Chasing the W
Women’s basketball, rec-league energy, and real talk. Hosted by two hoop-obsessed friends who met in a PRIDE rec league, this podcast dives into everything happening in women’s sports — with women’s basketball at the center. We break down games, talk culture, share stories from the court, and celebrate the players and communities pushing the game forward. Come for the hoops, stay for the banter.
Chasing the W
Chasing the Expansion Draft
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
On this week's episode, Amanda and Bonnie cover all things leading up to the Final Four of the Women's NCAA Tournament and whose baskets have already been busted.
Then they dive deep into the WNBA's upcoming expansion draft– what that could mean for teams, free agents, and of course the fans.
Follow us on IG @ChasingTheW_Pod
You ready, Anna?
SPEAKER_02Welcome back to another episode of Chasing the W. It's actually episode 10. 10. Yes. What's up, Bonnie?
SPEAKER_04Hello.
SPEAKER_02What's going on?
SPEAKER_04Not much. Um happy to be here. Happy to be on episode 10, double digits. That's crazy. Feeling good?
SPEAKER_02That's pretty consistent.
SPEAKER_03How do you feel about the pod so far?
SPEAKER_02I feel like the pod is good. I feel like it's possible we could be ready for a video at some point soon.
SPEAKER_03I think we are.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I think we master our setup here. Yeah. Like a little bit for the visual.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, are we gonna just pick one house then?
SPEAKER_02No. I don't think so.
SPEAKER_04Okay, so we'll master a setup in each house.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, just so you know, like a cookie cutter, like it's already set up for us, you know. For when it's time to record. Do you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_03No.
SPEAKER_02Like uh, like uh something that's set up that doesn't look crazy in our apartments, but that like it still coexists when we're not recording the podcast, so that every time we record, it's not like the company's coming, we have to move everything, you know?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, but I feel like how are we gonna do that?
SPEAKER_02I don't know, man. I I'm just being optimistic. Guys, we've had a and by we I mean me. I've had a lot of trouble and stress setting up these fucking mics today.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, cords are not working, the cords are not working.
SPEAKER_02This is 2026. The year of our lord 2026 is crazy that the cables are giving out. It's a new cable.
SPEAKER_04It's supposed to be the fire horse.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Year of the fire horse. We're not supposed to have these troubles.
SPEAKER_02You're right. I was just like, yeah, yeah, for sure. It is the year of the fire horse, though. Uh okay. Well, yeah, I mean, I would love, like I said, it's to do videos, and then once we master that, we could start having guests.
SPEAKER_04Oh, yeah, I feel like that would be a fun idea.
SPEAKER_02Um some of our friends that are fans of uh uh Yeah, Ryan has when I saw him last, he was just like, Yeah, I asked Bonnie and she said no, and I said, So you thought you would ask me and I would say yes.
SPEAKER_04I told him episode 18, maybe. And then he said, What episode did you want to?
SPEAKER_02So he was being dramatic, as usual. Yeah, he was like, Yeah, Bonnie told me no, and I said, Okay, so you came to dad and thought that I was gonna say yes.
SPEAKER_00It's crazy.
SPEAKER_02And he was like, Yeah. I was like, okay, well.
SPEAKER_04But also, um, you know, hoops with coops.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Could be shadow, shadow, shutout, shutout, yeah. The other thing, a couple things I want to do for the pod. Number one, make merch.
SPEAKER_02Yes, we need merch.
SPEAKER_04We're going to. And if you're in the bracket challenge, you could potentially win some merch. Yeah. And it'll be cool.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and it turns out I won't be winning any merch. No, you won't. My bracket was busted in like the fucking the round of 32.
SPEAKER_04That's okay. That's okay. Is it? That's one round, bro. Like well, I mean, uh mine was busted too.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04But just as busted.
SPEAKER_02So wait, so can you still win? Do you know?
SPEAKER_04I think I'm going to win.
SPEAKER_02Oh, is it like mathematically? Yeah. That's what happened to me even before the final four last year. It was like, well, mathematically, it's not possible for anyone else to beat you. Which is like, it felt kind of good because I never win bracket challenges, but I was also just like, well.
SPEAKER_04Wait, let me pull it up. Because I feel like if Yukon doesn't win, then I could potentially lose.
SPEAKER_02But it'll tell you though, like mathematically, if it's easier.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, like the percentage.
SPEAKER_02Possible, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Alright, let's see.
SPEAKER_02Because mine at some point last March Madness said, There's a 99.9999999999999% chance that you win. You're gonna win. Who's right behind you? What's right behind you? Let's see, let's see. Is it the Welly Stomp? It's T. Good.
SPEAKER_04What? And then Jay Walla 34 is the third. Wow. And then the Welly Stomp is fourth.
SPEAKER_01Oh, there's no prize for fourth place. So there's not there's no prize for seventh place either.
SPEAKER_04It's alright. The only one who has is like officially out is my mom.
SPEAKER_02I think I'm officially out too.
SPEAKER_04No, you you're not.
SPEAKER_02I'm still in it? Yeah. Your mom's in it.
SPEAKER_04My mom was in it. Oh my god.
SPEAKER_00I was wondering who that was.
SPEAKER_04Jan the net.
SPEAKER_00Jan.
SPEAKER_04I liked her little screen name. She's so cute.
SPEAKER_02Was that her AIM, you think?
SPEAKER_04Well, that would have been great. Really? My mom?
