The PreWrap Ep. 15- The Azzi Episode!!

Today, we're all things Azzi Fudd: from the discourse surrounding Azzi as the number one overall pick to the media storm that came following her first press conference in Dallas.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Are you okay, Lou? No, just continue. I have something in my eye. Yeah, I'm fairly emotional about this conversation. No, continue. Continue. Okay. Welcome back. Episode 15, I think. The AZ episode. Post draft. Um, and there is a lot going on.

SPEAKER_03 0:23

Kind of unfortunate. It's unfortunate. It's just like we literally planned or I drafted up an entire script for a different episode, and then just like so much was happening today. Yeah. That became the AZ up. It just became the AZ up.

SPEAKER_01 0:39

There will be plenty of time next week to get to other drafts. We're in a fun like transition. Like between college and W this week training. It's on Sunday.

SPEAKER_02 0:49

So we're in a little in between. So doing this.

SPEAKER_01 0:53

Yeah. She deserves a number one.

SPEAKER_03 0:58

Nuanced conversation.

SPEAKER_01 0:59

Literally.

SPEAKER_03 1:00

Because like the discourse that's happening right now is just crazy. Stupid. It's like stupid. Polarized. Yeah, and it's like not fair for anyone.

SPEAKER_02 1:11

Yeah. And she was the number one pick. As we ended up predicting, we said last year.

SPEAKER_01 1:16

We've been saying my dear hearts.

SPEAKER_02 1:18

Like that's give us credit for the phone.

SPEAKER_03 1:20

No, like our game calls may not have been the most accurate all the time. But we were like the only people who I was reading who consistently were like, no, it's gonna be a good thing. Of course it's gonna be AZ. Of course it's gonna be Azy.

SPEAKER_01 1:34

It was never gonna be anybody else. Like remember the Olivia Miles number one. Like that's like crazy. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_02 1:40

That is and Olivia Miles is so good, but it was just not she was never gonna go number one if Dallas was picking because why would she we have to do that? And this is why Oh, sorry.

SPEAKER_01 1:49

Oh, I was gonna say, like, I feel like we also agreed with the justification, at least of like, yeah, like Olivia Miles will go higher. Yeah. Yeah. And then she went number two. Yeah. Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 1:59

I think, and we called a lot of people from UCLA. We were talking about how much their draft stock had risen.

SPEAKER_01 2:06

And then they're all days went down.

SPEAKER_03 2:07

And they all went in the first round. Yeah. So I didn't know.

SPEAKER_01 2:10

Kudos to the pre-rep pod.

SPEAKER_03 2:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 2:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:12

Kudos to us. Yeah. We did well in that regard. Finally.

SPEAKER_02 2:17

Finally, for once. So just just gives us credibility for this episode.

SPEAKER_03 2:23

Where we have some things to say.

SPEAKER_02 2:25

Yeah. Well, do you want to start off with our part? It's like a three-party.

SPEAKER_03 2:29

We have a three-part, and the first part is I guess I'll talk about that. Um the AZ draft disrespect makes me feel like I am being gaslit or insane people. I'm just like 100%. Okay. And this is coming from like, it feels like all sides. It's like, yeah, I've heard journalists say on like on podcasts, certain journalists say like crazy things that make I'm just like, are we not looking at the same data? Yeah. Like what's going on right now? Yeah. You literally cannot convince me that a player with a 45% three-point shooting percentage with a bottom five three-point shooting team with a number. Being drafted to a bottom five three-point shooting team is a bad move. You literally can't convince me of that. Like it, I just think that this idea, okay, sure, you could say like I mean, I guess the argument has been like they needed a big or what?

SPEAKER_00 3:37

Yeah, but they got that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And this is my second point.

SPEAKER_03 3:41

Okay, so A fam, like this is the other player that everyone's talking about. First of all, she didn't even go second, she went third. Okay. Which all respect to her, but like you can't convince me that taking the two best defensive power forwards in the entire league is a worse move than taking a rookie power forward in the draft. Yeah, right. Right.

SPEAKER_02 4:08

It's crazy. And it was clear that that was what they're always trying to do. And then when they made the decision, it's like and also kind of we called that.

SPEAKER_01 4:16

We were like, they should bring in a veteran big and draft AZ number one. Yes. It's harder to like adjust as a big in the league than it is as a guard.

