during a very uncertain offseason, and the barriers keeping women and former players out of the coaching ranks. Plus, building an arena too small for women, more evidence this isn’t a backup plan, and the road to the College Cup begins here.
- Follow the Toronto Tempo on Instagram here
- Follow Sandy Brondello on Instagram here
- Read The Athletic’s story about the Ottawa Charge’s arena situation here
- Watch the video of A’ja Wilson meeting her four-year-old superfan on the Jennifer Hudson Show here
- Watch some of the hijinx from Caitlin Clark's day at the Annika Pro-Am here
- Watch the SNL sketch about the J-Hud spirit tunnel here
- The NCAA soccer tournament bracket and schedule is here
- The NCAA basketball schedule can be found here
- Leave us a voicemail at 872-204-5070 or send us a note at goodgame@wondermedianetwork.com
- Follow Sarah on social! Bluesky: @sarahspain.com Instagram: @Spain2323
- Follow producer Alex Azzi! Bluesky: @byalexazzi.bsky.social Instagram: @AzziArtwork
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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 can't
imagine teeing off with a full gallery of people lining both.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Sides of the fairway.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Shout out to the folks at the gamebridge proram who
didn't hit a spectator because I just know somebody'd be
eating my shank. It's Thursday, November thirteenth, and on today's show,
we'll be chatting with newly announced Toronto Tempo head coach
Sandy Brondelo about trying to build a team during a
very uncertain offseason, why her ouster from the New York
Liberty didn't come as a surprise, and the barriers keeping
(00:28):
women and former players out of the coaching ranks. Plus
more evidence this isn't a backup plan. The road to
the College Cup begins here, and building an arena too
small for women. It's all coming up right after this
welcome back slices. Here's what you need to know today.
(00:50):
Let's start with college soccer. The sixty four team NCAA
tournament is here. The bracket includes thirty teams that received
automatic bids for winning their conference tournament and thirty four
teams that received at large bits. Leading the way as
number one ranked Stanford, with the program posting a sixteen win,
two loss, and one tie record. The other number one
seeds include Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and Virginia. Round one gets
(01:13):
underwe on Friday afternoon, and the tournament continues through the
weekend of December fifth through eighth, with Kansas City, Missouri,
playing host to this year's College Cup. We'll link to
the full schedule and bracket in the show notes. More
college soccer. One of the programs that made the NCAA
Tournament is the University of Washington, which is playing following
the passing of former goalkeeper Mia Hammont. Hammett, who played
(01:34):
the last three seasons for Washington, was diagnosed with a
rare form of kidney cancer last April, and she had
to set out the season while undergoing treatment. The team
announced Hammont's passing last Friday, midway through the Big Ten Tournament,
in which Washington was the top seed. The Huskies went
on to defeat Michigan State in penalty kicks in Sunday's
Big Ten championship game, with both teams wearing orange ribbons,
(01:57):
the color used for kidney cancer awareness.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
During the game.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
The Huskies earned a number four seed in the NCAA
Tournament and will host Montana in a Round one game
this Friday. In a statement following Hammett's death, head coach
Nicole Van Dyke celebrated her contributions to the team, saying quote,
Mia was the heart of our program, someone who lifted
up everyone around her with her joy, courage, and kindness,
even in the most difficult moments. She showed an unshakable
(02:20):
spirit that inspired her teammates and coaches every single day.
Mia made us all better people, and her impact will
be felt in this program and in all of our
lives forever end quote. You likely notice tributes to Hammond
across the NWSL during last weekend'st quarterfinal games as well.
Her impact on the game and those who play it
was a powerful one to softball and the AUSL, which
(02:42):
announced two expansion teams on Wednesday, AUSL Cascade and.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
The Oklahoma City Spark.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
The Spark were originally part of the Women's Pro Fast
Pitch League, but they've operated as an independent team since
the end of twenty twenty three. The team's founder, Tina Floyd,
will serve as an executive director alongside COO Destiny McElroy.
Coach Amber Flores, who also serves as head coach of
the Seminole State Trojans, will stay on and the team's
GM will be Kirk Walker, longtime coach at Oregon State
(03:08):
in UCLA and an assistant with last year's AUSL champs,
the Talents. The contracts of those who played for the
Spark last season will expire, so there will be a
new roster. The Spark and the Cascade join last year's
teams the Talents, Bandits, Blaze, and Volts for the twenty
twenty six AUSL season. As the league prepares for a
city based model next year. The Spark are the only
(03:30):
team officially assigned a city, though the Bandits are certain
to be Chicago based, carrying on previous iterations of the
Chicago Bandit team. Will update you when AUSL reveals the
permanent homes of the remaining four teams to basketball. Alyssa
Thomas is the second player to sign on with Project B,
the new international women's basketball league that will launch in
November of twenty twenty six. Thomas joins Necka Ogumakay, who
(03:53):
announced her signing last week in an interview with the AP.
Project B Chief Basketball Officer Elena Beard said, quote, Alyssa
is the kind of player and person you build around
her leadership, competitiveness, and professionalism elevate everyone around her end quote.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Ahead of Project.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
B's launch next year, Thomas is still expected to play
in season two of Unrivaled, which gets underway this January,
and we'll have plenty more on Project B and the
questions surrounding the league in an upcoming interview with Elena
Beard in the very near future. To college hoops, a
big couple games on the schedule today, including a Top
twenty contest between number three UCLA and number eleven North Carolina.
(04:29):
We're also excited to tune in and listen to Lisa
Bluter's analysis during a Big ten matchup between number twenty
one Iowa and Drake, the two teams she spent a
combined thirty plus years coaching.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
We'll link to the full college Hoops.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Schedule in the show notes, and if you miss last
Friday's interview with Blueter, make sure to go back and listen.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
It is a fun one.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
The Onica by Gainbridge, the last regular season event on
the LPGA calendar, tease off today with a three point
two to five million dollar perse on the line. Nelly
Corda headlines the field at number two in the Rolex
Women's World Golf rankings. Geno Tizikoul, the current world number one,
is skipping the event for the second straight season. You
can watch the action starting at ten am Eastern on
the Golf Channel and on Wednesday. Indiana feverstar Caitlin Clark
(05:10):
played in the pro am at the Onica, taken on
the front nine with LPGA star Nelly Corda for the
second straight year and playing the back nine with Northwestern
player and sponsor invite Lauren Wynn. Clark had quite the
impressive entourage, as Olympic gold medalist Brianna Scurry, NASCAR's Carson
Hosvar and Fever teammate Sophie Cunningham, and Lexi Hall servid
toce for celebrity guest caddies. You could check out some
(05:30):
of the high jinks, including Cunningham drilling a spectator with
the shank drive on the LPGA Instagram. We'll link to
it in the show notes to the PWHL. There's uncertainty
around the future of the Ottawa charge after Ottawa's City
Council approved a four hundred and nineteen million dollar project
last week that will redevelop Lansdown Park, a mixed use
development area that includes the TD Place, the current home
(05:53):
of the Charge and the Ontario Hockey League's Ottawa sixty Sevens,
a men's team. Lansdown two point zero would feature new
stands for the Tdplace football stadium, new retail and condo developments,
and a new hockey arena with a much smaller capacity
than the current Tdplace arena, with the proposal featuring just
fifty eight hundred seats, about three thousand fewer than the
(06:13):
eighty five hundred seats available now Now. The Ottawa sixty
Sevens averaged just over three thousand, eight hundred fans during
the regular season last year, while the Charge averaged over
six thousand, eight hundred over seven thousand if you include
playoff games, and they had six games last season with
over eight thousand fans, so the new arena clearly wouldn't
be able to accommodate demand for the Charge. The PWHL's
(06:36):
executive vice president of Business Operations, Amy Sheer, along with
Vice president of Hockey Operations Jana Hefford, co authored an
op ed for the Ottawa Citizen ahead of the vote
criticizing the proposed building as one that can't quote sustain
the charge or the demand we already see from fans
end quote. Shecher also met with counselors ahead of the vote,
telling them that the proposed change would not be financially
(06:58):
viable for the league.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Take a listen, and what's interesting, I think over the
last you know, several decades, what you've seen across North
America is stadiums being built that are too big for
women but fit men. And like the most cruel twist
of fate, we sit here today is seeing the absolute reverse,
whereas an arena is being built that is too small
for women and perfect for the men. And I have
(07:19):
to say, honestly, in four decades of working in professional sports,
this might be the most disappointing thing I have ever seen.
In just two short years, two short years, we have
built something extraordinary, a women's hockey league, got phills, arenas,
inspires fans and fuels civic pride.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
And we've done it with one arm.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Tied behind our backs.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
And I bring this up because attendance has been a
big conversation the Outawa sixty sevens. They play eighty five
percent of their games Friday through Sunday. The Autawa charge
last season thirty percent. When we get those same high
demand dates, we average eighty four hundred fans a game.
Eighty four hundred fans a game. That's double what the
sixty seven average. And we understand why they need the
(08:02):
weekend games. They're in the OHL and that's what comes
with that. But there are three days available on the weekend,
and from a business standpoint, we have been deprioritized. And
why is this important and why does it make zero sense?
Because SEG is undercutting its own potential or make revenue.
The more games we have on the weekends, the more
ticket fees they're collecting, the more revenue they're collecting for food,
(08:24):
for parking, for all the things that matter. And so
in a time when the rest of the world is
investing hundreds of millions of dollars in women's sports and
the business is going boom, Otto is telling us bust
and throwing us back thirty years.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
I haven't been that inspired listening to our four minute
twenty six of a city council meeting since Leslie Noe
filibuster down roller skates to preserve the voting rights of
neighboring Eagleton citizens said Leslie quote, it was the first
mayor of Pawnee in eighteen seventeen who said all we
have is the right to vote and the right to
kill Indians without consequence. And I believe that half of
that statement is still true today. And hold on, I'm
(09:00):
getting sidetracked. Amy sheer Autawa Charge seriously though, no jokes.
That was badass. Amy so well said, would that they
had listened because ultimately the council voted for the smaller
venue fifteen votes to ten. While Ottawa's mayor said he
plans to work with the PWHL to make sure the
team can remain in the city, it's uncertain how things
(09:21):
will pan out. We'll link to a story by the
athletics Hailey Salvian that includes more details. In the meantime,
Ottawa will remain at t D Place for the upcoming season,
which begins next week.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Also shout out to two.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Slices, Emily Niles and Megan Werner for writing in about
this situation. Wrote Emily quote, some counselors who voted for
this plan pretend the Charge can move into the current
arena for the NHL's Ottawa Senators, a move that would
move the team thirty kilometers away from its downtown base.
The nearly one hour drive two hours by transit has
made the Senators one of the lowest attended franchises in
recent years.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Make it make sense, end quote.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Make it make sense, indeed, especially the kilometers part, because
we're not really sure how far that is. We'll keep
you posted as we learn more about the situation. Finally,
a little more Canadian sports news. The Northern Super Leagu's
championship game is officially set. After snow postponed the second
semi final match between AFC Toronto and the Montreal Roses
on Sunday, the two teams instead kicked off on Monday.
(10:17):
Toronto entered Game two with a two to zero lead
after Game one, and thanks to a hat trick from
Esther Ocuronquo won the two legged series by an aggregate
score of six to one. Toronto will meet the other
semi final victor at the Vancouver Rise in the championship game,
which is this Saturday at Bimo Field in Toronto.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Tune in to see which team hoists the inaugural Diana B.