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Did your mom?
SPEAKER_03Oh, I guess she didn't.
SPEAKER_02I guess she didn't, but like, she well's your mom. She's turning 59.
SPEAKER_04Oh, she's young. She's a spring chicken. My mom's turning 69 this year.
SPEAKER_02She looks great.
SPEAKER_04Thanks. I'll tell her that. She'll listen. She'll hear it. Oh.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you look great, Jan. Incredible.
SPEAKER_04Wow. Oh, I just had a big piece of Brenda. Why didn't you tell me?
SPEAKER_02Bonnie's been talking with a big ass piece of basil. Oh, is it spinning? Yeah. Brenda's Brenda's looking at her and she doesn't even care. The POV. Brenda's just uh she is not perceiving you right now.
SPEAKER_04Perceive me better.
SPEAKER_02Dang.
SPEAKER_04Um I'm also not to brag, but I'm also first place in the Swish House uh brackets. Fuck.
SPEAKER_02I forgot to join that one. Is it men's though or is it women's?
SPEAKER_04No, women's. I mean you could have done there was both options.
SPEAKER_02Oh my god, that's because Paul is inclusive. He is. Shout out to Paul.
SPEAKER_04Shout out to Paul. Hey Paul. Bestie. Yeah, I mean maybe Paul could be on. No, wait. I mean, Paul and Ryan could be on.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. That's true. Yeah, you can't invite Paul after you said no to Ryan.
SPEAKER_04Exactly.
SPEAKER_02We could though.
SPEAKER_04That's why I feel like it had to would have to be both.
SPEAKER_02Are we sponsored by Swish House? We could do little ad reads for Swish.
SPEAKER_04I mean, Paul, if you're listening.
SPEAKER_02Paul, if you're Paul, if you're not listening, I'm gonna get on your ass. I told you about the first episode months ago.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, in every episode thereafter.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. We've got we've got loyal listeners though, so shout shout out to y'all. But yeah, I feel like this is just really the beginning, right? Like we were just kind of figuring it out and dealing with chords that don't work and mics that don't pick up audio.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, like every every time we're tight, we're different. We're just working.
SPEAKER_02We're we're tightening it up, and we have to work out these kinks before the real W season's.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure, for sure.
SPEAKER_04Um oh yeah, but the other thing I want to do is like maybe host this could be like way down the road, or maybe maybe not way down the road. No, no, no, maybe the summer. Somewhat down the road. But like host a live recording? A live recording or like a trivia. Maybe it's part of the live recording.
SPEAKER_02We could we could do that. We would just definitely need to ensure that these mics are working. Can you imagine? We're hosting an event and we can't even get the fucking microphones to work.
SPEAKER_04That's like every meeting starts with like the dongle not working, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and it alternates which one doesn't work, you guys. So but it's okay because we're committed to delivering a good podcast episode, and that's why we're here. Yeah. Okay. Well, these are I was gonna say ambitious, but not ambitious. They're all realistic goals for chasing the W.
SPEAKER_04It's been really fun.
SPEAKER_02And there's so much to talk about. There is so much to talk about. So today we're gonna talk about March Madness. We'll obviously talk about the W and the relevant updates there. And we also have We have an overtime piece here, and then we also have a 24-second shot clock because I have shit to say.
SPEAKER_04She's got shit to say.
SPEAKER_02I always have shit to say, and she's gonna say it. And I yeah, and I will say it. I never not say it.
SPEAKER_04We're giving you 24.
SPEAKER_02Incredible. Okay, so let's talk about March Madness. So first we have to talk about the final four.
SPEAKER_08Yep.
SPEAKER_02Because this is the second year in a row that it's the same four teams. So and they're all one seeds. And they're all one seeds. It's UConn, UCLA, Tehas, and South Carolina. And on Friday, South Carolina will be playing Yukon, and then Texas will be playing UCLA. This is I think this is the first time ever that it's been like the same exact four teams, which is crazy. So that's really exciting, and also like I don't know. It's I feel like I'm not sick of it yet just because this was really just the second time that it's happened with the same two Tang teams, and also it's not like um, it's not like the Golden State Warriors when they had a super team and they were it like every year it was like Golden State and Cleveland, yeah, like for five years. This is like different, also, and their rosters are forced to change because players graduate.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_02Paige is no longer playing for Yukon and they still run in on the power of friendship.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. I feel like it's just like a testament to the iconic coaches of like Gino and Don. Um Louis Vuitton, Don. And then I don't really know the coach of um Texas very well, but he seems to be he clearly know what he's doing. Yeah. And then UCLA is that Corey lady.
SPEAKER_08Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_04And she obviously also is very good and intense. But Lauren Betts plays for UCLA, doesn't she? Yeah, she doesn't.
SPEAKER_02She's gonna be in the draft. She is gonna be in the draft. That'll be really it'll be really interesting because Raven Johnson is also going to the draft after this season, and I think she it's possible she could be a lottery pick, honestly.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, well, I pulled up a a draft, a mock draft. We could talk about it later, but okay, okay. They're both mentioned.
SPEAKER_02Okay, okay, yeah, we can talk about that later. But yeah, so it's really exciting. Final four is on Friday. I think Yukon is still gonna take everything. Me too. I just the power of friendship. Also, did you see AZ in her last game at home in Connecticut? Damn near had the exact stat line as Paige's last game. I didn't see that. Like, off by like maybe an assist. Wow. Like, or like the number of minutes played. It's like the power of friendship and the power of gay. Yep. Love to see it. You know, gays always win. Gays do always win.
