She Calls it Tes Sawyer & Clynch

We trade Saturday takes with Tes Sawyer on why Texas softball feels like it’s entering a new era and why college baseball hits different when you’re packed in at Disch-Falk Field. Then we pivot to the loudest kind of offseason drama, breaking down how Texas Tech and Sark turn a slow news cycle into a full-on PR fight before ending on a needed dose of summer optimism. 

• Texas softball’s back-to-back title run and the case for a new dynasty 
• Tegan Kavan’s historic Most Outstanding Player repeat and why it matters 
• Mike White’s program-building track record and what’s next after the seniors 
• Texas baseball’s regional surge and the unmatched energy at the Dish 
• Why super regionals and small-town hosts still feel like pure Americana 
• Texas Tech’s marketing play, Sark’s schedule comment, and how narratives get manufactured 
• Finding “something good” after a hard season and leaning into summer 

Be sure to follow us on each of our social media platforms 
Use that man cave, uh, that promo code MAN Cave All One Word for 20% off your purchase

Transcript

AI Surprise And Sponsor Shoutouts

SPEAKER_06 0:43

Isn't that amazing what you can do with AI these days? That's one of the positive results of AI. I am Sean Clint, the host of Stories Inside the Medicaid, and the co-host, the other half of She Calls It, brought to you by Spirit Dress. Of course, the VIP of these series is the Test Sawyer. And happy Saturday to you! And we are going to get her take, three topics, including, let's get Tess to talk about the dynasty that's building in Austin, Texas with UT Softball. Hey, before we get rolling, I have to give a shout out to my guy, Dave Ramirez, for any weekend, and especially to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday. You need to go visit him to take care of your beverage meat. Are you playing a night in or hosting the crew? Hey, don't stress about running out of grass drink. My friend, Dave Romer, over at Northwest Hills Liquor has completely covered. They will literally bring the party right to your door with fast delivery. Remember, you must be at least 21 years of age to order. So go check them out. Northwest Hills Liquor, where you're a guest, not a customer. Let's get

Catching Up With Tess And Luna

SPEAKER_06 2:08

it rolling. We can't wait to see what Tess thinks and what her opinions are on three very important matters. A hookup? What does that mean?

SPEAKER_03 2:42

I don't know. They didn't have any hookups, man. That was the coolest.

SPEAKER_06 2:48

We're gonna talk a little Tennessee. It's it's been a while. It's so good to see you. You're you're on uh it looks like you're in Mayberry, North Carolina on a patio.

SPEAKER_03 2:57

Uh I wish. I'm in my uh I'm in my back patio, um, which is very treehouse-esque with with my two dogs. I had three. We will we will do a little. Um, I lost my beloved Luna, but um think about her every day. I'm lucky to have two other dogs. So yeah, so we're just hanging out here enjoying our Saturday.

SPEAKER_06 3:22

Luna was a beautiful soul. That's all I could say.

SPEAKER_03 3:25

She was, she was, and uh, she is up in heaven uh frolicking in tulips, I believe, right now is what I always imagined her doing. Oh, you know damn well she is with all of the other beautiful uh puppies and kitties that we all just love so much, so they're all up there just having a good old time. So I will see her again one day.

Spirit Dress Picks And Promo Code

SPEAKER_06 3:52

But but first we have to give a shout out to our girl, Marcia Black, in spirit dress, man. What an amazing company she has built, and it's for it keeps the ladies in mind with fanfare from several universities, not just the University of Texas, but uh she also does seasonal wear. Uh, the 4th of July is coming up, and she has a specific Fourth of July blouse shirt theme for that 4th of July Independence Day celebration, the nation's America's 250th birthday. Tell us a little bit more about Mercer and Spirit Dress and that Fourth of July theme, sure.

SPEAKER_03 4:35

Well, I mean, Mercer has obviously you can see in these photos, great outfits for the ladies, shirts, dresses. Even if you're not a lady, you want to buy a gift for your wife, your mother, your aunt, your daughter. Um, great stuff. And it's really cool. Like you said, it's not just game day stuff. She has a real cool red, white, and blue collection. Great for barbecues or pull parties or anything like that. So check it out. She's got great stuff. You're probably gonna see me sporting some of it at baseball games and definitely at football games this year.

SPEAKER_06 5:08

Yeah, you will, and use that man cave, uh, that promo code MAN Cave All One Word for 20% off your purchase. That promo code MAN Cave spiritdress.com. Check out the selection. We're about to drop uh a 4th of July promo for her shirt for Spirit Dress and Mercer Black. Uh, she's also a significant, devoted, passionate Texas fan. But she has she is not afraid to promote Texas Tech, Red Raider Nation, TCU, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, all of them. There's so many fan bases that she caters to. Spiritdress.com use the promo code MAN Cave. All right, before we get it rolling, start getting Tess's takes on here on She Calls It. Be sure to follow us on each of our social media platforms and tell and tell the fine folks, Tess, what's so special about subscribing to our YouTube page?

SPEAKER_03 6:02

Uh, you get to see me. And it's free, and it's free.

SPEAKER_05 6:08

She calls it. All right, Tess. What's

Is Texas Softball A Dynasty

SPEAKER_05 6:15

the significance?

SPEAKER_06 6:16

Uh, you call it on this Texas softball program. Texas Tech, they've been in the news a lot with Texas offseason. We'll get to that here a little bit. What's your take on all this? That they they took two or three from tech last year, and Texas swept them this year. What is this? What what does this mean? Is this a new dynasty in college softball?