Mathieson Trophy. Still so Bad asked to have a friend
of the show with her own trophy. All right, Slices,
quick meyaculpa from yours. Truly, A few of you, including
Hobby Slice Brad, caught me calling Northwestern Field Hockey head
coach Tracy Fuch's team the Huskies on Tuesday show. Now,
(10:54):
where that brain fart came from, I'll never know. Producer
Alex says, I was likely thinking of the North Eastern Huskies,
or maybe the Northwestern High School Huskies in West Salem, Ohio,
a village with a population of just over fourteen hundred people. Sure,
at any rate, it's the Northwestern Wildcats, obviously practically an
adopted school for me, when you out of all the
(11:16):
times I've spoken there have been part of event since
it's right in my backyard.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
So hope my honorary Cat's card isn't revoked, and thanks
for keeping me honest.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Keep the corrections coming, all right.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
If you're anything like our next guest, you know before
anyone else what's coming next. That's right, it's an ad break.
But after that, it's Sandy Brundello.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Joining us. Now.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
She's the new head coach of the WNBA expansion team,
the Toronto tempo, a WNBA champion as head coach of
the New York Liberty and Phoenix Mercury, former WNBA Coach
of the Year and three time WNBA All Star Game
head coach. She's also coached Team Australia since twenty seventeen
and led them to a bronze medal in Paris. As
a player, she won three Olympic medals with Team Australia,
was a WNBA All Star and an MVP in two
(11:59):
times All Star in Australia's WNBL. A member of the
Australian Basketball Hall of Fame, mom of two, wife to
Olaf who coaches as well off and on her staff.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
She grew up on a sugarcane farm.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
She can't smoke a cigar for shit, and she once
tackled jon Quell Jones mid game.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
It's Sandy Brontello.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Hi, Sandy, you had everything in that thanks thanks for
having me.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
I went back to rewatch that video of you attempting
to smoke a celebratory cigar and it was a real
failure on your part in every way.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
It was terrible. I don't even know why I even
went there.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
But makes for good pictures. And then You're like, what
was I doing there? Yeah, well thanks for joining us.
It's great to see you.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
How of the first few weeks in Toronto, Bunn, are
you exploring the city at all or just hold up
in an office taking podcast interviews?
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Well, here I am.
Speaker 5 (12:44):
I'm back actually back in Phoenix now with my off
season break, so where I live because my children go
to school.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
But I had a great week. I was up in
Toronto last.
Speaker 5 (12:53):
Week the announcement and spent the week up there and
it was just amazing, really really incredible and just a
fan and gay everyone's excited so can't wait to get started.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Have you been up to Toronto much in life?
Speaker 4 (13:05):
No, I have not.
Speaker 5 (13:06):
I went up there obviously in the process and spoke
to the owner and had some great meals and spent
time with Monica and Teresa and that's it.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
And then the last week.
Speaker 5 (13:17):
But amazing city and everyone talks about some are there
so excited about that. I know it gets cold in winter,
but NBA coaches that I know they say that's the
city that most said players love going to.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
I've been there the last three years in a row
to host the espnW Summit Canada, and I hadn't had
much experience, and now I'm such a big fan and
such a big fan of Teresa and of the fan
base there. I think you are entering a situation that's
going to be really outstanding in terms of the enthusiasm
and support for this team. And I know you've got
several offers from different teams, including, according to report, some
(13:48):
offers that had more money involved than the Tempo.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
So how did you decide on Toronto.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
I don't even know how that actually gets out. So
who the sources are? The multiple sources? Look in the end,
when one door closes, you know, another open that. I
was just lucky that was a few teams I had
some openings and you know, I went through that. I
was very took my time in the process and make
sure it was the right fit. And I feel like
Toronto is. And you know, at the stage of my career,
(14:15):
I'm a little older now, I've been around a while,
I've won two championships, but I've never you know, coached
an expansion team. And what really sold me was, you know,
in a whole different country. So it's not just Torono's team,
it's Kennada's team. But and another big Pool obviously was
the ownership of Larry just a great owner. I think
it really starts at the top with the engagement and
(14:36):
the vision. But yeah, Monica Rogers and Theresa Esh, I mean,
just great human beings and that collaboration was really what
I was looking for, you know, going into this next
phase of my coaching career.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Yeah, it's exciting to be the first, but it's a
lot of pressure. But is coaching the very first iteration
of a franchise present a challenge different from your previous stops?
How do you have to approach things differently than when
you take over a team that already existed.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
You know, obviously I've taken over in Phoenix and we
won the championship the first year. It's some great players.
You know, I was like, oh, this is great, this
is so easy here, and you know, over the years
you just continue to learn.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
But you're an expansion team.
Speaker 5 (15:13):
It's more having a vision of what you're thinking, how
you want to play, and hopefully going out and getting
those players. There's pressure, but there's also opportunities to do
something really special and you know, obviously create more fans
in Toronto and they've already been so engaged. It's been
amazing just the response, very adaptable. I think that's one
(15:33):
of my strengths too. And you know, I'm always its
process driven.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
Solution based.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
I know, you know all coaches say that, but it's true.
For me, it's more like it's a process. So let's
let's get really good people in hopefully very talented that
compliment each other and want to play the game in
the right way and you know, continue to learn and
grow together.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
One of the things that happens with these expansion teams
is that the very first few hires seem to have
a very outsized impact on culture, right because you're not
entering a space that's already established a lot of things.
You're helping decide what things look and sound and feel
like everyday communication, presentation, interaction with the community. So how
do you consider your role in establishing things like team
(16:12):
culture in Toronto.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
Yeah, like, I think it's massive, and I think that's
another reason why I wanted to take this expansion team.
It's a where you can start from the beginning and
you can build a team, but you can build the culture.
And now, I always say you've probably heard a lot
of podcasts, you know, culture is not my culture. Obviously
I'll be leading it and driving it, but it's the
player's culture.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
I mean, it's everyone in the.
Speaker 5 (16:33):
Organization deciding on what our values, what kind of team
do we you know, what we want to look like.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
What's the legacy that we want to leave behind.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
And that's a collaboration and that's you know, day in
day out, that's what we live by, but still being
adaptable along the way, growing together through whatever adversity. And
we'll face adversity, we know that. But look, how do
we connect to the community. How do we grow new fans?
Because I've got this opportunity to you know, hey, we're
lucky to be doing what we're doing, so we have
(17:02):
to inspire the next generation as well.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
You mentioned the international flavor here. You're an ARSI, You've
coached and played in multiple countries. How does that international
experience inform this job, both the coaching and the leading
of a team that represents all of Canada and not
just Toronto.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
Yeah, I think my experience, like you said, just being
an international coach, have played around the world, coached around
the world.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
But I am also the Australian head.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
Coach, so I know what that's like when you're playing
for the whole country, not just for the city, and
the expectations that come with that.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
And you talked about pressure.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
Yeah there's pressure, but look, I think that this stage
my career, like that's probably one of the things I
handle well. You know, I love winning, but I know
we're not going to win every single game and it's
going to be difficult at times. But it's more about
don't get too high or too low and making sure
you're controlling the controllables and continue to get better. That's
why the culture is important, because we have to have
a connected group that, you know, when we do face
(17:57):
the adversity of which.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
We will, you know, we're are aligned and.
Speaker 5 (18:01):
We stay the course what we feel, you know, is
the best way for us to play at both ends
of the floor.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Yeah, I feel like there's such an incredible confidence that
comes from having done it and knowing that you can
handle it, and that allows you to take on pressure
in a totally different way than when you're just getting started.
I remember one of my favorite quotes from Mindy Kaling
someone asked how she felt confident enough to be a
showrunner and be a young woman in a space that's
predominantly male, and she said, work hard, know your shit,
(18:29):
show your shit, and then feel entitled. Essentially, like, if
you do enough work and you're prepared and you know
you can handle it, then you can walk in anywhere
and be confident that everyone's going to realize that you
can handle it. And I feel like that's you stepping
into this incredible situation in Toronto. Have you noticed it
all a difference in terms of operating the only non
American city in this league? Is it different at all yet,
(18:51):
even just in things like paperwork or border crossings that
you haven't had to deal with in previous stops.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
Yeah, well, you know, obviously I have to go through
custom and when I leaves, and.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Yeah, yeah, you know that.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
That was very smooth.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
I got my work things there in about fifteen minutes
once I got there, and everything's been really quick. You know,
I had global entry. It's really easy to get.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
In and out. Now. It's exciting.
Speaker 5 (19:16):
The Canadian people are just so friendly and they've been
so welcoming. So let's see after you have a few
losses if that, I hope so, but we'll see.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
The rumors are true about Canadians, it's not be out
there are a nice bunch of people. What kind of
conversations are you having with your GM Monica rate Rogers
about the kind of player you'd like to coach, the
kind of team you'd like to build.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
Yeah, a lot like Monica. You know, it really excites
me because you know, Monica is a former player too.
How unique is that, you know, the only GM head
coach in the whole league, and and just working with
someone that's been there, done that had great success as well,
and she's such a collaborator. But she listens so well.
Now she's filled her stuff extremely well. The assistant GM
(19:59):
ELI obviously the analytics department. I just got off a
strategy meeting and that kind of blew me away. I'm like, wow,
this is what we're talking about. World class, like very
detail oriented, but knowing it's not just one way.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
There's still the eye tests there.
Speaker 5 (20:13):
So they're understanding it because they've been around basketball for
quite some time. So Monic is just listening to what
we kind of need, what I kind of need in
a player, which I think you know over the years
what success look like, Well you really need to land
some really good talented players. And yes, I do focus
on defense, So you need some tough players, you need
some versatile players. That certainly helps. But then putting a
(20:36):
talented roster together. Obviously you have your call group, but
then where's the complementary pieces that can play the style
that which I think could be. You know, it could
help us win because we want to perform at a
high level. I mean, that's the challenge from every team
and we're just starting from the ground zero. But with
the CBA, there are a lot of free agents, so
hopefully we can sell them on the vision. You know,
(20:57):
obviously my reputation in the league, hopefully they would like
to play for me being a former player, but also
the city of Toronto. I think there's so much to
offer for them off the court because it is a
whole new country in their branding. You know, you compete
against other brands in America, but they've got all of
the Canada.
Speaker 4 (21:14):
So I'm excited to that's a good way that leads us.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
That's a great point, being the first being part of
something that fans are hungry for, being part of a
country that has a whole bunch of sponsorships and money
to throw at some folks that are new to the space.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
That's really smart.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
And I actually think the Golden State Valkyries helped you
out for a number of reasons. One because they proved
that an expansion team can have success on the court
immediately too, because a lot of I think free agents
probably look back afterwards and thought, whoops, that would have
been a very cool thing to be a part of
from the start, and not a lot of a bit
which we were surprised by here at the show. And
I have to admit Ohama nine and I had some
(21:48):
questions and doubts about the team she was putting together,
and boy was I shut up by the product on
the court. And so you have a proof of concept
that happened just this past season.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
If you can tell them, don't you want that? He
and don't you want that? With me?
Speaker 1 (22:02):
And to your point, you're trying to build the team
at a very uncertain time in league history, with CBA
negotiations going on. Nearly every single veteran player in the
w is unsigned for the twenty twenty six season. So
it's complicated because when is the expansion draft, what are
the rules going to be, how many players will be protected?
How will it work if no one's on a contract,
(22:23):
but also exciting because there's a whole mess of players
that you get to pick from way more than any
other year. So how are you trying to prepare for
this expansion draft and for a free agency with such
a murky timeline right now?