SPEAKER_04I'm excited for the final four as well because I feel like these four teams have just been blowing out every other team. So I'm like, it's not fun to watch. It's been bad. It's been bad. So I'm like, finally, some good competition and like a good two good games will be really fun.
SPEAKER_02There was um gosh, I can't remember which team it was because South Carolina decimates everyone going forward, or maybe it was Yukon. No, I think it might have been Yukon. There was like a t uh a coach of a team that lost and was complaining.
SPEAKER_04Oh, it was um Syracuse, I think.
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Syracuse. And where did they have to go? To Connecticut or something? Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_04Because they beat it was kind of a good upset. Who did they beat? But yeah, they complained about like always being in in this position every single year where they Which like respectfully, you're in the same fucking region. They beat Iowa State. And then I think that's where my bracket got like super busted. Played Yukon in the round of 32.
SPEAKER_02So W I just like shouldn't have to say that publicly. It's kind of like go home and complain to whoever it is that you're with, you know.
SPEAKER_04It's kind of like a crybaby thing to say.
SPEAKER_02It is, because it's just like okay, and you know that there's a possibility every year if you make the tournament that you may have to face Yukon. Right. Who's like a fucking juggernaut, like in college basketball.
SPEAKER_04Did you see the men's team?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, the men's, yeah. I mean, I think the men's team is probably worse than the women's team, but like what an incredible end of game buzzer.
SPEAKER_04It'd be exciting for them to take both.
SPEAKER_02It would be cool. I think they've done it two other times before.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And the last time, I believe, was like 2020 or something. Oh. Or 2021. So I think 2002, 2021.
SPEAKER_04If I could go back and play college basketball, I would go to Yukon.
SPEAKER_02I mean, yeah. I wanted to go to Villanova so bad. Like, I went to a basketball camp there. Like, it was led by Jay Wright. Shout out to him. I just my my godmother has always had the biggest crush on Jay Wright. Shout out to you, Madrina. She loves her some Jay Wright. So he was very prevalent in my in my life because she loved him. That's so funny. But also a great coach, obviously. But yeah, I 100% wholeheartedly believe that you could have gone to Yukon for basketball. I think you could have.
SPEAKER_04No, I definitely could not have.
SPEAKER_02You could have. You could have. That was when the players weren't being born at the size that they're being born. You know what I mean? This is something. Evolution has changed. No, okay. And I had this same conversation with Brenda a couple days ago because I was just like, like they just, it's evolution. Like they just they keep getting bigger and bigger. Like it's freaking me out that the men keep coming in bigger sizes. That's enough.
SPEAKER_04Some guy on Florida is like seven, eight.
SPEAKER_02This is what I told you the other day. And Brenda was just like, what do you mean, evolution? I was just like, what do you what do you mean, evolution? Like the kids are growing. They're like they're just getting bigger. They're gonna be giants. Those GML vegetables are no like think of like think about it, okay?
SPEAKER_03Like I'm thinking about it.
SPEAKER_02Like, like even when we watch the W and we're just like, uh, Sabrina's not that tall. Yeah, she's like, like, that's crazy. Shout out to you, Seb. Seb. Don't go nowhere. Don't go nowhere. You're this cute. No, it's like that's crazy, isn't it?
SPEAKER_00It is very she's like 5'11. Let's see, like she's almost six feet tall. And you know what we look like next to people who are six feet tall? Yeah, I do.
SPEAKER_02I do. How tall is Eliza?
SPEAKER_00Not that tall.
SPEAKER_02I know she's not six foot. Dang, that's and that's crazy. Wow. Wow. Shout out, shout out to my friend Kristen because I said earlier we met up for ice cream, and I don't know what I I mean. I always tell her that I wish I was her height. Yeah. And today I was just like, wait a minute. How tall are you? Like 5'9? And she was like, I'm 5'11. Who? Damn. She could be on my team. She could be on the Pride League. She could be on UConn. She could be my center. And she's like, Well, I don't have any experience. And I said, That's okay. You're already in the sky. You just gotta grab the ball and I'll get it. And I'll get it from you. Just be just stand there. Just stand there and take it out of the air.
SPEAKER_04You don't even gotta jump. And then you just put it up.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Really quickly.
SPEAKER_02And it's easy when you're when you're that tall.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, exactly. Like you said, you don't even have to jump.
SPEAKER_02But yeah, no, actually, I I am very concerned. Like, actually, like I think I have like a little bit of anxiety about tall people? They just like keep like keep getting bigger.
SPEAKER_04Sometimes when I think about tall people, I'm just like, how? Like, how do you keep growing?
SPEAKER_02Like, like no bullshit. I think about it every time. I think about it every time I go to a switch class and Paul's coaching. I'm just like this motherfucker.
SPEAKER_04You came out, you know, probably like nine.
SPEAKER_02Paul is really tall. Paul is.
SPEAKER_04What's an average baby?
SPEAKER_02I don't know. I think I was like eight pounds.
SPEAKER_04But length.
SPEAKER_02Length? Probably like 13 inches. No, that's big, isn't it? That's like two feet.
SPEAKER_06I'm trying to think what fitness. Let me guys. The average new ball on measurements, 19 to 20 inches.
SPEAKER_04Moly, moly.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_06Approximately 7.5 pounds. Crouched, you know? Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Fetal position.