SPEAKER_02 4:26

And clearly Minnesota agrees, and Minnesota doesn't even have a front court as a bigger. Right, because their front court got taken by Dallas. But and they still took Olivia Miles.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Because she's the second, at least, I mean we'll see, but the second best take in the draft. Right. That's what you want. Right.

SPEAKER_03 4:44

Right. And if they really needed players at that position, well, apparently the greatest player that's ever lived is sitting right next to Olivia Miles. Why didn't they take her? I'm sorry. Like I'm just I and I'm not saying that I think Awa Fama's gonna be bad in the W at all. I think she's gonna be a good player. I think she's a great pick. I think I'm just confused by this like idea that AZ's not good at basketball.

SPEAKER_01 5:11

I feel like this is like people put a lot of draft stock into like the tournament. Yeah. And I don't think AZ played that well in the tournament. But I think at least to me, like I think a good showing in the tournament definitely helps your draft stock. But I also don't think a bad showing with the like resume that AZ has necessarily affects your draft stock. You're talking about like a national champion.

SPEAKER_03 5:40

Like exactly. Who also she like her last two games of the tournament definitely were not her best games. I'm sure she would agree with that. Right, of course. But she also scored 35 points in the second round.

SPEAKER_01 5:50

And also she didn't have to play that much this season because they were so good. You know, like I don't I don't think we even saw like her full ceiling this season. Of course.

SPEAKER_03 6:00

No, so I I'm just like I think that it's just crazy. Like it is crazy, and and I I'm like confused by it just makes me feel like everyone's looking at a different stat sheet than me.

SPEAKER_02 6:17

Yeah, or there's something deeper going on because why are we actually?

SPEAKER_03 6:20

We can talk about yeah, because I mean, is there anything else we want to say about it?

SPEAKER_02 6:25

No, it's just we she was a clear number. She wasn't, it wasn't like Lear's Password, there's like a clear number one, but it was clear coming into this draft on Monday that she was going to be the number one pick of this class. Because of the free agency moves, yeah. Free agency moves. Why would you choose a point guard when you have Pai? Right. You don't need a ball handler like that, and you need a three-point shooter. Why would you not choose one that's tragic?

SPEAKER_01 6:47

Every day, like it's you bring in these bigs. I think that it was really smart of Dallas, to be honest. Me too. I'm really impressed with their free agency. Right.

SPEAKER_03 6:56

Me too. And I also think it's weird that like out of nowhere, all of a sudden, people are being like, you shouldn't take shooters first.

SPEAKER_02 7:04

She was always in conversations to be a projected top pick. Right, it's like this is not new.

SPEAKER_03 7:09

Like, I'm sorry, Caitlin Clark, no one was saying, Oh, but she's a shooter.

SPEAKER_01 7:13

You pretty you like you really shouldn't take her first in the draft. To be fair, I think that like Paige and Caitlin are like are like generational like base of the league type picks, and I don't know if AZ is that, but I still agree with you. I'm like to just She's WMBA ready, which is like I don't think you can necessarily say that about other picks that even went in the first round. Yes, you know.

SPEAKER_03 7:36

I would yes, like I don't know. I I'm just like I find that weird.

SPEAKER_01 7:41

I find it weird. Well, I think it's tied into something deeper other things that we wanted to talk about in the episode.

SPEAKER_03 7:48

Yeah, it takes us to section two.

SPEAKER_01 7:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 7:51

Lucy, would you like to get us started off?

SPEAKER_02 7:54

Yeah, we okay, press conference, or what do you mean just like the I think press conference?

SPEAKER_03 7:59

Press conference.

SPEAKER_02 7:59

Well, this press conference. Like this morning, like the day that we're recording this, so it's like fresh info, but like I feel like my opinion is pretty clear to me. Right, right. But there was a introductory press conference this morning, and you know Specifically for Daisy, right? Like she shows up looking amazing. Yeah, yeah, mind you, okay, and the pink cowboy boots. Her fits this whole week have been crazy.

SPEAKER_03 8:25

Like, she's the second dress that she wore at the draft was to die for. I'm literally like, I don't have words for it. Like she looked really good. Incredible. Yeah, she looked incredible.

SPEAKER_02 8:35

The number one pick for sure. Um but she had her introductory press conference, which is it was just her. Like last year it was like a page in all the number one first draft picks, but maybe they didn't have they only had one other, so I don't know. This one was all easy. Yeah, it was all easy. This was all easy, it was like pinked out, right? Like they had all the princess decorations up. Like it was clearly like her like welcome to Dallas. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:00

So sweet.