Speaker 5 (22:36):
Yeah, I mean being really intentional about valuating all the
talent that they have through you know what we all see.
But also for analytics, I think that's big, just diving
into the strategy.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
What's an expansion draft? What could it look like?
Speaker 5 (22:51):
And remember, unlike the Golden State team, you know, we
also have to compete against the Portland Fire. There's two
expansion teams, so you know, there's we have to know
what is the process that looks like.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
But I'm really enjoying just the strategy a part of it.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
Let's be prepared as much as we can so we're
all we can do now is control the controllables, do
our preparation, making sure that we're you know, evaluating all
these free agents and obviously some players can still be called,
but we don't know what the CBA looks like. But
still it's an exciting time because it's all new and
the front office, I mean, they've been right I've really
loved the engagement that and like, I'm a real collaborator.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Yes, there's some players.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
That I want, but you know, they're doing all the
work behind the scenes. They give us as much information
and knowledge as we can in preparation for whenever it happens.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
My brain immediately went to like a giant board with
names on it, and then I remember that the year
is twenty twenty five and it's definitely inside the computer.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
So what are you actually like using?
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Is there a proprietary software for like player rankings and scouting?
Is are there algorithms as AI spitting out summaries like
what actually goes into right now looking at almost an
entire league of vents and being able to rank and prioritize.
Speaker 5 (24:11):
Yeah, Look, I think the Tempo has hired some really
good people. Eli was He was a former assistant GM
of the La Sparks and just been around the league
for quite some time and great in the analytical space.
But then there's a data scientist Lauren Mannis, and you've
got Mark Schindler.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
So really just I mean just.
Speaker 5 (24:28):
Young talented people, and you know when they put all
these data things, you know, I don't know what nerds.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
How he's got some nerds on the case.
Speaker 5 (24:37):
But you know, no basketball, and I think that's important
for me. You can tell me i'mlate, but how does
that translate to this? And you know, having an open perspective,
because it's important that's knowledge, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
But I've just really enjoyed their insight.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
Into the process of the analytics and what we're tracking out,
but understanding you know, there's still the eye tests that
we have to take into calculation, and we'll just keep
doing our work and preparing the best as we can.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Many moons ago on this show, well not many moons
because we've only had a show for a year and
a half. So many months ago we tried to dig
up like the tampering rules in the WNBA, and it
was really hard to find and complicated. So I don't
want to get you in trouble, so hopefully you know
the rules. But like, are is anyone from the tempo
allowed to talk to any players right now?
Speaker 4 (25:22):
No?
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Okay, So you really can only prepare from your end.
You can't actually do any quote unquote recruiting or talking,
but you can, through amazing posts on social media, lower
people and start to create a you know, kind of
magic about what's going on above the border and that's
about him something.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
Okay, well, you're lucky you get to focus on the
basketball side, the x's and o's, because they know no borders.
But you still do want to connect with fans and
understand the community you're in. So who are you leaning
on to teach you about Canadian culture and understand the
references and the history and the things around you.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
I still have more to learn, obviously, but it's been
fun just being connected to the community and you know,
obviously the locals that are there. And I realized no
one had told me that before my press conference that
it's too ron to. I was going to Toronto, Toronto, Toronto. Yeah,
so I I know that just take one Someone told.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
Me, yeah, one tea. But you know, Australians like you
like to y Okay, it's a tea.
Speaker 5 (26:25):
That's how we have to do it. And I'm like, okay,
that's good to know. Now my brain has to be
wrapped around it. It's like Toronto, Toronto. But yeah, just
obviously it's a very diverse community and I love that.
You know, I'm you know, I'm international as well too.
There's like I speaking to Darko, the Raptors coach, he said,
there's fifty thousand Serbians there. My driver was Hungary and
(26:46):
he says there's fifty thousand. I actually chat GPT how
many Australians. There's only five thousand, so we need to
work on getting that number up, but you know, just
learning a little bit more. We will play games in
Vancouver and Montreal, so I get you know, it'll be
great just obviously to meet those fans, but they've already
had games and it's been sellout.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
So really excited just to you know, to take out
a great game into different cities and create more exposure.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
I was at the first preseason exhibition game in Toronto,
sitting courtside. They clearly need to work on the celeb
game because I was on the JumboTron with my name fonted,
which means it was me and Serge Ibaka, and I'm like,
all right, we're going to work on the celebs. You know,
we know the Liberty had celebrity rows, so we got
to work on that for Toronto.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I don't I'm not worried.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
About it once the games get going, because even the
second game up there was really incredible. Speaking of New York,
you're in Toronto, because you're not in New York anymore.
The Liberty let you go one season after you brought
the franchise its first ever title.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
It was an absolute shock to me and most others.
In fact, when the news hit.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
I'm pretty sure I said exactly what Brianna Stewart said
in that much memed presser moment where she.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Just said, what the fu were you ash? Act as
I was, and most folks were.
Speaker 5 (28:03):
No, I was not really saw I wasn't. Yeah, no,
I saw it coming. I felt, you know, obviously they
want to win. It's a great organization, and you know,
we didn't have the success that you know.
Speaker 4 (28:15):
Ideally we would have loved to have this year.
Speaker 5 (28:17):
But you know, I felt, you know, if we didn't,
even if we would have won, I don't know if
I would have stayed there. But and that's a part
of the business. It's I get that, I'm old enough
to know that. Obviously, it's always sad when something finishes,
but I kind of was excited about what could come
next as well.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
That's interesting because I mean there were so many injuries
that I don't think anybody thought it was on you
to not win back to back titles, which is already
so difficult, but especially with all the injuries. You know,
that quote from Branda happened during the final press conference
of the season. Was right after the team's first round
lost in the playoffs, which, to be fair, a lot
(28:55):
of teams started skipping exit interviews. So it's like, if
you don't want someone to get asked that right after
they lose, then make sure you're making sure they're available
another time. And if they're not, they're going to get
that question right after they last. What were your thoughts
when you heard the question ask? Did you already know
the rumblings? And so were you trying to keep your
lip tape? Like, oh, Brianna, don't say too much because
I think they might be right.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
This reporter was asking this.
Speaker 5 (29:17):
Well, obviously they knew what was going on. And of course,
I mean, I'm I'm an old woman. I've been doing
this the same time.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
You're not that old.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
I actually am young. I just feel I've been here
for quite some time.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
I'm smart enough to understand the writings on the wall,
and you know, it's unfortunate, but like I said, I'm
this this is a business and if they feel that
I'm not going to be the next you know, the
best coach for the team, and so be it. You know,
I'd I want to be in a situation where I
you know, obviously can you know, put my handprint all
over and when they fail, it is me. And you know,
(29:51):
it was that tough year.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
I agree.
Speaker 5 (29:54):
I think it was really hard for us to get
the continuity with our our you know, best players being
injured and for the whole year, you know, and it
was just a little too late. And you know, I
think with a healthier group, I think we still could
have had a real good chance to go again. But
it's a what if and it's not something I look
back on with regret. I look back with a lot
(30:14):
of fondness in the four years and to be able
to win the you know obviously that bring the first
championship to New York as their head coach, well that
will always be special to me and living in New York,
experiencing New York. But what just how much everyone loved
the Liberty and it was you know, I just got
to meet some really amazing people and you know, obviously
(30:35):
you'll miss parts of it, but I'm excited about this
next adventure as well.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Yeah, and the strides the team took in the time
you were there, it was really impressive. I think I'm
most worried about our mutual friend Renee Stubbs, who was
really mad and is going to miss sneaking videos of
you dancing in the background of things onto your Instagram story.
That's where I saw most of your best moves was that,
you know, Chelsea handler parties or postgame celebrations that that
(31:00):
you happen to be be in. I knew you weren't
posting them, but Renee always does. She can be counted
on for that.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
She does. She does. It's never me posting any much.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
You know. You mentioned it actually earlier in the interview.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
One of the things you preached to your team's as consistency,
never too high, never too low. How do you channel
that in a tough time like the days after the
Liberty Spirit. Are you able to apply that to yourself
or do you let yourself have a little powdy, frustrated
moment before you're like, all right and we're back.
Speaker 4 (31:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
No.
Speaker 5 (31:29):
To be quite honest, I kind of knew it was
leading that way, and you know, I was, I was fine,
you know, I'm going to miss the players. I think
I had to, you miss the players, like because I
had the opportunity to coach some of the best and
they're just great people and they're you know, doesn't mean
it it was always easy. But you know, Breonna Stewart
is just the just the world class athlete but even
(31:50):
better person.
Speaker 4 (31:50):
You know, Sabrina JJ just all special you.
Speaker 5 (31:54):
Know, players, and we face the adversity together and I know,
you know, they had my back, and but you know,
this is the world of you know, if they don't
think I'm the right one, that's okay. But I was
excited about what was coming next. I suppose I had
already processed it.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
I kind of yeah, you were already I processed it.
I kind of knew.
Speaker 5 (32:13):
I probably thought like I needed to be in a
different situations just for myself because I feel, you.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
Know, I just you know, I know the things I
would do differently.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Yeah, And you always want to be wanted and want
people to be so excited that you're there. And if
that wasn't the case anymore than time to move on.
I'm just worried about you replacing Ellie. There is no
replacement for Ellie. The Temple will have a big job
to do try to figure out what they're going to
throw out there that is.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
That is a big time But I'm excited about that.
But going back to Stubbs, I.
Speaker 5 (32:42):
Mean, they're the people you're missing and the people that
you got really connected to.
Speaker 4 (32:45):
We've known each other for quite some time. She's coming
to the.
Speaker 5 (32:48):
First game and she's going to be there. I'm going
to see I'm heading to New York tomorrow. I'm going
to see her have dinner Thursday night. So you know,
it'd be something to look forward to when I come back.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
To New York.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Yeah, Renee Stubbs will never party. She'll probably bring the
party to Toronto if they don't have enough already.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
She's in charge.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
I can't wait for the invate. You know, I mentioned
your husband all off.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
He was on your coaching staff with the Liberty the
Mercury team Australia. He's recently been hired as the head
coach of the German women's national team, where he's going
to reunite with some Liberty players Niarra Sabile and Leoni Phoebich.
You coach the Australia team and in the W so
he could double up as well.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Is he going to be on your staff in Toronto?
Speaker 4 (33:26):
Yes? He will official yet, yeah, but he will. Yeah.
He's a great We compliment each other.
Speaker 5 (33:31):
He's fantastic and I'm excited for him to be leading Germany.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
And what happens with the Kettos. Are they coming to
Toronto or are they staying in Phoenix?
Speaker 4 (33:38):
No, we'll stay.
Speaker 5 (33:39):
They've been in Phoenix in New York. They were always
in Phoenix and that was a part of it. You know,
it's hard being a mum. You want to have your
family together, but that was They didn't want to leave,
and that's the sacrifice we made because it was the best,
what was best for our children along this journey. At
least all Off and I we actually never coached together
in Phoenix. He was a consultant because he was coaching
in Russia at that time. Boks the first time we've
(34:00):
coached together in the W so it was good. We
you know, he's a great coach and we work well together.
But at least we're together during the scene and the
kids fly in and out and they're, like I said,
they're good kids and.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
It's summer break at least, although the season's getting longer
and longer, so it's a little harder to squeeze the
whole season into their summer break. Now you may face
each other Team Australia versus Team Germany.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
How do you imagine the vibes at home will be
ahead of that one.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
We're talking a lot of smack already while I am. Yeah,
he's Germany.