SPEAKER_02I was probably, and I was probably bigger. I mean, I was fat. You were? Yeah, I was a fat baby. Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_07I love fat babies.
SPEAKER_02I was well, because if they're not fat, I'm like, are you feeding this baby?
SPEAKER_07From 19 uh 52 up until now. And like what height has where the height? Weight. Oh, okay. That is the average height of player of players. And it's like, wait.
SPEAKER_04The weight has gone up, but the height has actually dipped.
SPEAKER_02Sounds like men need to evaluate these diets.
SPEAKER_07Uh, but it also matters if you can do it by like positions.
SPEAKER_04They haven't dealt with the uh societal pressure of always being skinny. Let's start it right now.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Lose some weight, boys.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Hit the weakness. Literally hit the weakness. Stop eating so much. Yeah. Literally fucking relax. Slow down. No more food. That's cra that's actually crazy.
SPEAKER_04It's crazy that's like not to keep talking about Paul, especially because he hasn't listened to our podcast yet. But it's crazy that he's like not a center. He's a guard.
SPEAKER_02Which is crazy. I know. How tall is Paul?
SPEAKER_046'10 or something.
SPEAKER_02He's not 6'10.
SPEAKER_046'8. 6'8. Which might as well be 6'10.
SPEAKER_07He's just might as well be seven.
SPEAKER_02Which is almost 8 feet, actually.
SPEAKER_07So she And we're wrapping up, so 10 feet. He's 10 feet tall.
SPEAKER_02All this to say. It's just like with all the conversations about like do you remember the trend last year that it was just like women answering if they would rather be alone in the woods with a bear or a man? Yeah, and everyone said the bear. Yeah. Every time. Because they now they're just getting bigger and bigger.
SPEAKER_01Soon they'll be bigger than the bear.
SPEAKER_02And then what? Okay.
SPEAKER_00What's the height of an average bear?
SPEAKER_05I think we might be derailing.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, we're definitely derailing, but this is an important question.
SPEAKER_05Like grizzly, or what are you talking about?
SPEAKER_04Like 5.2 feet. 5 foot.
SPEAKER_03Feet down? Feet down, 5 foot. On all fours.
SPEAKER_04Standing up? 9 feet tall.
SPEAKER_02I would get swallowed by a fucking candle. It's taller than you.
SPEAKER_06That's almost it's almost two times my height.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, dude.
SPEAKER_06Is it? Yeah, nine feet. I mean sorry.
SPEAKER_02I well, you know how the metric system is a little confusing.
SPEAKER_07I was just like, it's I was like, it's 5'4 plus 5'4 is 10-8. No, I know. That's why.
SPEAKER_04But you know how like you know, because polar bears are the biggest.
SPEAKER_06How big?
SPEAKER_04They're ten feet on average.
SPEAKER_06Polar bears and grizzly bears are around about the same.
SPEAKER_04Grizzly bear, grizzly can be six to nine, and then black bears. And to be clear, I would still probably pick the bear.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. I would pick a black bear out of all. It's not about the height, it's about right.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it was never about the height.
SPEAKER_02It's about the claws, just the teeth.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_06No, no, no.
SPEAKER_04It's about Yeah, no.
SPEAKER_02Wait, it's Bonnie. It's about how men are trash.
SPEAKER_04We're talking about bears. We're talking about men and bears.
SPEAKER_02And how bears are the better options. Anyway, I'll have to say we're really excited for the final four. And as we talk about the final four. Giant men are scary. And we would pick the bear. Yep. But any day, pink the bear. As we were just well, not as we were just discussing.
SPEAKER_00But as we were discussing like three minutes ago.
SPEAKER_02Like, yeah, like five minutes ago, ten minutes ago. My bracket was busted a really long time ago. I still think Yukon will take the whole thing. And I think a lot of people in our group have Yukon. I think we said that before. But one thing I wanted to talk about too is just like how much I loved seeing Notre Dame lose. Yeah. Talk about it. Well, it's just because I have beef with Hannah Hidalgo. I do too. So I just I don't know. I just feel like I'm already like a hater, like to my core. But then last last year I think it was, or the season before, like 2024 to 2025, she uh got a lot of backlash because she shared a video featuring Candace Owens, where Candace Owens, who is notably not black, she's no longer claimed, she said that same-sex marriage is a sin. And in April of last year, Hannah was like, She's not homophobic, and she said sharing it was a mistake, and she affirmed that she quote loves all people. You know what it's giving? All lives matter.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And I mean, and there is that rumor that Olivia Miles like left because of it, right? And also it's like, babe, the call is coming from inside the house. For sure. Like, when you find out, I mean, isn't that like what like what is typically the reason?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, does that protest too much or what? Right?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, sure. I'm not good at I'm not good at sayings, so and uh wait, isn't that Shakespeare?
SPEAKER_04Oh the lady doth protest too much, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But but also, like I don't know, guys. I lost it. Also Hannah Hadaga.
SPEAKER_04She lost. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03It is like what was I gonna say?
SPEAKER_04I don't know. Sorry. No, it's okay. Sorry, go ahead. Sorry. Look back at your notes.
SPEAKER_02I'm looking at I'm looking at them and nothing's coming.
SPEAKER_04I mean, it is Oh, I remember.
SPEAKER_00Go. Bonnie, sorry, you know what I mean? No, go.