SPEAKER_02 9:00

Yeah, yeah, it was cute. But unfortunately, that's not the story. No, okay, so one of the questions was from I think it was a porter from the Dallas Morning News, and he asked her um about her relationship with Paige, and the wording the the beginning of the question was a little bit off. He was like, oh, like you guys, let me see if I can find the exactly the male reporter saying the weirdest shit. Oh, I can't even read this, like it makes me cringe. Like you have to. Okay, but he said Paige announced last year on TikTok that y'all were a couple, and I'm wondering if that's still the case. First of all, I think the first half kind of unnecessary. But I don't like the phrasing is bad. And then he said, have y'all, if so, have y'all if so, have y'all talked to any other couples in the league about how they nav negotiate, surely he meant navigate that dynamic as pro teammates. I don't think the question is okay, we can get into that, I guess. But yeah, I don't yeah the basically the the reaction from has been crazy. I got like notifications immediately from ESPN. Oh no no wait, no, no, no, wait, wait, because she doesn't answer because the wings PR person steps in and is like, we're not he said I or the PR person said, I understand like why you're asking, but we're gonna not answer questions about um our players like personal lives, right? And that was that. And then the internet everything exploded blew up blew up today. Notifications from the athletic ESPN from ESPN and all the time all the notifications are saying Wings PR like shoots down question about relations like Paige and Nasi's relationship.

SPEAKER_03 10:40

Right, yeah, and then we see two very extreme reactions on the internet on the internet, which is a bunch of reporters being like, anyone's allowed to ask any question they want, or like this is a fair question. And then everybody reacting to and then there's fans who are like, it is this is totally inappropriate.

SPEAKER_02 11:01

Like they should never be asked personal questions.

SPEAKER_03 11:03

No one should ever be asked personal questions, they should fire the reporter that asks the questions. And I think that like obviously we're all journalists sitting here.

SPEAKER_02 11:14

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 11:14

And like I think that there are two things that can be true, which is that it's fair to ask a question. You have to ask that question. If an athlete is dating their teammate, it is fair to ask questions about that.

SPEAKER_01 11:29

That's your job.

SPEAKER_03 11:30

It's your job to ask a question. What are we talking about? Also, AZ doesn't have to answer it.

SPEAKER_01 11:36

I think it's a really bad look for the wings to see. I think you let AZ answer by herself and be like, I decline to comment.

SPEAKER_02 11:44

I'm not gonna talk about that right now, but thank you for your question. On the orange carpet, like she's been asked a bunch of times, like, oh, what's it gonna be like playing with Paige again? And she has a good answer. She's like, oh, like it's exciting. Like, we know each other, we know each other's style of play, like it'll be great. Like that question, that answer, and then you're done. And it's and then they can't ask you anymore.

SPEAKER_03 12:05

Yeah, and like we as journalists know that if you ask a question again and again and you keep getting the same canned PR answer every time, well, you're gonna stop asking. No, no, no, you mean her answer. Yeah. Like if I'm asking a question about her personal life every time, and every time it's like, yeah, we know each other's style of play really well, happy to be in the same way. Yeah, you stop asking that's the answer. That's the answer. You stop asking.

SPEAKER_01 12:28

You know that's all you're gonna get.

SPEAKER_03 12:29

If if you ask a question and you don't get an answer, you have to you have to keep asking.

SPEAKER_02 12:35

Or everybody's gonna or it blows up into this situation, right?

SPEAKER_03 12:39

Right. And so I totally agree with you, Catherine. It's like I think, first of all, as a PR professional, it is literally your job to know how people are going to react if you're not.

SPEAKER_01 12:50

It makes it a way bigger deal to like interfere instead of just like letting that situation play out like how it's supposed to. Yeah. It wouldn't, I don't think it would have been I'm sure maybe people would be talking about it on Twitter. Yeah. Or maybe there would be like ESPN comments, but I think the headline of like all these like Wings PR stuff is so different than like easy fud gives like cheeky response, or like easy fudge like even like declines to comment. Like I think that's different. Right.