Speaker 5 (34:30):
He doesn't talk too much, but my son is with
him at the moment. They're in camp in Berlin. So
he keeps telling me how many sets do you have?
How many plays you have?
Speaker 4 (34:39):
I'm like, how many? His dad got five? I meant
I have five. Yeah, so you know, I mean, how
exciting is that.
Speaker 5 (34:45):
I don't think you've ever seen a husband and wife
or you know, partnership go against each other coaching two
double countries. But yeah, yeah, we'll see. Look, I'm business
as usual. He was the assistant coach.
Speaker 4 (34:57):
When I am in the twenty twenty one. Oh I remember,
I'm a Chicago girl.
Speaker 5 (35:03):
There you go, and you know, obviously he wasn't the
head coach there, but my kids were. They were so
sad when I lost, so he probably were like, hey,
what's going on?
Speaker 2 (35:12):
You know, what about your about your good old dad,
you're not exacted?
Speaker 5 (35:15):
Where's dad? So they were asked there, asked those questions
a lot. Now, you know, who are you going to support?
And I don't know what they're going to do and
how they're going to experience that.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
We'll see. Only time will tell. If we play, might.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
Be the first time we get the kids wearing the
split jersey. You know we always see the parents who
get the custom jerseys where one half is one of
their children and one half is their other child playing
against each other. Well, get the kids now half half
German half Australia.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
Really confused people? How old are they now?
Speaker 5 (35:43):
The kiddles Brodie's eighteenth and Jadea's fifteen, and they both
they both love you know, they play basketball and love basketball,
and they love the journey that we're on.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
I mean, it's been a really incredible thing to see
you and your husband and your family handle what it
is to be a profession coach moving around to different
cities and making it work. You know, we were at
the US Open together with a bunch of badasses back
in August talking women in coaching. Sam Rapaport and Bruce
Arians and Village in King and Usta coaching, and we
really were trying to nail down some of the biggest
(36:14):
barriers to entry for women in coaching, some of the
things that keep them from moving up the rank, some
of the things that push them out of coaching. And
you're one of the most successful coaches in w history
and you do it as a mom and as a wife.
What would you change, either just at the pro level
or even down in college and high school to get
more women on the sidelines and then staying there.
Speaker 5 (36:34):
It's talked about a lot now, isn't it because we
don't have enough. I think we have some great coaches,
but how are they supported that they can actually do
everything and still be.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
Great at it?
Speaker 5 (36:44):
And I think that's what it comes back to, is
being supported at the highest level. So it really does
start at the top, knowing that hey, we think you're talented,
we want you.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
Yes, the kids will.
Speaker 5 (36:54):
Make sure everything works out, or you know, coordinate with
your husband, whatever it may be.
Speaker 4 (37:00):
But just making sure you have.
Speaker 5 (37:01):
You feel supported and in all of it, like not
just coaching and at home and you're fine.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
Is everything covered?
Speaker 5 (37:08):
So when you get to work that you can actually
just focus on that now, Like I'm a mum. My
son went back to finish year twelve in Australia this year,
so of course I'm can track him as you do,
and you know, I'm always mess messaging him because that
was the only time and sometimes in the middle of
the night that I would have to. But that's I
want that because number one, like, yes, I'm a coach,
but number one, I'm a mum. And my husband said
(37:29):
he's third and it's probably right, but in that regard,
but we're working together. But my children so important and
I wanted in this journey too, like I made them
all have pros and cons and what's the best situation,
But in the end they go, Mum, you go where
you think is the best thing for you. So that
kind of support at home is great too, But like
I think organizations need to start at the top and
how can you provide platforms for your family so that
(37:52):
you're not worried about that you can stay focused on it.
And at the same time, I think just more mentorship
and what it really looks like, how do you overcome
any kind of hurdles that you do because you will
I mean, you're always trying to navigate. I'm just very lucky.
I have a great community in Phoenix that certainly helps
you know, it helps us.
Speaker 4 (38:10):
And if you've made our kids, you know, I'm very
proud of.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
Them and the human beings that they've become.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
Yeah, I think there's a real push and pull sometimes
for moms about who am I showing them that I
can be versus who am I with them?
Speaker 2 (38:26):
And they're for them at all times.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
And I had a working mom who's a lawyer, and
I was very grateful to have teachers who vocalized and
said how great it was that I was learning and
seeing somebody be who she was, even if she wasn't
there every single day to pick me up from school
the way some of the other moms we couldn't go
do tea or something in the middle.
Speaker 4 (38:44):
Of the day.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
And remembering that is just as powerful a motivator as
the guilt that you might feel of not being there
every day. It sounds like your kids completely understand and
love who you are and in what you do. Okay,
one more question for you, because you mentioned the coaching thing.
I think every year I'm so torn between of course,
you hire the best person, but also why do we
(39:07):
keep ending up with the best quote unquote person usually
being a white dude, especially in leagues full of women
and predominantly black women. So there are currently no black
women serving as head coach in the W In recent years,
we've seen some highs and lows. We've seen some teams
hire black women to lead teams and then fire them
almost immediately to see specific issues that have resulted in
(39:27):
that lack of representation on the sidelines, or how do
we move forward saying yes, hire the best and also
make sure that the pipeline allows for the best to
be representative of the league that they're coaching.
Speaker 5 (39:39):
Yeah, yeah, no, it is quite sad. That's why I'm
excited of Toronto. It's you know, it's I'm a former player,
but we need some more diversity in our league. And
we don't have any black head coaches anymore. But maybe
in New York that will change with the upcoming Oh yea,
so have an opportunity there, you know. For me, it's yeah,
this is a great game and everyone it's all about winning,
(40:00):
isn't it.
Speaker 4 (40:00):
And I'm going to get the right people in.
Speaker 5 (40:02):
Well, maybe there are the right people but they haven't
been given the opportunity to show what they can do,
and they're not feel supported from the top. And that's
what it's about now. Not everyone can win. The hardest
thing to do at the highest level and at any level,
is to win. You know, I know what that feels like.
And the hardest thing to do is to repeat. So
we've been there, So what's the process of how do
(40:23):
we you know, how do we assist the coaches? You know,
if they're former players, I think they should be because
I think there should be more of us because we've
been there, done that, and there's some great, great coaches
out there who yes, I mean, maybe they didn't have
a great first experience, but the only way you grow
is through the learning experiences.
Speaker 4 (40:45):
I was one time I was.
Speaker 5 (40:47):
In San Antoni and should have never taken the job
because I was pregnant child and we made the playoffs,
but I can't even remember it because I had two
kids traveling with one assistant coach.
Speaker 4 (40:58):
I was exhausted, but I thought I could do it
because it was more like, no, I want to do this,
this is great. I need to.
Speaker 5 (41:03):
Promote women can do this, you know where, But it
wasn't the right time, but I went away and obviously
got better through the experience, so when I had my
next opportunity.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
I was more prepared for it at all levels.
Speaker 5 (41:13):
That's the part of it, believing in these people, giving
them opportunity, but helping them, supporting them along the journey,
because I always say the hardest thing about head coaching
it gets lonely at the top. You know, unless you've
experienced it, no one knows what it feels like. You know,
if you've never done it, if you've never played pro sport,
or if you never coached it at the highest level,
you don't know what it's like. So it's just surrounding
(41:35):
yourself with just really good people and continue to support.
But you know, obviously individual teams have to make the
best decisions for them and we'll see what the future holds.
Speaker 1 (41:46):
Yeah, I think that's part of it too, is like
how do you get that second opportunity or the chance
to figure out what you did wrong the first time
and do it again, as opposed to those one and
done where it feels like there aren't enough opportunities to
get another shot. We've taken up too much of your time,
so you have to do one more thing. It's kind
of like bench start cut, but nobody gets cut, which
is nice.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
You don't have to cut anything. It's just good.
Speaker 4 (42:05):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (42:06):
Yes, it's just good, good or goodest. Something is good,
gooder and something is goodest. So start with start with
good and move up to a goodest. Winning as a
player for Australia, winning as a coach for Australia, winning
as a coach in the WNBA.
Speaker 4 (42:26):
Ooh, that's that's a good one. I love that one.
That's a that is really really I'd say good winning
as a coach for Australia.
Speaker 5 (42:37):
Okay, good er, winning as a coach for WNBA team,
and the goodest winning a gold medal with your home
nation as a player.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
I love that. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
It's hard to replace the feeling of actually being on
the court. And it's impressive to me when someone goes
from being a player to a coach and can release
just enough control to be in charge but then be like,
it's up to them whether they get it done on.
Speaker 4 (42:59):
Your Yeah, and you just got to empower him, don't
You put him in there.
Speaker 5 (43:03):
You can put him in the right situations and you
give him you know, there's a system in place, but
you want to give him freedom because he's the best
players in the world. If I wanted to control him,
I wouldn't last very long in this job, would I.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (43:15):
Well, we're so excited to see what happens up in Toronto.
I can't wait to come up and watch. Thanks so
much for the time. I know you're super busy.
Speaker 4 (43:21):
Yeah, now, I appreciate it. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
Thanks again to Sandy for taking the time. We got
to take another break when we return, watch out Bam.
We love her super much too. Welcome back, slaces. 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. Follow the Toronto Tempo on
(43:45):
social media. We'll link to the team's various handles in
the show notes, and while you're at it, follow Sandy too.
And if you're one of those many WNBA free agents,
go ahead feel swayed by those posts. It's not tampering.
We promise also be like places Megan and Emily in
that Ottawa charge story. Send us in news you'd like
us to dive into, cover or investigate. We consider every
(44:07):
slice a bureau reporter for your specific region or topic
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You can hit us up on email good game at
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to subscribe.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
Rate and review slices. It's easy.
Speaker 1 (44:25):
Watch the cutest hop run in a jump you'll ever see,
rating four years of cuteness review. Asia Wilson recently appeared
on The Jennifer Hudson Show and crushed the Spirit Tunnel match,
where she was introduced to her number one fan, Ammon Taylor.
Now you may remember seeing a viral clip of four
year old Amon crying to his mom Bianca because he
(44:47):
wanted Asha Wilson to come to their house.
Speaker 2 (44:49):
Take a listen, you wants to come to your house.
Speaker 4 (44:55):
We don't know Asia Wilson. We just love her and
how she plays basketbab But we don't know her.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
We don't know her, We just love her. Is too real.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
I think every fan can relate well. Bianca and Aman
know her now too, because Jay hud surprised him on
with the visit from Asia and the way this little
boy jumped off the couch, ran down the stairs to
her and jumped into her arms and sat in her lap.
Speaker 2 (45:23):
Y'all too much. Take a listen to how cute he.
Speaker 4 (45:27):
Is because I love her super much. Man.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
For a second there, I thought I felt my uterus, like,
you know, some sort of mothering instinct, a desire to procreate.
Speaker 2 (45:37):
Don't worry, it's gone. I'm sticking with dogs.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
We'll link to the video of that super sweet meeting
in the show notes.
Speaker 2 (45:42):
Ps.
Speaker 1 (45:43):
In case you missed it, Saturday Night Live did a
funny sketch about the Jay Hud Spirit Tunnel. We'll link
to that in the show notes as well. Now it's
your turn, y'all, rate and review.
Speaker 2 (45:52):
Thanks for listening. See you tomorrow. Good Game, Sandy, Good Game.