SPEAKER_02So what I was gonna say is the call's coming from inside the house, and it's just like the Christy Noam news that apparently her husband is a quote cross dresser.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Did you see those? I saw the pictures. I seen them. I seen them. Tell the they'll paint a picture for the class, Bonnie. Paint a picture.
SPEAKER_06The picture's like what a six-year-year-old boy would draw.
SPEAKER_04Literally, literally a 10-year-old like stuffing his shirt with two big ass basketballs. Which is crazy.
SPEAKER_02And that's and that's why we're talking about it because his boobs look like basketballs.
SPEAKER_06They don't even look huge.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Huge. Obviously, they were not real. We're fine with people doing that, but when you're so anti anything to do with queer people, but when you're talking about it. Just to be clear, we support queer people on this. You can cross-press what and do whatever form of self-expression you want, but not when you're shit talking it all over publicly and then doing it secretly. You don't get that provision.
SPEAKER_04And not when you're married to Christina.
SPEAKER_02And period. And period. And that's that's honestly it's funny that that came out today because You know what?
SPEAKER_04I I hope that her life is ruined.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_04I mean by not just that, but sorry if that's mean.
SPEAKER_02There's no, there's gonna be a reckoning. There's gonna be a reckoning once all of this is over.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And they're all fucked.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And I will be leading with pitchforks. I'll be in the front. I'll be there. I'll be in the second row. With Tall Girl right behind us for protection. Okay, so let's talk about the W. Yeah. Lots of updates here. And I think we start with what has just happened to the Connecticut Sun. So honestly, there's been a huge bidding war just in general, in terms of like getting into the W and adding teams. Like there's been so many bids and from St. Louis, from Philly, Detroit, etc. Everyone is trying to get a piece of the pie. Duh makes sense. Now, something that came up last year, and maybe even the year before, is that the the ownership of the Connecticut Sun was looking to move the team. And apparently the league has to sign off on the sale of any team, which I guess makes sense if it's technically the property of the WNBA, which I guess whatever. And so there were a lot of talks, and it made sense, and I even think we talked about on the podcast that it made sense for the sun to move up to Boston. Connecticut is in New England. Yeah. New England is really just Boston. Like if you think major cities, like respectfully, Hartford is not a major city, in my opinion. It's just like that's fair. It's the middle of Connecticut. I don't know.
SPEAKER_06Didn't they do like an expo match? They did, yeah.
SPEAKER_02So the Sun did an expo match in Boston at TD Garden and it sold out. And it was incredible. So I don't know. It just seems like silly, especially they've okay. So before I even share an opinion on it, let me give you the facts. So the Sun were sold for $300 million even to Tillman Fertita, who is based in Houston.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. And owns the Rockets.
SPEAKER_02Yes. They own the Rockets. And what's really interesting about that is that Houston used to have a team, the Comets. And I believe it was in 2002 where they oh no, they moved to Connecticut in 2003. And then they were rebranded and completely renamed The Sun. But what's super interesting about the Comets and the fact that they were disbanded is that they were in an original WNBA franchise when the league first came to be. And they also won the first four championships in the league's history. It was powered by Cynthia Cooper, um, and she won the first two MVP awards ever for the W, and then Cheryl Swoops and Tina Thompson. So they had a lot of success. So it's kind of surprising that they were disbanded, and then they were um they were bought. Actually, this is also really interesting. The son moved to Connecticut in 2003 after playing four years in Orlando. Oh, I didn't think we moved to Connecticut because the Mohegan tribe bought the franchise. Yeah. The Mohegan tribe of Mohegan Sun, the casino. Yeah. So it's kind of crazy because especially because you would think they built up like 20 years of loyalty, 20 plus years of loyalty and fandom in Connecticut. It makes sense for them to move to somewhere in the region.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and I'm reading here right now that the Boston Celtics, minority owner, Steve Pagliuka? Yeah, had a higher bid. Yeah. 325 million.
SPEAKER_02He offered 325 and they sold for 300 million. Um, and I have a really interesting quote from my least favorite person, Adam Silver. He said they have every right to sell the team in their market. But then we started to be contacted by people in Boston and elsewhere saying that there were there was a suggestion that they could buy a team in one market and take it to another. That's sort of black letter law in sports leagues. You can't do that. You're buying that market. Teams have different values in different markets, and we view those as market, we view those other markets as expansion markets. So, first of all, mind your business. I know, get out of here. Like you like, that's what this is my issue to just across the board. It's just like nobody gave a single fuck about the W. And now all of a sudden it's profitable and the NBA ratings, viewership, money down.
SPEAKER_04It's annoying that it's another NBA owner as well.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and that's like also not even unheard of, right? Like the Liberty are owned by the family that owns the Nets, but like it just doesn't make any sense because now what do you say to all the fans in Connecticut? This news just came out a few days ago, and they're moving to Houston next season. Yeah, people are pissed. Like, that's crazy. That is crazy. Imagine like the Liberty just being like, No, I can't. Yeah, we would go somewhere else.
SPEAKER_04I would cry. No, it's it's absolutely insane. So um Gino is upset too. He says, Gino, Oriyama, Oriama, whatever. Good old Gino? Yep, sorry. He says the people at Mohegan Sun, they stepped up when they were needed and brought a team to Connecticut. Connecticut deserves to have a team because we're a proven place where people would support women's basketball. Obviously, Yukon. Um, and now with the team moving, it leaves a void.
SPEAKER_02It just seems I don't know.