SPEAKER_03 13:17

Right. And I think also like something that maybe we haven't talked that much about on the pod, but like together we've talked about is like first of all, people's like parasocial obsession with Paige and Aisy's relationship is is uh takes like two sides, which is like there's some people who want to know every single detail to the point where it's disrespectful.

SPEAKER_01 13:44

Yeah, it's because they're fans, because they're fans, right?

SPEAKER_03 13:46

And then there's like this other camp of people who think that like any question or any acknowledgement that they're in a romantic relationship is disrespectful. And I think that like that both are just totally ridiculous.

SPEAKER_02 14:04

Yeah, there's like no middle ground, right? Right. Like hello. I feel like also, I don't know, they're professional athletes. Like Aisy's not uh in college anymore, she's not being protected by like the athletic department. Like she's got a professional athlete, and it's you're going to be asked questions like that. Like, she's not like a kid, like she can answer and just be like, oh no, I don't want to answer that.

SPEAKER_01 14:25

She has her own publicist that's preparing her for the city.

SPEAKER_02 14:27

She has her own public. She's fine. Like she is yeah, she's fine.

SPEAKER_03 14:30

She's a pro these are professional athletes, and people are people ask people about their relationships with other people, and like they are in a unique position being teammates, but I just don't think but that's why I think that like okay, maybe at one point, like if they're like underage or like in college, okay, maybe it's not really appropriate to ask about a college student's personal life. But now they're a part of a business. It's gonna happen, a franchised organization, and they're in a romantic relationship.

SPEAKER_01 15:02

They're athletes and they're celebrities and they're like public figures and their brands, and they're like obviously you're gonna ask about that. I think the other side of it too, with all the like Des Bryant tweeting, yeah, is like they have to answer these questions. It's like no, like they don't have to answer these questions, but they have to be asked these questions because that's the journalist's job.

SPEAKER_02 15:25

Yeah. Right. And there's an under like I think what people like just general the general public.

SPEAKER_03 15:30

But the lay public doesn't understand.

SPEAKER_02 15:32

Journalists are going to ask this qu these questions, it's their job. And the the players are media trained to be able to say, like, we don't want to answer that, or like, or like give some super basic response, and the reporter takes that and writes that down, but you have to ask and give them the platform.

SPEAKER_03 15:48

There's always so much speculation about them, and like this is a whole other and that's like the whole other part of this conversation, which is like I I mean the the discourse the obsession discourse around their relationship is also like this is why we're getting answers or like getting PR people stepping in. Yeah. Is because like obviously they're not like a super they're not like they're a public couple, but they're not like actively trying to be public.

SPEAKER_02 16:21

They're keeping it private. Right.

SPEAKER_03 16:23

Like they're they're not what do they say, like private, not a secret? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. But but like that's honestly like how they operate. How they're operating, which is super So fair.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

Yeah. So fair.

SPEAKER_03 16:36

I mean, that's how it's like you don't want to pretend like you're not in a relationship with someone because that's disrespectful. But to air out your personal lives to everyone else is like it's it really is not our business, and that's fine.

SPEAKER_01 16:49

I think the stakes are also different also with also what we were talking about before we hopped on the pod. Now that they're on the same team, and now that they're both like it's crazy when you think about it that the two back-to-back number one picks are dating.

SPEAKER_02 17:03

No, it's it is a story, obviously they're gonna act.

SPEAKER_01 17:06

It's a story, but it's like their lives, and it definitely changes, I'm sure, the way that they want to be public with their relationship and the way that they want to present their relationship to the world. So I think they are keeping it like more under wraps than they were before. Of course. And yeah, but I think you can ask about it, and that is still be respectful. I think it's not disrespecting their relationship.

SPEAKER_02 17:30

The problem with the reporter to me is I think his question is fair, like and it will be asked like over and over again.

SPEAKER_03 17:37

And also it's a it's a thoughtful question. It was pretty yeah, I think. Have you reached out to any other couples in the league to like ask advice? Like an interesting thing.

SPEAKER_01 17:47

And that's also an interesting question to like because that is a thing in the WBA. Yes. What is it? I can't imagine like what it would be like to play on a team with my partner.

SPEAKER_02 17:55

The public wants to know, so they're gonna all be talking about it, so it's the reporter's job. Like the reporter doesn't work for AZ, he works for the public and like who's reading. Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 18:03

That's what I also think like the normal people don't exist within media. I don't think they understand that.