Speaker 1 (45:56):
University of Washington women Soccer You Cancer. 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.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
Wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (46:13):
Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are alex Azzie
Grace Lynch, Taylor Williamson, and Lucy Jones. Our executive producers
are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder.
Our editors are Emily Rutter, Britney Martinez and Gianna Palmer.
Production assistants from Avery LOFTUS and I'm Your Host Sarah
Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we can't
imagine teeing off with a full gallery of people lining both.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Sides of the fairway.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Shout out to the folks at the gamebridge proram who
didn't hit a spectator because I just know somebody'd be
eating my shank. It's Thursday, November thirteenth, and on today's show,
we'll be chatting with newly announced Toronto Tempo head coach
Sandy Brondelo about trying to build a team during a
very uncertain offseason, why her ouster from the New York
Liberty didn't come as a surprise, and the barriers keeping
(00:28):
women and former players out of the coaching ranks. Plus
more evidence this isn't a backup plan. The road to
the College Cup begins here, and building an arena too
small for women. It's all coming up right after this
welcome back slices. Here's what you need to know today.
(00:50):
Let's start with college soccer. The sixty four team NCAA
tournament is here. The bracket includes thirty teams that received
automatic bids for winning their conference tournament and thirty four
teams that received at large bits. Leading the way as
number one ranked Stanford, with the program posting a sixteen win,
two loss, and one tie record. The other number one
seeds include Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and Virginia. Round one gets
(01:13):
underwe on Friday afternoon, and the tournament continues through the
weekend of December fifth through eighth, with Kansas City, Missouri,
playing host to this year's College Cup. We'll link to
the full schedule and bracket in the show notes. More
college soccer. One of the programs that made the NCAA
Tournament is the University of Washington, which is playing following
the passing of former goalkeeper Mia Hammont. Hammett, who played
(01:34):
the last three seasons for Washington, was diagnosed with a
rare form of kidney cancer last April, and she had
to set out the season while undergoing treatment. The team
announced Hammont's passing last Friday, midway through the Big Ten Tournament,
in which Washington was the top seed. The Huskies went
on to defeat Michigan State in penalty kicks in Sunday's
Big Ten championship game, with both teams wearing orange ribbons,
(01:57):
the color used for kidney cancer awareness.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
During the game.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
The Huskies earned a number four seed in the NCAA
Tournament and will host Montana in a Round one game
this Friday. In a statement following Hammett's death, head coach
Nicole Van Dyke celebrated her contributions to the team, saying quote,
Mia was the heart of our program, someone who lifted
up everyone around her with her joy, courage, and kindness,
even in the most difficult moments. She showed an unshakable
(02:20):
spirit that inspired her teammates and coaches every single day.
Mia made us all better people, and her impact will
be felt in this program and in all of our
lives forever end quote. You likely notice tributes to Hammond
across the NWSL during last weekend'st quarterfinal games as well.
Her impact on the game and those who play it
was a powerful one to softball and the AUSL, which
(02:42):
announced two expansion teams on Wednesday, AUSL Cascade and.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
The Oklahoma City Spark.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
The Spark were originally part of the Women's Pro Fast
Pitch League, but they've operated as an independent team since
the end of twenty twenty three. The team's founder, Tina Floyd,
will serve as an executive director alongside COO Destiny McElroy.
Coach Amber Flores, who also serves as head coach of
the Seminole State Trojans, will stay on and the team's
GM will be Kirk Walker, longtime coach at Oregon State
(03:08):
in UCLA and an assistant with last year's AUSL champs,
the Talents. The contracts of those who played for the
Spark last season will expire, so there will be a
new roster. The Spark and the Cascade join last year's
teams the Talents, Bandits, Blaze, and Volts for the twenty
twenty six AUSL season. As the league prepares for a
city based model next year. The Spark are the only
(03:30):
team officially assigned a city, though the Bandits are certain
to be Chicago based, carrying on previous iterations of the
Chicago Bandit team. Will update you when AUSL reveals the
permanent homes of the remaining four teams to basketball. Alyssa
Thomas is the second player to sign on with Project B,
the new international women's basketball league that will launch in
November of twenty twenty six. Thomas joins Necka Ogumakay, who
(03:53):
announced her signing last week in an interview with the AP.
Project B Chief Basketball Officer Elena Beard said, quote, Alyssa
is the kind of player and person you build around
her leadership, competitiveness, and professionalism elevate everyone around her end quote.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Ahead of Project.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
B's launch next year, Thomas is still expected to play
in season two of Unrivaled, which gets underway this January,
and we'll have plenty more on Project B and the
questions surrounding the league in an upcoming interview with Elena
Beard in the very near future. To college hoops, a
big couple games on the schedule today, including a Top
twenty contest between number three UCLA and number eleven North Carolina.
(04:29):
We're also excited to tune in and listen to Lisa
Bluter's analysis during a Big ten matchup between number twenty
one Iowa and Drake, the two teams she spent a
combined thirty plus years coaching.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
We'll link to the full college Hoops.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Schedule in the show notes, and if you miss last
Friday's interview with Blueter, make sure to go back and listen.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
It is a fun one.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
The Onica by Gainbridge, the last regular season event on
the LPGA calendar, tease off today with a three point
two to five million dollar perse on the line. Nelly
Corda headlines the field at number two in the Rolex
Women's World Golf rankings. Geno Tizikoul, the current world number one,
is skipping the event for the second straight season. You
can watch the action starting at ten am Eastern on
the Golf Channel and on Wednesday. Indiana feverstar Caitlin Clark
(05:10):
played in the pro am at the Onica, taken on
the front nine with LPGA star Nelly Corda for the
second straight year and playing the back nine with Northwestern
player and sponsor invite Lauren Wynn. Clark had quite the
impressive entourage, as Olympic gold medalist Brianna Scurry, NASCAR's Carson
Hosvar and Fever teammate Sophie Cunningham, and Lexi Hall servid
toce for celebrity guest caddies. You could check out some
(05:30):
of the high jinks, including Cunningham drilling a spectator with
the shank drive on the LPGA Instagram. We'll link to
it in the show notes to the PWHL. There's uncertainty
around the future of the Ottawa charge after Ottawa's City
Council approved a four hundred and nineteen million dollar project
last week that will redevelop Lansdown Park, a mixed use
development area that includes the TD Place, the current home
(05:53):
of the Charge and the Ontario Hockey League's Ottawa sixty Sevens,
a men's team. Lansdown two point zero would feature new
stands for the Tdplace football stadium, new retail and condo developments,
and a new hockey arena with a much smaller capacity
than the current Tdplace arena, with the proposal featuring just
fifty eight hundred seats, about three thousand fewer than the
(06:13):
eighty five hundred seats available now Now. The Ottawa sixty
Sevens averaged just over three thousand, eight hundred fans during
the regular season last year, while the Charge averaged over
six thousand, eight hundred over seven thousand if you include
playoff games, and they had six games last season with
over eight thousand fans, so the new arena clearly wouldn't
be able to accommodate demand for the Charge. The PWHL's
(06:36):
executive vice president of Business Operations, Amy Sheer, along with
Vice president of Hockey Operations Jana Hefford, co authored an
op ed for the Ottawa Citizen ahead of the vote
criticizing the proposed building as one that can't quote sustain
the charge or the demand we already see from fans
end quote. Shecher also met with counselors ahead of the vote,
telling them that the proposed change would not be financially
(06:58):
viable for the league.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Take a listen, and what's interesting, I think over the
last you know, several decades, what you've seen across North
America is stadiums being built that are too big for
women but fit men. And like the most cruel twist
of fate, we sit here today is seeing the absolute reverse,
whereas an arena is being built that is too small
for women and perfect for the men. And I have
(07:19):
to say, honestly, in four decades of working in professional sports,
this might be the most disappointing thing I have ever seen.
In just two short years, two short years, we have
built something extraordinary, a women's hockey league, got phills, arenas,
inspires fans and fuels civic pride.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
And we've done it with one arm.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
Tied behind our backs.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
And I bring this up because attendance has been a
big conversation the Outawa sixty sevens. They play eighty five
percent of their games Friday through Sunday. The Autawa charge
last season thirty percent. When we get those same high
demand dates, we average eighty four hundred fans a game.
Eighty four hundred fans a game. That's double what the
sixty seven average. And we understand why they need the
(08:02):
weekend games. They're in the OHL and that's what comes
with that. But there are three days available on the weekend,
and from a business standpoint, we have been deprioritized. And
why is this important and why does it make zero sense?
Because SEG is undercutting its own potential or make revenue.
The more games we have on the weekends, the more
ticket fees they're collecting, the more revenue they're collecting for food,
(08:24):
for parking, for all the things that matter. And so
in a time when the rest of the world is
investing hundreds of millions of dollars in women's sports and
the business is going boom, Otto is telling us bust
and throwing us back thirty years.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
I haven't been that inspired listening to our four minute
twenty six of a city council meeting since Leslie Noe
filibuster down roller skates to preserve the voting rights of
neighboring Eagleton citizens said Leslie quote, it was the first
mayor of Pawnee in eighteen seventeen who said all we
have is the right to vote and the right to
kill Indians without consequence. And I believe that half of
that statement is still true today. And hold on, I'm
(09:00):
getting sidetracked. Amy sheer Autawa Charge seriously though, no jokes.
That was badass. Amy so well said, would that they
had listened because ultimately the council voted for the smaller
venue fifteen votes to ten. While Ottawa's mayor said he
plans to work with the PWHL to make sure the
team can remain in the city, it's uncertain how things
(09:21):
will pan out. We'll link to a story by the
athletics Hailey Salvian that includes more details. In the meantime,
Ottawa will remain at t D Place for the upcoming season,
which begins next week.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Also shout out to two.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Slices, Emily Niles and Megan Werner for writing in about
this situation. Wrote Emily quote, some counselors who voted for
this plan pretend the Charge can move into the current
arena for the NHL's Ottawa Senators, a move that would
move the team thirty kilometers away from its downtown base.
The nearly one hour drive two hours by transit has
made the Senators one of the lowest attended franchises in
recent years.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Make it make sense, end quote.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Make it make sense, indeed, especially the kilometers part, because
we're not really sure how far that is. We'll keep
you posted as we learn more about the situation. Finally,
a little more Canadian sports news. The Northern Super Leagu's
championship game is officially set. After snow postponed the second
semi final match between AFC Toronto and the Montreal Roses
on Sunday, the two teams instead kicked off on Monday.
(10:17):
Toronto entered Game two with a two to zero lead
after Game one, and thanks to a hat trick from
Esther Ocuronquo won the two legged series by an aggregate
score of six to one. Toronto will meet the other
semi final victor at the Vancouver Rise in the championship game,
which is this Saturday at Bimo Field in Toronto.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Tune in to see which team hoists the inaugural Diana B.
Mathieson Trophy. Still so Bad asked to have a friend
of the show with her own trophy. All right, Slices,
quick meyaculpa from yours. Truly, A few of you, including
Hobby Slice Brad, caught me calling Northwestern Field Hockey head
coach Tracy Fuch's team the Huskies on Tuesday show. Now,
(10:54):
where that brain fart came from, I'll never know. Producer
Alex says, I was likely thinking of the North Eastern Huskies,
or maybe the Northwestern High School Huskies in West Salem, Ohio,
a village with a population of just over fourteen hundred people. Sure,
at any rate, it's the Northwestern Wildcats, obviously practically an
adopted school for me, when you out of all the
(11:16):
times I've spoken there have been part of event since
it's right in my backyard.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
So hope my honorary Cat's card isn't revoked, and thanks
for keeping me honest.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Keep the corrections coming, all right.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
If you're anything like our next guest, you know before
anyone else what's coming next. That's right, it's an ad break.