SPEAKER_04It seems yeah, like irresponsible is not the word, it's just like it seems like especially because the the Boston guy had a higher bid, it just feels like there's some other motives.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, the league was gonna do whatever it is they wanted to do to begin with. Yeah. Which, like, if that was the case, how about you allow the Houston Comments comments to yeah, re-enter the conversation and not take away the sun?
SPEAKER_04Right. Why wouldn't we just add another add the comments back in?
SPEAKER_02I don't it's just also like Boston is a good market for women's sports. They now also have an NWSL team as well.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Boston is a huge sports town in general.
SPEAKER_02Like I feel like it's like part of the I feel like the East Coast like trifecta here, Philly, New York, and Boston. Really tough to play sports in those towns because you know the media are harsh. Yeah. Um, and fans expect a lot. Fans are crazy. They're like, they're like really big sports mechas. I don't know. It's it's it's disappointing to say the least. Um, but I guess we'll see. I'm interested. I'm interested to see kind of how this all plays out, especially if this is gonna be their last season. Yeah, and I also wonder what the players think. I mean, they probably have you. Don't nobody want to be in Connecticut. Is there daring shit you can do?
SPEAKER_04I will say, I will say, and with respect to the Mohegan tribe, but I feel like it's a weird venue, and they the team also wasn't prioritizing. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Um that's why Boston made sense. Yeah, let them play at the fucking garden.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_02Like they sold out the garden. They did, didn't they? Yeah. I knew a couple friends, I knew a couple friends who went. Yeah. Like it was a really good turnout. So that's really disappointing. Like I said, I'm interested to see how it goes as the season plays out, just knowing that this is their last season allegedly. So I'll believe it when I see it.
SPEAKER_04But yeah, and I feel like is it like inked? Is it done? Science.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's exactly what my thinking was.
SPEAKER_04That's why I said I think that the W is still like the league still has to confirm. But I mean, all signs point to yes, I feel like. Yeah, yeah. Um tough. Yeah, tough for Connecticut.
SPEAKER_02It's interesting. It's just like, and also, you know. I feel like that was the main attraction to Connecticut, the Mohican Sun casino. Yeah. And the Connecticut Sun. It really was. And Yukon, of course, but still, it's different.
SPEAKER_04Well, that being said, I think I mean, I guess I'm glad that the Mohegan tribe is getting so much money. But anyway. Yeah. Yeah. We'll see. We'll see. We'll see how it goes and what happens. And yeah, I hope they ball out for this last season then. Yeah.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_04Marina better get crazy.
SPEAKER_02She better get crazy. I feel like Marina wants to leave Connecticut too. It's the middle of fucking nowhere. Anyway, I digress. So in our last episode, there were some tentative dates that we shared about essentially what is to come ahead of the WNBA season. And now dates have been locked in. So at a high level, just to go over everything, and then Bonnie's gonna take us through some more deets on the expansion draft. So first we have April 1st through 5th. That is when player protection is happening. Mm-hmm. On Friday, April 3rd at 3:30 p.m. Eastern, we will have the expansion draft. Tune in. Then from April 7th to April 8th, teams can make qualifying offers to restricted, reserved, or core eligible players. Okay. Then on April 9th, negotiations can officially start.
SPEAKER_08Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_02Then April 12th through the 20th, eight days, players can formally sign deals slash offers from teams, which is crazy because usually this process happens over a three-week period, not eight days. So that's insane.
SPEAKER_04It is.
SPEAKER_02And then into a third. It's crazier than a day into this period is the WMBA draft.
SPEAKER_04And so yeah, the 13th.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And then six days after that, April 19th training camp starts. And then I don't know how many days it is. I can't do the math right now. But um weeks Yeah, at least a couple weeks. May 8th is the season tip-off. Oh my god.
SPEAKER_04That's stressful to even think about.
SPEAKER_02It is. And like, if I'm if I'm a player like looking to sign on a new team, I'm waiting to see who the fuck we draft before I commit to anything. You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_04That's fair. Let's talk about the first thing that's happening, which is the expansion draft. Um like we said earlier, it's this Friday, April 3rd at 3 30 on ESPN. Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, they did a coin flip or a coin toss, whatever you want to call it. Tempo won and they chose to pick sixth in the upcoming regular draft on April 13th. So that means the Fire will have the first pick in the expansion draft and the seventh pick in the standard draft draft. And the expansion draft is a snake snake draft, and it's two rounds with 12 selections in each. Um and so the two teams will alternate picks and select from the designated pool.
SPEAKER_02Wow, the expansion draft is a snake draft?
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02That's interesting.
SPEAKER_04And uh yeah, so obviously they're they're picking from the unprotected players on the rest of the teams, and I don't think they've stated who's protected yet.
SPEAKER_02No, so that kind of that happens during the player protection, the player protection phase, which is happening from the first through the fifth. Right. Yeah. Which is that's also confusing to me though, because if the expansion draft is April 3rd, which is Friday, then how can they still be in the process of protecting players from the first through the fifth? But maybe maybe that source wasn't right, maybe it's just from the first through the third. It's also possible that I wrote it incorrectly in my notes. What's really what's really interesting to me about all of this expansion draft stuff, you would think that since they have so many expansion teams coming into the league that they would be a million percent clearer on how the fuck it works.
SPEAKER_04For sure.