SPEAKER_01 18:09

Like I feel like it has its own set of like social rules that norms, the way that like you operate in a press conference. Right. And it's what we talk about a lot in class. In class. You can ask questions. Yeah. It's not a good idea.

SPEAKER_03 18:24

And it's also what the celebrities are being told before they go step in front of a mic.

SPEAKER_02 18:30

Right. Also, with but with that, like I in our classes, like we'll like watch press conferences and be like, is this an appropriate time to ask a question? Right. That being this all being said, I don't think it was an appropriate time for this particular question to be asked necessarily. Like in our celebratory press conference, it's not like a normal like media availability. It was just kind of like you're number one, like welcome to Dallas. I feel like that question could be saved for like less of a when it's not like all on her.

SPEAKER_01 18:56

Maybe like training camps, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 18:58

Like sleeping low, more low-key, because this puts her on the spot, and that's like it's just not the right time to ask the question. So I think it was a bad time to ask the question, but the question itself isn't bad at going to be asked over and over again. I feel like answers.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

The nature of everything that they were trying to avoid about with AZ's draft type and going number one and what you guys were saying about the fact that Paige didn't even show up to the draft to give AZ the space.

SPEAKER_03 19:24

So like the the press conference of which fair is like she was at the draft, she just wasn't sitting at her table. Which was that's the other thing that I have a problem with is I'm like this obsession with like where is Paige? And like, did she go to AZ's after party? And why isn't she sitting at the table? And it's like obviously Paige just wants her to have her moment. Right. And the reason she's like not right there next to her the whole time is because the narrative is already that the only reason she's going number one to that organization is because her girlfriend is there and wants her there. Which is so much. Which is so disrespectful.

SPEAKER_01 20:00

And also kind of like, obviously, like we know the the the what why Ais got drafted, how good she is, but also like when even if I were to see them sitting next to each other as she got drafted, like you're kind of like, now that's the story.

SPEAKER_03 20:14

Yeah, like and also like I I I want to be like very clear. I don't even think that like Paige advocating to have AZ drafted number one. I don't think that discounts AZ's talent at all. And actually, I would have I it's like getting a wreck. But she let her wreck that she went to the organization and was like, hey, like you all are gonna do what you think is best. I really would like to play with AZ. They play so well together, they play so well together.

SPEAKER_02 20:45

That's just a fact. Right.

SPEAKER_03 20:47

And so I'm like, I'm like, it's not insane. I and that's another thing I've I've seen people like freaking out every time like someone is just willing to like point out that, like, yeah, if Dallas wants to keep Paige and they want to keep her happy, it's totally fine for them to bring in her partner who also happens to be one of the best basketball players in the country. Like, I don't think why would they not do that? Why would they not do that? I don't think it's like disrespectful to acknowledge both. It's like, yeah, multiple things are true.

SPEAKER_02 21:18

Well, like all of these things are true at the same time, and people can't people can't like grapple with that. Like there can only be one thing. Like, no, there's so many things. Marketing, they're gonna be incredible for marketing. Yes, teams are looking at this and are factoring this and like look at all the stuff that they had waiting for AZ. Like they were pushing out the content, like it's about growing your team, it's about getting what you need, which was a three point shooter.

SPEAKER_03 21:43

Right. Like, hello. I just it yeah, it I I think the whole thing is ridiculous and and I think that I I I think it's just like insane to me. I I get frustrated with with like the Twitter conversation of like Everything uh that anyone does is taken to its most extreme, which is like if you even acknowledge that like yeah, it's within Paige's best interest and AZ's best interest and the Dallas's best interest interest uh oh my god and Dallas's best interest because they are a couple and want to be in the same place for them to draft, like I don't understand how acknowledging that that is also true is is in is in disrespectful.

SPEAKER_01 22:27

The problem with social media and the general public's response is none of those spaces and usually and the general public it doesn't contain nuances. Like Twitter is not a place for gray area, it's a place for extremely strong takes in one direction or the other. Like nobody can read between the lines of the fact that oh, like why can't all of these things are true?

SPEAKER_02 22:49

All of these things are true. Yeah. Like, yeah, no. And it's just kind of sad. But it is still like a really exciting thing I'm sure like in real life right now, Izzy's lit. Like she's having fun, she's in Dallas. I really hope so. She I think like I mean I think she doesn't have social media on her phone. Delete it. I'm not sure that she's gonna be like, I hope she doesn't fucking delete it.