But after that, it's Sandy Brundello.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Joining us. Now.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
She's the new head coach of the WNBA expansion team,
the Toronto tempo, a WNBA champion as head coach of
the New York Liberty and Phoenix Mercury, former WNBA Coach
of the Year and three time WNBA All Star Game
head coach. She's also coached Team Australia since twenty seventeen
and led them to a bronze medal in Paris. As
a player, she won three Olympic medals with Team Australia,
was a WNBA All Star and an MVP in two
(11:59):
times All Star in Australia's WNBL. A member of the
Australian Basketball Hall of Fame, mom of two, wife to
Olaf who coaches as well off and on her staff.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
She grew up on a sugarcane farm.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
She can't smoke a cigar for shit, and she once
tackled jon Quell Jones mid game.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
It's Sandy Brontello.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Hi, Sandy, you had everything in that thanks thanks for
having me.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
I went back to rewatch that video of you attempting
to smoke a celebratory cigar and it was a real
failure on your part in every way.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
It was terrible. I don't even know why I even
went there.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
But makes for good pictures. And then You're like, what
was I doing there? Yeah, well thanks for joining us.
It's great to see you.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
How of the first few weeks in Toronto, Bunn, are
you exploring the city at all or just hold up
in an office taking podcast interviews?
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Well, here I am.
Speaker 5 (12:44):
I'm back actually back in Phoenix now with my off
season break, so where I live because my children go
to school.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
But I had a great week. I was up in
Toronto last.
Speaker 5 (12:53):
Week the announcement and spent the week up there and
it was just amazing, really really incredible and just a
fan and gay everyone's excited so can't wait to get started.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Have you been up to Toronto much in life?
Speaker 4 (13:05):
No, I have not.
Speaker 5 (13:06):
I went up there obviously in the process and spoke
to the owner and had some great meals and spent
time with Monica and Teresa and that's it.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
And then the last week.
Speaker 5 (13:17):
But amazing city and everyone talks about some are there
so excited about that. I know it gets cold in winter,
but NBA coaches that I know they say that's the
city that most said players love going to.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
I've been there the last three years in a row
to host the espnW Summit Canada, and I hadn't had
much experience, and now I'm such a big fan and
such a big fan of Teresa and of the fan
base there. I think you are entering a situation that's
going to be really outstanding in terms of the enthusiasm
and support for this team. And I know you've got
several offers from different teams, including, according to report, some
(13:48):
offers that had more money involved than the Tempo.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
So how did you decide on Toronto.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
I don't even know how that actually gets out. So
who the sources are? The multiple sources? Look in the end,
when one door closes, you know, another open that. I
was just lucky that was a few teams I had
some openings and you know, I went through that. I
was very took my time in the process and make
sure it was the right fit. And I feel like
Toronto is. And you know, at the stage of my career,
(14:15):
I'm a little older now, I've been around a while,
I've won two championships, but I've never you know, coached
an expansion team. And what really sold me was, you know,
in a whole different country. So it's not just Torono's team,
it's Kennada's team. But and another big Pool obviously was
the ownership of Larry just a great owner. I think
it really starts at the top with the engagement and
(14:36):
the vision. But yeah, Monica Rogers and Theresa Esh, I mean,
just great human beings and that collaboration was really what
I was looking for, you know, going into this next
phase of my coaching career.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Yeah, it's exciting to be the first, but it's a
lot of pressure. But is coaching the very first iteration
of a franchise present a challenge different from your previous stops?
How do you have to approach things differently than when
you take over a team that already existed.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
You know, obviously I've taken over in Phoenix and we
won the championship the first year. It's some great players.
You know, I was like, oh, this is great, this
is so easy here, and you know, over the years
you just continue to learn.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
But you're an expansion team.
Speaker 5 (15:13):
It's more having a vision of what you're thinking, how
you want to play, and hopefully going out and getting
those players. There's pressure, but there's also opportunities to do
something really special and you know, obviously create more fans
in Toronto and they've already been so engaged. It's been
amazing just the response, very adaptable. I think that's one
(15:33):
of my strengths too. And you know, I'm always its
process driven.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
Solution based.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
I know, you know all coaches say that, but it's true.
For me, it's more like it's a process. So let's
let's get really good people in hopefully very talented that
compliment each other and want to play the game in
the right way and you know, continue to learn and
grow together.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
One of the things that happens with these expansion teams
is that the very first few hires seem to have
a very outsized impact on culture, right because you're not
entering a space that's already established a lot of things.
You're helping decide what things look and sound and feel
like everyday communication, presentation, interaction with the community. So how
do you consider your role in establishing things like team
(16:12):
culture in Toronto.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
Yeah, like, I think it's massive, and I think that's
another reason why I wanted to take this expansion team.
It's a where you can start from the beginning and
you can build a team, but you can build the culture.
And now, I always say you've probably heard a lot
of podcasts, you know, culture is not my culture. Obviously
I'll be leading it and driving it, but it's the
player's culture.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
I mean, it's everyone in the.
Speaker 5 (16:33):
Organization deciding on what our values, what kind of team
do we you know, what we want to look like.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
What's the legacy that we want to leave behind.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
And that's a collaboration and that's you know, day in
day out, that's what we live by, but still being
adaptable along the way, growing together through whatever adversity. And
we'll face adversity, we know that. But look, how do
we connect to the community. How do we grow new fans?
Because I've got this opportunity to you know, hey, we're
lucky to be doing what we're doing, so we have
(17:02):
to inspire the next generation as well.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
You mentioned the international flavor here. You're an ARSI, You've
coached and played in multiple countries. How does that international
experience inform this job, both the coaching and the leading
of a team that represents all of Canada and not
just Toronto.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
Yeah, I think my experience, like you said, just being
an international coach, have played around the world, coached around
the world.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
But I am also the Australian head.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
Coach, so I know what that's like when you're playing
for the whole country, not just for the city, and
the expectations that come with that.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
And you talked about pressure.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
Yeah there's pressure, but look, I think that this stage
my career, like that's probably one of the things I
handle well. You know, I love winning, but I know
we're not going to win every single game and it's
going to be difficult at times. But it's more about
don't get too high or too low and making sure
you're controlling the controllables and continue to get better. That's
why the culture is important, because we have to have
a connected group that, you know, when we do face
(17:57):
the adversity of which.
Speaker 4 (17:58):
We will, you know, we're are aligned and.
Speaker 5 (18:01):
We stay the course what we feel, you know, is
the best way for us to play at both ends
of the floor.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Yeah, I feel like there's such an incredible confidence that
comes from having done it and knowing that you can
handle it, and that allows you to take on pressure
in a totally different way than when you're just getting started.
I remember one of my favorite quotes from Mindy Kaling
someone asked how she felt confident enough to be a
showrunner and be a young woman in a space that's
predominantly male, and she said, work hard, know your shit,
(18:29):
show your shit, and then feel entitled. Essentially, like, if
you do enough work and you're prepared and you know
you can handle it, then you can walk in anywhere
and be confident that everyone's going to realize that you
can handle it. And I feel like that's you stepping
into this incredible situation in Toronto. Have you noticed it
all a difference in terms of operating the only non
American city in this league? Is it different at all yet,
(18:51):
even just in things like paperwork or border crossings that
you haven't had to deal with in previous stops.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
Yeah, well, you know, obviously I have to go through
custom and when I leaves, and.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Yeah, yeah, you know that.
Speaker 4 (19:07):
That was very smooth.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
I got my work things there in about fifteen minutes
once I got there, and everything's been really quick. You know,
I had global entry. It's really easy to get.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
In and out. Now. It's exciting.
Speaker 5 (19:16):
The Canadian people are just so friendly and they've been
so welcoming. So let's see after you have a few
losses if that, I hope so, but we'll see.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
The rumors are true about Canadians, it's not be out
there are a nice bunch of people. What kind of
conversations are you having with your GM Monica rate Rogers
about the kind of player you'd like to coach, the
kind of team you'd like to build.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
Yeah, a lot like Monica. You know, it really excites
me because you know, Monica is a former player too.
How unique is that, you know, the only GM head
coach in the whole league, and and just working with
someone that's been there, done that had great success as well,
and she's such a collaborator. But she listens so well.
Now she's filled her stuff extremely well. The assistant GM
(19:59):
ELI obviously the analytics department. I just got off a
strategy meeting and that kind of blew me away. I'm like, wow,
this is what we're talking about. World class, like very
detail oriented, but knowing it's not just one way.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
There's still the eye tests there.
Speaker 5 (20:13):
So they're understanding it because they've been around basketball for
quite some time. So Monic is just listening to what
we kind of need, what I kind of need in
a player, which I think you know over the years
what success look like, Well you really need to land
some really good talented players. And yes, I do focus
on defense, So you need some tough players, you need
some versatile players. That certainly helps. But then putting a
(20:36):
talented roster together. Obviously you have your call group, but
then where's the complementary pieces that can play the style
that which I think could be. You know, it could
help us win because we want to perform at a
high level. I mean, that's the challenge from every team
and we're just starting from the ground zero. But with
the CBA, there are a lot of free agents, so
hopefully we can sell them on the vision. You know,
(20:57):
obviously my reputation in the league, hopefully they would like
to play for me being a former player, but also
the city of Toronto. I think there's so much to
offer for them off the court because it is a
whole new country in their branding. You know, you compete
against other brands in America, but they've got all of
the Canada.
Speaker 4 (21:14):
So I'm excited to that's a good way that leads us.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
That's a great point, being the first being part of
something that fans are hungry for, being part of a
country that has a whole bunch of sponsorships and money
to throw at some folks that are new to the space.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
That's really smart.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
And I actually think the Golden State Valkyries helped you
out for a number of reasons. One because they proved
that an expansion team can have success on the court
immediately too, because a lot of I think free agents
probably look back afterwards and thought, whoops, that would have
been a very cool thing to be a part of
from the start, and not a lot of a bit
which we were surprised by here at the show. And
I have to admit Ohama nine and I had some
(21:48):
questions and doubts about the team she was putting together,
and boy was I shut up by the product on
the court. And so you have a proof of concept
that happened just this past season.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
If you can tell them, don't you want that? He
and don't you want that? With me?
Speaker 1 (22:02):
And to your point, you're trying to build the team
at a very uncertain time in league history, with CBA
negotiations going on. Nearly every single veteran player in the
w is unsigned for the twenty twenty six season. So
it's complicated because when is the expansion draft, what are
the rules going to be, how many players will be protected?
How will it work if no one's on a contract,
(22:23):
but also exciting because there's a whole mess of players
that you get to pick from way more than any
other year. So how are you trying to prepare for
this expansion draft and for a free agency with such
a murky timeline right now?
Speaker 5 (22:36):
Yeah, I mean being really intentional about valuating all the
talent that they have through you know what we all see.
But also for analytics, I think that's big, just diving
into the strategy.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
What's an expansion draft? What could it look like?
Speaker 5 (22:51):
And remember, unlike the Golden State team, you know, we
also have to compete against the Portland Fire. There's two
expansion teams, so you know, there's we have to know
what is the process that looks like.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
But I'm really enjoying just the strategy a part of it.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
Let's be prepared as much as we can so we're
all we can do now is control the controllables, do
our preparation, making sure that we're you know, evaluating all
these free agents and obviously some players can still be called,
but we don't know what the CBA looks like. But
still it's an exciting time because it's all new and
the front office, I mean, they've been right I've really
loved the engagement that and like, I'm a real collaborator.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Yes, there's some players.