SPEAKER_02Because and you know what's gonna happen? Nothing online is gonna be accurate. We're gonna tune in on Friday, and they're gonna share the rules as if they were the rules the whole time.
SPEAKER_04I know.
SPEAKER_02Anyway, yeah, that'll be that'll be really interesting.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I'm excited. I'm I'm I am excited to watch. It'll be fun.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I just hope they don't take anybody we love, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Let's see, the Liberty are predicted to protect Tash, Leo, Leo, Sab, Marine, and Bonijah.
SPEAKER_02Marine? And Stewie not going over there.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, no, they're so Stewie and JJ are ineligible for the expansion draft, which means I think they've like I don't really know. Hold on, what does that mean?
SPEAKER_02Like, how does that work?
SPEAKER_04Why is this not like crystal clear like you're saying?
SPEAKER_02I don't know, man. That's crazy.
SPEAKER_04Under the current current rules, unrestricted free agents who have exhausted their core eligibility by playing at least two seasons under core contracts are not eligible to be drafted by the fire or tempo and don't need to be protected. They'll be available to all teams as free agents, but ineligible for the expansion draft.
SPEAKER_02Well, that actually makes a ton of sense. Remember in our last episode, we were talking about how how can like what's the point? Yeah. That makes sense. Okay, so it sounds like some players are not eligible because of what's going to happen in the draft. Like contracts are up, and so they're free agents regardless. So there's no point in either expansion team wasting an expansion draft pick on a player that is set to become a free agent in 20 seconds. So that actually makes a ton of sense. So they can only pick, it sounds like, from the players who will not be free agents.
SPEAKER_04Got it.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_04I mean, yeah, that makes perfect sense now that you say it like that.
SPEAKER_02Well, I could only say it like that after you gave me a lot of information. Oh. And I had to distill it, you know. Yeah. You did a lot of that work.
SPEAKER_04Thanks.
SPEAKER_02Thanks.
SPEAKER_04We're a team.
SPEAKER_02We are a team. So that'll be exciting. I just hope. Uh I don't know. It's impossible. They couldn't build a super team. Right? There's not enough talent that's not free agent.
SPEAKER_04But they could do what the Valkyries did and get every, you know, eligible sixth man.
SPEAKER_02And that's how they ended up with Kayler. They did. They did. Okay.
SPEAKER_04Okay. So let's move on. It's time for overtime. I wanted to quickly touch on, since we've been talking about the CBA a lot, um, and they've the girlies finally got it done. Um, the Players Association had uh quote unquote a secret weapon in in negotiations. And that was a um economist who is a Nobel Prize winning gal. Her name is Claudia Golden. She's a Harvard economist, and she won the Nobel Prize prize in 2023.
SPEAKER_02Shout out to her.
SPEAKER_04Shout out to her. She's known for research on gender pay gaps and its long-term evolution and how education, marriage, and career expectations shape earnings. Um she talks about how the pay gap isn't a sort of like um, it's not solely discrimination. It's sort of this like flaw in like society's societal structure, basically. Um yeah, the patriarchy for sure. Um it shows she shows that the pay gap like shrinks early in careers, but then explodes the moment kids enter the picture. It's not that you know women earn less for the same job, it's that the highest paying jobs demand total availability. So the system rewards people who can be always on and punishes anyone who can't be. And I feel like that makes a lot of sense. Like when we think about, you know, every industry and how much burnout there is, and like I feel um I feel like guilty when I'm not like super, super productive or working like late nights or early mornings. Like, and I think that's just like how we are now as a society is like everyone should be working, we should have side hustles that you know make money, we should be doing this and that, like whatever. It's too much. Um anyway, she like wrote a whole bunch about it and it's really interesting. Um and uh she says that the future of equality isn't just hiring more women, it's making success compatible with having a life. Like we should be able to have kids and and a career. It's not that it's 2020 fucking ticks. Like, let's get with it. Um she advised the players for free uh and helped them focus on total compensation, not just salary. She showed that the or she helped show um that the average WNBA career is two to three years, which proves that long-term benefits don't reach most players and challenged how the league valued its media rights. So it's really it's really cool that they were able to like work with her and um together they sort of like changed how women's sports are negotiated and will be negotiated in the future. So shout out to Claudia.
SPEAKER_02Shout out to her.
SPEAKER_04Good job winning the Nobel Prize as well.
SPEAKER_02Really incredible. Also, what you said too about like society pushing all of these, like this side hustle culture. Yeah, is so true. One thing about me though, I love work-life balance. One thing about me is Me too. I'm not gonna bust my ass if I don't have to. Same like I do what the job requires of me to do, and I do it well within the hours of the workday. Yeah, the whole like sometimes there is a late night here and there. That's just the nature, I think, of capitalism. And so sure, sometimes you do it, but this whole like saying that we need to be producing like after hours and we need to be busting our I don't think so. No, no, no. I'm not a fucking doctor. That's not for me. I'm not a doctor. I'm not saying so. Who gives a shit? But I think the key thing that you pointed out too is the data points that prove that two to three years is really right. That was surprising to me. Super, super interesting. And shout out to her, she got the girls paid, and I love the fact that she did it just because Yeah, she was like, sure, I'll help. It's incredible.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, and that's why women are the best.
SPEAKER_02And period. I have I have an overtime thing. Though it's not it's less of a fact and more of a conspiracy. Uh no, conspiracy is not really it. Like, it's just a rumor, I guess.
SPEAKER_04It's just rumors are kind of conspiracies.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's just like a silly little rumor.