SPEAKER_01 23:09

I'm not sure they don't give a fk, yeah, a damn, to be honest. Like, I hope not. I mean I hope to god. And the th and here's the thing like all that's left to do is to get on the court and show them why you're the number. Exactly. I don't think that that's like too tall of an order for her to do.

SPEAKER_03 23:24

I think there's another layer of this conversation that's not being talked about because especially with some of the like Paige Azy Paisy stands, like a lot of them are younger, they haven't been watching the league maybe as long as like other fans have. But it's like Paige and Azy are not the first couple to be in the league.

SPEAKER_01 23:46

It's and I they won't be the last.

SPEAKER_03 23:48

No, they're not no, like there's and there are a lot of couples who have won chips together. Honestly, Courtney Vanderston and uh Quigley for some.

SPEAKER_01 24:02

I don't know. Allie Quigley together yet. Yes. Were they? Penny and DT, they won three together. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:08

And then Duana Bonner and AT have won a chip together. Last year, Dawana Bonner went to AT's team in the middle of the finals. Yes, they went to the finals together. So I mean this is not a crazy thing.

SPEAKER_03 24:18

This is not the idea that like people in the league are gonna be in relationships together, like I don't know. Like, that's that's just the that's the nature of the league.

SPEAKER_01 24:29

And like this is not the platform to talk about it in the same way as they do now.

SPEAKER_03 24:34

And also, like, obviously, it was a much more like hot topic, like a coup like maybe 10 years ago. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:41

So I it's just I don't know, it's just I feel like it's also a little bit, I don't want to generalize, but I feel like the fans that are obsessed with this are usually queer people. And it's to them, it's like it's the weird parasocial thing where it's like they see themselves in these couples and feel like they can like speak on it. So in a way, it's like they're like, oh, this is my community. Like there's like uh maybe some of it's evil, but like there is a good-natured sense of it where it's like this, like I see this person in me, and that's why I want to be able to talk about it. And right, like this is a part of my identity or makes me feel grounded in my identity, and people like latch on, but I I I mean I don't think it's necessarily healthy, but no, I think you're right.

SPEAKER_03 25:25

Yeah. And I but I just feel like this idea that like no one should acknowledge that. That's just not gonna happen. Like, no. And it's and it's ridiculous. And isn't that just like putting queer people back in the closet?

SPEAKER_01 25:38

Like, literally.

SPEAKER_03 25:40

Like, I I don't understand.

SPEAKER_01 25:41

I feel like drawing so much attention to it too is almost making them have to be so private, right?

SPEAKER_03 25:46

Exactly. I'm like the they they want to be able to live their lives, they don't want to have to deal with like insane discourse on the internet, which unfortunately they have to deal with all the time. And it's like, I guess in this day and age, that's just impossible.

SPEAKER_01 26:00

I was gonna say, it reminds me a little bit of like the way that like Caitlin, the Caitlin media storm was where it was like everything she said, whether good or bad, and like obviously I have my opinions about her in general, but like everything was taken to be extreme. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 26:18

Everyone had an extreme opinion on either side. I think it's also just like as the W grows, like there's always the pe it's but it was said during the Caitlin, like height of the Caitlin phenomenon, where it was like there's these growing pains of like new fans coming in, new eyes on the W that weren't there, whether or not they're people who are like become like I don't know, people from all like identities being fans, like we're talking about Dave Pornoy earlier, like Dave Pornoy like interjecting, like all these other people are now having an opinion which amplifies it, and it's like a good thing that it's growing, right? And but you're going to have to deal with like these opinions that you don't agree with all the time, and like that's just sports, that's just a professional sport. Yeah. Yeah. And the sports journalists have to ask you this question. Right. Yeah. If he didn't ask that question, his editor's gonna be like, Hello, this is like the biggest story. I know. And that you don't have to answer it as a player, and they AI can be like, I'm not answering that question.

SPEAKER_03 27:15

Yeah, like I'm not gonna answer that right now. Like, not yeah, I don't think that's important. I'm not gonna this is not the time. That's a totally fair answer. Yeah. But the PR person stepping in and being like, No, we are not going to talk about personal life.

SPEAKER_02 27:28

Because now it's like people are gonna be like, oh, like Aisy don't want to talk about it.

SPEAKER_01 27:31

And now it's like a little bit like she can't fight her own battle. Right.