Speaker 5 (23:28):
That I want, but you know, they're doing all the
work behind the scenes. They give us as much information
and knowledge as we can in preparation for whenever it happens.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
My brain immediately went to like a giant board with
names on it, and then I remember that the year
is twenty twenty five and it's definitely inside the computer.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
So what are you actually like using?
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Is there a proprietary software for like player rankings and scouting?
Is are there algorithms as AI spitting out summaries like
what actually goes into right now looking at almost an
entire league of vents and being able to rank and prioritize.
Speaker 5 (24:11):
Yeah, Look, I think the Tempo has hired some really
good people. Eli was He was a former assistant GM
of the La Sparks and just been around the league
for quite some time and great in the analytical space.
But then there's a data scientist Lauren Mannis, and you've
got Mark Schindler.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
So really just I mean just.
Speaker 5 (24:28):
Young talented people, and you know when they put all
these data things, you know, I don't know what nerds.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
How he's got some nerds on the case.
Speaker 5 (24:37):
But you know, no basketball, and I think that's important
for me. You can tell me i'mlate, but how does
that translate to this? And you know, having an open perspective,
because it's important that's knowledge, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
But I've just really enjoyed their insight.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
Into the process of the analytics and what we're tracking out,
but understanding you know, there's still the eye tests that
we have to take into calculation, and we'll just keep
doing our work and preparing the best as we can.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Many moons ago on this show, well not many moons
because we've only had a show for a year and
a half. So many months ago we tried to dig
up like the tampering rules in the WNBA, and it
was really hard to find and complicated. So I don't
want to get you in trouble, so hopefully you know
the rules. But like, are is anyone from the tempo
allowed to talk to any players right now?
Speaker 4 (25:22):
No?
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Okay, So you really can only prepare from your end.
You can't actually do any quote unquote recruiting or talking,
but you can, through amazing posts on social media, lower
people and start to create a you know, kind of
magic about what's going on above the border and that's
about him something.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
Okay, well, you're lucky you get to focus on the
basketball side, the x's and o's, because they know no borders.
But you still do want to connect with fans and
understand the community you're in. So who are you leaning
on to teach you about Canadian culture and understand the
references and the history and the things around you.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
I still have more to learn, obviously, but it's been
fun just being connected to the community and you know,
obviously the locals that are there. And I realized no
one had told me that before my press conference that
it's too ron to. I was going to Toronto, Toronto, Toronto. Yeah,
so I I know that just take one Someone told.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
Me, yeah, one tea. But you know, Australians like you
like to y Okay, it's a tea.
Speaker 5 (26:25):
That's how we have to do it. And I'm like, okay,
that's good to know. Now my brain has to be
wrapped around it. It's like Toronto, Toronto. But yeah, just
obviously it's a very diverse community and I love that.
You know, I'm you know, I'm international as well too.
There's like I speaking to Darko, the Raptors coach, he said,
there's fifty thousand Serbians there. My driver was Hungary and
(26:46):
he says there's fifty thousand. I actually chat GPT how
many Australians. There's only five thousand, so we need to
work on getting that number up, but you know, just
learning a little bit more. We will play games in
Vancouver and Montreal, so I get you know, it'll be
great just obviously to meet those fans, but they've already
had games and it's been sellout.
Speaker 4 (27:05):
So really excited just to you know, to take out
a great game into different cities and create more exposure.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
I was at the first preseason exhibition game in Toronto,
sitting courtside. They clearly need to work on the celeb
game because I was on the JumboTron with my name fonted,
which means it was me and Serge Ibaka, and I'm like,
all right, we're going to work on the celebs. You know,
we know the Liberty had celebrity rows, so we got
to work on that for Toronto.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I don't I'm not worried.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
About it once the games get going, because even the
second game up there was really incredible. Speaking of New York,
you're in Toronto, because you're not in New York anymore.
The Liberty let you go one season after you brought
the franchise its first ever title.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
It was an absolute shock to me and most others.
In fact, when the news hit.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
I'm pretty sure I said exactly what Brianna Stewart said
in that much memed presser moment where she.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Just said, what the fu were you ash? Act as
I was, and most folks were.
Speaker 5 (28:03):
No, I was not really saw I wasn't. Yeah, no,
I saw it coming. I felt, you know, obviously they
want to win. It's a great organization, and you know,
we didn't have the success that you know.
Speaker 4 (28:15):
Ideally we would have loved to have this year.
Speaker 5 (28:17):
But you know, I felt, you know, if we didn't,
even if we would have won, I don't know if
I would have stayed there. But and that's a part
of the business. It's I get that, I'm old enough
to know that. Obviously, it's always sad when something finishes,
but I kind of was excited about what could come
next as well.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
That's interesting because I mean there were so many injuries
that I don't think anybody thought it was on you
to not win back to back titles, which is already
so difficult, but especially with all the injuries. You know,
that quote from Branda happened during the final press conference
of the season. Was right after the team's first round
lost in the playoffs, which, to be fair, a lot
(28:55):
of teams started skipping exit interviews. So it's like, if
you don't want someone to get asked that right after
they lose, then make sure you're making sure they're available
another time. And if they're not, they're going to get
that question right after they last. What were your thoughts
when you heard the question ask? Did you already know
the rumblings? And so were you trying to keep your
lip tape? Like, oh, Brianna, don't say too much because
I think they might be right.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
This reporter was asking this.
Speaker 5 (29:17):
Well, obviously they knew what was going on. And of course,
I mean, I'm I'm an old woman. I've been doing
this the same time.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
You're not that old.
Speaker 4 (29:26):
I actually am young. I just feel I've been here
for quite some time.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
I'm smart enough to understand the writings on the wall,
and you know, it's unfortunate, but like I said, I'm
this this is a business and if they feel that
I'm not going to be the next you know, the
best coach for the team, and so be it. You know,
I'd I want to be in a situation where I
you know, obviously can you know, put my handprint all
over and when they fail, it is me. And you know,
(29:51):
it was that tough year.
Speaker 4 (29:52):
I agree.
Speaker 5 (29:54):
I think it was really hard for us to get
the continuity with our our you know, best players being
injured and for the whole year, you know, and it
was just a little too late. And you know, I
think with a healthier group, I think we still could
have had a real good chance to go again. But
it's a what if and it's not something I look
back on with regret. I look back with a lot
(30:14):
of fondness in the four years and to be able
to win the you know obviously that bring the first
championship to New York as their head coach, well that
will always be special to me and living in New York,
experiencing New York. But what just how much everyone loved
the Liberty and it was you know, I just got
to meet some really amazing people and you know, obviously
(30:35):
you'll miss parts of it, but I'm excited about this
next adventure as well.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Yeah, and the strides the team took in the time
you were there, it was really impressive. I think I'm
most worried about our mutual friend Renee Stubbs, who was
really mad and is going to miss sneaking videos of
you dancing in the background of things onto your Instagram story.
That's where I saw most of your best moves was that,
you know, Chelsea handler parties or postgame celebrations that that
(31:00):
you happen to be be in. I knew you weren't
posting them, but Renee always does. She can be counted
on for that.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
She does. She does. It's never me posting any much.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
You know. You mentioned it actually earlier in the interview.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
One of the things you preached to your team's as consistency,
never too high, never too low. How do you channel
that in a tough time like the days after the
Liberty Spirit. Are you able to apply that to yourself
or do you let yourself have a little powdy, frustrated
moment before you're like, all right and we're back.
Speaker 4 (31:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
No.
Speaker 5 (31:29):
To be quite honest, I kind of knew it was
leading that way, and you know, I was, I was fine,
you know, I'm going to miss the players. I think
I had to, you miss the players, like because I
had the opportunity to coach some of the best and
they're just great people and they're you know, doesn't mean
it it was always easy. But you know, Breonna Stewart
is just the just the world class athlete but even
(31:50):
better person.
Speaker 4 (31:50):
You know, Sabrina JJ just all special you.
Speaker 5 (31:54):
Know, players, and we face the adversity together and I know,
you know, they had my back, and but you know,
this is the world of you know, if they don't
think I'm the right one, that's okay. But I was
excited about what was coming next. I suppose I had
already processed it.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
I kind of yeah, you were already I processed it.
I kind of knew.
Speaker 5 (32:13):
I probably thought like I needed to be in a
different situations just for myself because I feel, you.
Speaker 4 (32:19):
Know, I just you know, I know the things I
would do differently.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Yeah, And you always want to be wanted and want
people to be so excited that you're there. And if
that wasn't the case anymore than time to move on.
I'm just worried about you replacing Ellie. There is no
replacement for Ellie. The Temple will have a big job
to do try to figure out what they're going to
throw out there that is.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
That is a big time But I'm excited about that.
But going back to Stubbs, I.
Speaker 5 (32:42):
Mean, they're the people you're missing and the people that
you got really connected to.
Speaker 4 (32:45):
We've known each other for quite some time. She's coming
to the.
Speaker 5 (32:48):
First game and she's going to be there. I'm going
to see I'm heading to New York tomorrow. I'm going
to see her have dinner Thursday night. So you know,
it'd be something to look forward to when I come back.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
To New York.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Yeah, Renee Stubbs will never party. She'll probably bring the
party to Toronto if they don't have enough already.
Speaker 4 (33:03):
She's in charge.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
I can't wait for the invate. You know, I mentioned
your husband all off.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
He was on your coaching staff with the Liberty the
Mercury team Australia. He's recently been hired as the head
coach of the German women's national team, where he's going
to reunite with some Liberty players Niarra Sabile and Leoni Phoebich.
You coach the Australia team and in the W so
he could double up as well.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Is he going to be on your staff in Toronto?
Speaker 4 (33:26):
Yes? He will official yet, yeah, but he will. Yeah.
He's a great We compliment each other.
Speaker 5 (33:31):
He's fantastic and I'm excited for him to be leading Germany.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
And what happens with the Kettos. Are they coming to
Toronto or are they staying in Phoenix?
Speaker 4 (33:38):
No, we'll stay.
Speaker 5 (33:39):
They've been in Phoenix in New York. They were always
in Phoenix and that was a part of it. You know,
it's hard being a mum. You want to have your
family together, but that was They didn't want to leave,
and that's the sacrifice we made because it was the best,
what was best for our children along this journey. At
least all Off and I we actually never coached together
in Phoenix. He was a consultant because he was coaching
in Russia at that time. Boks the first time we've
(34:00):
coached together in the W so it was good. We
you know, he's a great coach and we work well together.
But at least we're together during the scene and the
kids fly in and out and they're, like I said,
they're good kids and.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
It's summer break at least, although the season's getting longer
and longer, so it's a little harder to squeeze the
whole season into their summer break. Now you may face
each other Team Australia versus Team Germany.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
How do you imagine the vibes at home will be
ahead of that one.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
We're talking a lot of smack already while I am. Yeah,
he's Germany.
Speaker 5 (34:30):
He doesn't talk too much, but my son is with
him at the moment. They're in camp in Berlin. So
he keeps telling me how many sets do you have?
How many plays you have?
Speaker 4 (34:39):
I'm like, how many? His dad got five? I meant
I have five. Yeah, so you know, I mean, how
exciting is that.
Speaker 5 (34:45):
I don't think you've ever seen a husband and wife
or you know, partnership go against each other coaching two
double countries. But yeah, yeah, we'll see. Look, I'm business
as usual. He was the assistant coach.