SPEAKER_04Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_02Where Eagle-eyed fans, this is how the media would write it. Eagle-eyed fans noticed that Carrington. Anyway, the whole thing is that Dijanay Carrington, as we've talked about before, used to date Melissa Smith, who is currently on the Aces roster. People were speculating that Dijanay and Jackie Young, who also plays for the Aces, were located in the same place at the same time, without tagging each other, without either of them being in the pictures. The picture of the same exact skyline at the same exact time. And Dejanay, I believe, posted it on Instagram and Jackie posted it on Snapchat. Oh, yeah. So I don't know. Some speculation that maybe they're a thing now, and that paired with they were at the Notre Dame Game? Yes, they went to the Notre Dame game together where Notre Dame got clapped. And also, interestingly, Nelissa Smith reposted a tweet, or not a tweet, a TikTok that was something like, Thank God my ex found somebody else, so now she can leave me alone.
unknownOop. Oh.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, there's T there because, well, who knows what the future holds for Nelissa Smith. I'm not I don't think she's on her rookie deal anymore, so she may very well be one of these free agents. So it'll be interesting to see if if actually like Jackie and Dijanay are a thing, and if Nelissa Smith stays on that roster, and if Jackie ends up staying on that roster.
SPEAKER_04I feel like Jackie will stay on the roster. Penny.
SPEAKER_00Penny, we're recording a podcast. Come here, Penny. What do you think? Why are you screaming? Woo! You sound like you're underwater.
SPEAKER_04Okay, so yeah. Keep your eyes peeled. More to come.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I guess we'll see during this free agency period because I think it'll be very telling if Jackie stays in Vegas and Nelissa does not.
SPEAKER_04Because And I guess Dijanay is not just gay for Liz.
SPEAKER_02And that's the T. Okay, so now it's time for 24-second shot clock.
SPEAKER_04Pulling it up.
SPEAKER_02Gosh, I'm gonna be honest. I'm not ready yet. I didn't even do a practice run, so I'm really gonna try really hard. Okay.
SPEAKER_04I'm excited to hear because I don't know anything about this.
SPEAKER_02Well, you know what kind of evening I've had. I've been very close. I've been very close to a crash out, and I fear that this may be the thing that sets me over the edge, but that is okay.
SPEAKER_04You know what? It's fine to crash out.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_04Alright. Are you ready now?
SPEAKER_02I have to be.
SPEAKER_04Okay. Ready? Yep. Three, two, one.
SPEAKER_02Jaden Ivey, who used to play for the Detroit Pistons, now plays for the Chicago Bulls, who was recently released by the Chicago Bulls because he went on a hate speech rant, uh, reading quotes from the Bible on his Instagram story, and then called being gay unrighteousness. What's interesting about this, he also called uh Catholicism anti-Christian, which is crazy because he's the son of uh Nael Ivy, who is the head coach of Notre Dame women's basketball team, and they just got fucking clapped in March Madness.
SPEAKER_04Done.
SPEAKER_02And that's that on that. One thing I will say separately, that's not really part of a rant. I think it's just really interesting in relation to this. Everyone is saying that he was suspended because of these anti-gay comments when actually I think he was suspended because of his anti-cath Catholicism.
SPEAKER_04Interesting stuff.
SPEAKER_02Because do you know how many people in the NBA are anti-gay and like homophobic and stuff, and they do not get released?
SPEAKER_04Do they say anything about it?
SPEAKER_02I'm pretty sure there have been some there's been some public commentary. That's the thing. I think the NBA didn't ban him because he said like homophobic shit. I think they did it because he plays in Chicago. He made a comment towards uh that was anti-Catholicism, and it's also like uh a big population of the world is Catholic, and apparently this country, you know, they put religion on a pedestal. Also, the new Pope is from Chicago.
SPEAKER_04It's interest it's kind of interesting. I don't know, I just feel like what the fuck?
SPEAKER_02It's just like also crazy because like why would you say that? And why would you be doing this publicly and your mom is a star in her own right, and you making her life hard during March Madness? Figure it out, buddy. Figure it out, but it doesn't matter because Notre Dame got clapped out the tournament.
SPEAKER_04Apparently, this his social media rant oh no, this is just in general. They often last nearly an hour.
SPEAKER_02No, yeah, like he was going on for a hot minute, and actually today other male athletes were not directly responding to him, but like posting Bible passages and verses and stuff. How about y'all stop beating on women? Seriously and stop hiding behind the Bible. What the fuck? How about that?
SPEAKER_04It's like embarrassing for his mom.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, no, like incredibly and especially like his anti-Catholicism comments too. She coaches at a Catholic school university.
SPEAKER_04I'd like I where like probably 90% of the team is gay. Like she probably low-key is too.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. If she's not, I bet she's wishing she was now.
SPEAKER_04Maybe it's that situation of um, you know, protest too much, doth something.
SPEAKER_02The man Yeah, isn't that a Bible verse you said? Did we verify that? Uh the man doth protest too much.
SPEAKER_04The man doth protest too much.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and so that and with that, and with that, the man doth protest too much, and he should probably stop protesting. Cease I'm like, what's some Shakespeare language we can throw in here? But Amen, Shakespeare. Amen. The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_04To be or not to be.
SPEAKER_02And that was episode 10.
SPEAKER_04That was episode 10, y'all.
SPEAKER_02Of chasing the Wheel