SPEAKER_03 27:35

Yeah, I I don't, I just it's just was poorly handled by the organization. Yeah, I agree. And it just extrapolated, like, or maybe not that's not the word. It like exacerbated exacerbated. Oh my god. I'm like, yeah, thank you so much. It's exacerbated the situation that was already getting out of hand from the draft.

SPEAKER_01 27:55

Like, I don't know. It's just yeah, I do think they're prepared to like to handle it. Have you did media trained? They are uh page uh interview with TMZ when she was like walking to it. Like I'm like, she's she's a pro. Yeah, she is.

SPEAKER_03 28:11

It's like have you seen any big spiders in Australia? She's like just fine, like or also like ha them trying to get her to comment on the geno situation. She's like, I mean, yeah, it's uh it's unfortunate. I'm not the person that has to like for yeah, like this isn't really my thing. I know.

SPEAKER_02 28:25

It's like they can they're given this platform, they're asked this question, they can handle it, like, and make it go which direction they want. Like their answer will determine what the narrative is, and people on the internet will maybe take it out of context or put whatever they want onto it, but like they have that moment to like say what they want and like put their opinion out there. Because right now I feel like so many people on the internet are like, she thinks this, she thinks this, like they feel this way. I'm like, did they say that? And no one said anything. Like they don't know. It's just like this crazy discourse of like fans and people being like putting, I don't know, projecting onto them what they think they feel.

SPEAKER_03 29:02

I know. And it's also like they can't win. I mean, like no. Like you and we've talked about this. It's like, okay, at one point last season, Paige was wearing a necklace with an A on it, and it was seen on on TV. It was put on the jumbo truck. It was put on the jumbo truck. Literally, everyone was freaking out. And so then she never we never saw her wear it again. It's like because you guys can't be normal. No, people can't be normal.

SPEAKER_01 29:29

Now she can't wear like a fucking necklace with her girlfriend's initial on it. Like, that sucks. I know.

SPEAKER_03 29:34

I'm like, that's I just it's so unfair. And it's like it's just I don't understand why we can't just like be normal. Like sometimes, like we were talking about this. We're like, sometimes you guys just need to like get out of your room, like walk around outside, breathe some air, like feel the breeze on your skin.

SPEAKER_01 29:50

Like on the other side of the spectrum, though, it is like, yeah, let's not like put that on the jumbotron. Let's not analyze like every part of her wardrobe. Let's just ask it in press conference and then she can decline it if she wants. That's what it is. That's why we are here.

SPEAKER_02 30:11

We literally let us do our job.

SPEAKER_03 30:14

Yeah, stop thinking out and we will handle it anytime.

SPEAKER_02 30:21

And I mean, some journalists are not like not inappropriate to have to ask that question, but we're not gonna be able to do it. And then we've a bad vision.

SPEAKER_03 30:28

Should I say the name? We can cut this out.

SPEAKER_02 30:30

What? Sarah Spain. Oh, Sarah Spain, and you better. Yeah, I mean, that's inappropriate. That was inappropriate and irrelevant, like not irrelevant speculation. That's just also clearly not the case. I know.

SPEAKER_03 30:44

It's just like I like so obviously there are cases where there's there are many cases where where journalists are like out of line.

SPEAKER_02 30:53

Right, right. I'm just this in my like is a professional athlete and she's gonna have to answer so many questions in her career. Right. And she's prepared. She is prepared. She knows her.

SPEAKER_01 31:04

Yeah, she's so smart. She's so smart. She's not gonna care for her. They're both.

SPEAKER_03 31:10

And she did like what? She graduated early and has like two graduate degrees now or something like that. Yeah, she knows. Or like at least one graduate degree. I don't know. But like she's really smart. Like, she's fine. Yeah. We don't need to be like How dare you? Yeah, like she's Oh my god, you're making it worse. I know, and so I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 31:28

It's blown up into this crazy thing.

SPEAKER_03 31:30

That is let's and let's say it. Because guess what? We're still not talking about basketball.

SPEAKER_01 31:36

True.

SPEAKER_03 31:37

It's like this is what I come back to every time. It's like it's why I didn't really want to talk about the Gino Dawn situation too much in the last pod. It's like every time something happens in women's sports, it's like we're only talking about all this crap, and we're not like we had an entire episode planned where we like didn't really where we talked about like okay, some of the discourse about easy going number one, but we didn't talk about any of the stuff with all the other stuff, and now this happens, and we have to. Yeah, and we don't get to talk about the fact that Flager was traded in the middle of the draft, which was a crazy trade.