Speaker 4 (34:57):
When I am in the twenty twenty one. Oh I remember,
I'm a Chicago girl.
Speaker 5 (35:03):
There you go, and you know, obviously he wasn't the
head coach there, but my kids were. They were so
sad when I lost, so he probably were like, hey,
what's going on?
Speaker 2 (35:12):
You know, what about your about your good old dad,
you're not exacted?
Speaker 5 (35:15):
Where's dad? So they were asked there, asked those questions
a lot. Now, you know, who are you going to support?
And I don't know what they're going to do and
how they're going to experience that.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
We'll see. Only time will tell. If we play, might.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
Be the first time we get the kids wearing the
split jersey. You know we always see the parents who
get the custom jerseys where one half is one of
their children and one half is their other child playing
against each other. Well, get the kids now half half
German half Australia.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
Really confused people? How old are they now?
Speaker 5 (35:43):
The kiddles Brodie's eighteenth and Jadea's fifteen, and they both
they both love you know, they play basketball and love basketball,
and they love the journey that we're on.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
I mean, it's been a really incredible thing to see
you and your husband and your family handle what it
is to be a profession coach moving around to different
cities and making it work. You know, we were at
the US Open together with a bunch of badasses back
in August talking women in coaching. Sam Rapaport and Bruce
Arians and Village in King and Usta coaching, and we
really were trying to nail down some of the biggest
(36:14):
barriers to entry for women in coaching, some of the
things that keep them from moving up the rank, some
of the things that push them out of coaching. And
you're one of the most successful coaches in w history
and you do it as a mom and as a wife.
What would you change, either just at the pro level
or even down in college and high school to get
more women on the sidelines and then staying there.
Speaker 5 (36:34):
It's talked about a lot now, isn't it because we
don't have enough. I think we have some great coaches,
but how are they supported that they can actually do
everything and still be.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
Great at it?
Speaker 5 (36:44):
And I think that's what it comes back to, is
being supported at the highest level. So it really does
start at the top, knowing that hey, we think you're talented,
we want you.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
Yes, the kids will.
Speaker 5 (36:54):
Make sure everything works out, or you know, coordinate with
your husband, whatever it may be.
Speaker 4 (37:00):
But just making sure you have.
Speaker 5 (37:01):
You feel supported and in all of it, like not
just coaching and at home and you're fine.
Speaker 4 (37:07):
Is everything covered?
Speaker 5 (37:08):
So when you get to work that you can actually
just focus on that now, Like I'm a mum. My
son went back to finish year twelve in Australia this year,
so of course I'm can track him as you do,
and you know, I'm always mess messaging him because that
was the only time and sometimes in the middle of
the night that I would have to. But that's I
want that because number one, like, yes, I'm a coach,
but number one, I'm a mum. And my husband said
(37:29):
he's third and it's probably right, but in that regard,
but we're working together. But my children so important and
I wanted in this journey too, like I made them
all have pros and cons and what's the best situation,
But in the end they go, Mum, you go where
you think is the best thing for you. So that
kind of support at home is great too, But like
I think organizations need to start at the top and
how can you provide platforms for your family so that
(37:52):
you're not worried about that you can stay focused on it.
And at the same time, I think just more mentorship
and what it really looks like, how do you overcome
any kind of hurdles that you do because you will
I mean, you're always trying to navigate. I'm just very lucky.
I have a great community in Phoenix that certainly helps
you know, it helps us.
Speaker 4 (38:10):
And if you've made our kids, you know, I'm very
proud of.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
Them and the human beings that they've become.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
Yeah, I think there's a real push and pull sometimes
for moms about who am I showing them that I
can be versus who am I with them?
Speaker 2 (38:26):
And they're for them at all times.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
And I had a working mom who's a lawyer, and
I was very grateful to have teachers who vocalized and
said how great it was that I was learning and
seeing somebody be who she was, even if she wasn't
there every single day to pick me up from school
the way some of the other moms we couldn't go
do tea or something in the middle.
Speaker 4 (38:44):
Of the day.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
And remembering that is just as powerful a motivator as
the guilt that you might feel of not being there
every day. It sounds like your kids completely understand and
love who you are and in what you do. Okay,
one more question for you, because you mentioned the coaching thing.
I think every year I'm so torn between of course,
you hire the best person, but also why do we
(39:07):
keep ending up with the best quote unquote person usually
being a white dude, especially in leagues full of women
and predominantly black women. So there are currently no black
women serving as head coach in the W In recent years,
we've seen some highs and lows. We've seen some teams
hire black women to lead teams and then fire them
almost immediately to see specific issues that have resulted in
(39:27):
that lack of representation on the sidelines, or how do
we move forward saying yes, hire the best and also
make sure that the pipeline allows for the best to
be representative of the league that they're coaching.
Speaker 5 (39:39):
Yeah, yeah, no, it is quite sad. That's why I'm
excited of Toronto. It's you know, it's I'm a former player,
but we need some more diversity in our league. And
we don't have any black head coaches anymore. But maybe
in New York that will change with the upcoming Oh yea,
so have an opportunity there, you know. For me, it's yeah,
this is a great game and everyone it's all about winning,
(40:00):
isn't it.
Speaker 4 (40:00):
And I'm going to get the right people in.
Speaker 5 (40:02):
Well, maybe there are the right people but they haven't
been given the opportunity to show what they can do,
and they're not feel supported from the top. And that's
what it's about now. Not everyone can win. The hardest
thing to do at the highest level and at any level,
is to win. You know, I know what that feels like.
And the hardest thing to do is to repeat. So
we've been there, So what's the process of how do
(40:23):
we you know, how do we assist the coaches? You know,
if they're former players, I think they should be because
I think there should be more of us because we've
been there, done that, and there's some great, great coaches
out there who yes, I mean, maybe they didn't have
a great first experience, but the only way you grow
is through the learning experiences.
Speaker 4 (40:45):
I was one time I was.
Speaker 5 (40:47):
In San Antoni and should have never taken the job
because I was pregnant child and we made the playoffs,
but I can't even remember it because I had two
kids traveling with one assistant coach.
Speaker 4 (40:58):
I was exhausted, but I thought I could do it
because it was more like, no, I want to do this,
this is great. I need to.
Speaker 5 (41:03):
Promote women can do this, you know where, But it
wasn't the right time, but I went away and obviously
got better through the experience, so when I had my
next opportunity.
Speaker 4 (41:10):
I was more prepared for it at all levels.
Speaker 5 (41:13):
That's the part of it, believing in these people, giving
them opportunity, but helping them, supporting them along the journey,
because I always say the hardest thing about head coaching
it gets lonely at the top. You know, unless you've
experienced it, no one knows what it feels like. You know,
if you've never done it, if you've never played pro sport,
or if you never coached it at the highest level,
you don't know what it's like. So it's just surrounding
(41:35):
yourself with just really good people and continue to support.
But you know, obviously individual teams have to make the
best decisions for them and we'll see what the future holds.
Speaker 1 (41:46):
Yeah, I think that's part of it too, is like
how do you get that second opportunity or the chance
to figure out what you did wrong the first time
and do it again, as opposed to those one and
done where it feels like there aren't enough opportunities to
get another shot. We've taken up too much of your time,
so you have to do one more thing. It's kind
of like bench start cut, but nobody gets cut, which
is nice.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
You don't have to cut anything. It's just good.
Speaker 4 (42:05):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (42:06):
Yes, it's just good, good or goodest. Something is good,
gooder and something is goodest. So start with start with
good and move up to a goodest. Winning as a
player for Australia, winning as a coach for Australia, winning
as a coach in the WNBA.
Speaker 4 (42:26):
Ooh, that's that's a good one. I love that one.
That's a that is really really I'd say good winning
as a coach for Australia.
Speaker 5 (42:37):
Okay, good er, winning as a coach for WNBA team,
and the goodest winning a gold medal with your home
nation as a player.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
I love that. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
It's hard to replace the feeling of actually being on
the court. And it's impressive to me when someone goes
from being a player to a coach and can release
just enough control to be in charge but then be like,
it's up to them whether they get it done on.
Speaker 4 (42:59):
Your Yeah, and you just got to empower him, don't
You put him in there.
Speaker 5 (43:03):
You can put him in the right situations and you
give him you know, there's a system in place, but
you want to give him freedom because he's the best
players in the world. If I wanted to control him,
I wouldn't last very long in this job, would I.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (43:15):
Well, we're so excited to see what happens up in Toronto.
I can't wait to come up and watch. Thanks so
much for the time. I know you're super busy.
Speaker 4 (43:21):
Yeah, now, I appreciate it. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
Thanks again to Sandy for taking the time. We got
to take another break when we return, watch out Bam.
We love her super much too. Welcome back, slaces. 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. Follow the Toronto Tempo on
(43:45):
social media. We'll link to the team's various handles in
the show notes, and while you're at it, follow Sandy too.
And if you're one of those many WNBA free agents,
go ahead feel swayed by those posts. It's not tampering.
We promise also be like places Megan and Emily in
that Ottawa charge story. Send us in news you'd like
us to dive into, cover or investigate. We consider every
(44:07):
slice a bureau reporter for your specific region or topic
of interest. So if it gets on your radar and
you think we should know about it, send it our way.
You can hit us up on email good game at
wondermediaetwork dot com, or leave us a voicemail at eight
seven two two O four fifty seventy and don't forget
to subscribe.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
Rate and review slices. It's easy.
Speaker 1 (44:25):
Watch the cutest hop run in a jump you'll ever see,
rating four years of cuteness review. Asia Wilson recently appeared
on The Jennifer Hudson Show and crushed the Spirit Tunnel match,
where she was introduced to her number one fan, Ammon Taylor.
Now you may remember seeing a viral clip of four
year old Amon crying to his mom Bianca because he
(44:47):
wanted Asha Wilson to come to their house.
Speaker 2 (44:49):
Take a listen, you wants to come to your house.
Speaker 4 (44:55):
We don't know Asia Wilson. We just love her and
how she plays basketbab But we don't know her.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
We don't know her, We just love her. Is too real.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
I think every fan can relate well. Bianca and Aman
know her now too, because Jay hud surprised him on
with the visit from Asia and the way this little
boy jumped off the couch, ran down the stairs to
her and jumped into her arms and sat in her lap.
Speaker 2 (45:23):
Y'all too much. Take a listen to how cute he.
Speaker 4 (45:27):
Is because I love her super much. Man.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
For a second there, I thought I felt my uterus, like,
you know, some sort of mothering instinct, a desire to procreate.
Speaker 2 (45:37):
Don't worry, it's gone. I'm sticking with dogs.
Speaker 1 (45:39):
We'll link to the video of that super sweet meeting
in the show notes.
Speaker 2 (45:42):
Ps.
Speaker 1 (45:43):
In case you missed it, Saturday Night Live did a
funny sketch about the Jay Hud Spirit Tunnel. We'll link
to that in the show notes as well. Now it's
your turn, y'all, rate and review.
Speaker 2 (45:52):
Thanks for listening. See you tomorrow. Good Game, Sandy, Good Game.
Speaker 1 (45:56):
University of Washington women Soccer You Cancer. 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.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
Wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (46:13):
Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are alex Azzie
Grace Lynch, Taylor Williamson, and Lucy Jones. Our executive producers
are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder.
Our editors are Emily Rutter, Britney Martinez and Gianna Palmer.
Production assistants from Avery LOFTUS and I'm Your Host Sarah
Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
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