SPEAKER_01 32:14

Yeah, that is crazy. The other part that's sad is kind of like this is all used as discourse for people that don't watch the the W to continue to justify why they don't watch the W.

SPEAKER_03 32:27

Oh my god, and I'm so happy even worse.

SPEAKER_02 32:30

So, oh, it's just drama, it's just like people dating each other on their teams, like what?

SPEAKER_03 32:36

Which like I I'm I'll be the first to admit, yeah, that was that's a draw for me. That was a huge draw for me. It's so fun, but like it's not the only thing that's there. It's like all these things are true at the same time. Like, which again can apparently cannot wrap their head around that.

SPEAKER_02 32:51

There's no nuance ever, literally ever.

SPEAKER_03 32:54

Okay, like I think that that was really good, and I think that we've said it all.

SPEAKER_02 32:58

Yeah, I think so too.

SPEAKER_03 32:59

Yeah, overall. Okay, final takeaways, just be normal, you guys.

SPEAKER_02 33:03

The normal reporters have to do their job and and let them athletes and let them and athletes have their job to do, and they know how to handle the reporters. And there are some freakish reporters. This was a normal question. Maybe at the not the right time. At the wrong time, wrong time for sure.

SPEAKER_03 33:19

Not at the right time, but it was a very respectful within bounds question.

SPEAKER_02 33:23

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:25

Okay. Hopefully, next week we'll be able to talk more about other stuff.

SPEAKER_01 33:30

Yeah. That said, I think that Paige, AZ, Arique, Jessica Shepard. Wow, this team is. I think they're gonna be it's gonna be a great season.

SPEAKER_03 33:38

I'm so excited to watch this team. Yeah, I think they made great moves in the offseason, and I think they're they're gonna be in great shape. Yeah, number one pick. Two number one picks in a row.

SPEAKER_02 33:47

Two number one picks in a row, two great picks.

SPEAKER_01 33:50

Like signing people, Arique taking less money to have to build this team.

SPEAKER_03 33:56

I have so much respect for her.

SPEAKER_01 33:58

So much loyal.

SPEAKER_02 33:59

She's loyal to the program. Loyal, loyal to the program.

SPEAKER_03 34:04

Free Arique, and she's clearly willing to stand on business when she has to.

SPEAKER_02 34:07

Yeah, she's I don't know what happened.

SPEAKER_03 34:11

I just know she wasn't wrong.

SPEAKER_01 34:13

She's right to punch that man.

SPEAKER_03 34:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:16

Oh man. Yeah, I'm like, are the wings a contender? Yeah. Hello. I I would be thrilled if they were.

SPEAKER_03 34:24

Yeah, I'm a big fan.

SPEAKER_02 34:26

You and you know they're gonna work so hard.

SPEAKER_03 34:28

Like, again, I'm like champions together. Yes, and they're and they're so hardworking well respected in in like their work ethic and how they keep the first thing, the first thing. Yeah, like they're professional, they were in college, they are gonna be.

SPEAKER_02 34:43

So they're like really equipped to handle all this media like craziness, also. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 34:47

But it's unfortunate that they had to like deal with it. But they're equipped to, like, they're grown adults.

SPEAKER_01 34:53

Maybe it's also fuel, you know. Like maybe it's kind of like we need to have the level of play be so high that that's the conversation. That's the conversation.

SPEAKER_03 35:01

Yeah, yeah. And no one can dispute what we've already done.

SPEAKER_02 35:05

Yeah. Literally proven, tried and true winners, but okay. All right. Anyway. That's that's the That's the AZ.

SPEAKER_03 35:14

That's the AZ episode.

SPEAKER_02 35:15

Shout out AZ looking incredible all week. Yeah, but we gotta do a whole episode about that.

SPEAKER_03 35:20

Yeah, just outfits. God, she's looked so good. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:23

Next week we'll we'll have more I feel like draft analysis and training camp will have started. Yeah, it'll be exciting.

SPEAKER_02 35:29

We'll be rolling for these teams. Yeah. Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_01 35:31

All right.

SPEAKER_02 35:32

Bye.

SPEAKER_01 35:33

Peace.