SPEAKER_03 6:42

I have dogs.

SPEAKER_06 6:44

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 6:45

Um, it I hope it's a new dynasty. I think for a long time Oklahoma was the dynasty. Um and um we we finally are in there. I think Tegan Kavan is a force to be reckoned with. Um, you know, uh, you know, it was beautiful hearing her say that she played for Reese Wood. Um and to see those seniors out there, I mean, i if that doesn't make you emotional, then I don't know what does. It was uh these girls so talented, losing their first game and then coming back. I mean, they literally had every card stacked against them and they did it. So, you know, uh it gives us all hope when you think nothing's possible, that everything's possible. So I it was a joy to watch. I'm so proud of those girls and and way to go.

SPEAKER_06 7:42

Yeah. Well, speaking of Tegan Kavan, I I think the one thing that's really cool about her, not only did Texas win back-to-back national championship, Tegan achieved something that is pretty significant and the queen. Yeah, the queen of uh coverage of the WCWS, Holly Rowe brought it up.

SPEAKER_01 8:04

Done something tonight that's never been done in Texas history, a back-to-back championship, but you've done something that's never been done before. A back-to-back most outstanding player. How do you wrap your mind around that, Tegan?

SPEAKER_00 8:14

Oh, it's hard, but it's a team, it's a team thing. It's Coach VR, it's coach wide, it's all of our coaches. It's all these girls aren't here, and I'm just so happy, and I'm so proud to be a longhorn.

SPEAKER_06 8:24

Proud to be a longhorn.

SPEAKER_03 8:26

Uh we're proud you're a longhorn too, Tegan.

SPEAKER_06 8:29

That's that's un that's unbelievable what they've achieved in OKC. And you know, this year, I thought honestly, is this is this gonna be a rebuilding year? Kind of.

SPEAKER_03 8:40

I mean, uh, you know, it I feel like we're on the way to that. I mean, this is a this is an incredible program. Um love our coach.

SPEAKER_06 8:51

Mike White, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:52

Yeah, from Australia, who I don't know if you know this, but he was the coach of the Oregon softball. Oh, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 9:00

He built that program. So when he was when he was there, I got to see him build that. They they came to Norman one year when I was covering OU.

SPEAKER_03 9:09

Uh-huh. Uh-huh. So really neat guy. And he never leaves an interview without saying hookup. I don't know if you've noticed that either. But uh neat guy.

SPEAKER_06 9:19

He he's also a hall of fame, I think hall of fame, uh, I think fast pitched softball player.

SPEAKER_03 9:27

Yes. Metal. Yeah. So wow. Love him. Love this team. I'll miss the seniors. Um, but uh what what a cool thing, how deserving, and you know, just emotional. And I mean, it doesn't get neater than that. You know, um, my boyfriend Dustin thinks it's gonna be the trifecta year for for Texas. He's like, this is the year where we win softball baseball.

SPEAKER_06 9:57

Hey, Dustin would say that. Let's go. We're gonna win it. I'm gonna win everything.

SPEAKER_07 10:06

Easy to you, and easy to the little ones to do.

Texas Baseball Thunder At The Dish

SPEAKER_06 10:46

Uh Tess Sawyer, all of us were at the dish last weekend for the regionals. That was a huge second inning for Texas against Taropson State in that winner's bracket game. Back to back to back home runs. I have never seen that in person at any level. Your take on that and your take on these on this team.

SPEAKER_03 11:09

Uh, well, first I've never heard the term piss missile. Which is why you refer to them in person and on Twitter or at sorry. I still call it Twitter. I'm old school guys. Um, but uh yeah, and uh even even Dustin mentioned to me he was like, oh Sean calls him piss missile. So now every time we see that in baseball, we're like, look at that piss missile. And then also I guess baseball guys say the term knock the tits off of it.

SPEAKER_06 11:46

Yeah, knock the tits, a lot of things.

SPEAKER_03 11:49

Yeah, because Dustin was in baseball for a long time. Uh was a walk-on for Texas. Yeah, was a w was in the Little League World Series, was a walk-on for Texas. So he he he's the first time I ever heard that term was from him, and then now I heard from you, so I'm learning all these. I'm I'm I'm becoming quite the baseball girl. I think everybody knows that I'm a little bit I'm a little partial to football.

SPEAKER_08 12:12

Of course.

SPEAKER_03 12:13

Um that doesn't mean that I can like expand my horizons a little bit.

SPEAKER_06 12:19

We all need to expand our horizons.

SPEAKER_03 12:21

Um all sports and obviously all sports, Texas Longhorns. Um but uh yeah, and uh what is my take on that? What a what a what a moment to be there at the dish and see that happen. And you know, I I'll just say to our viewers right now, the energy a dish talk filled during the regionals or even the super regionals, which we're about to go to, is next level. So if you've ever thought about like maybe I'll go to a game, you know, you maybe maybe you're like me who's more of a you know, go to DKR, which is obviously we all know the energy in DKR, but it it's really cool. And um, I highly recommend it if you've never been to a game at Dishwalk Field and experienced it because it's not like watching it on TV, the energy there, um the camaraderie, the people, uh, the tailgating that has um started around baseball. Shout out to the Occupy Left Field guys, really, really neat group of people. Uh it's it's really fun. So it's it's you're a Texas Longhorn, and you know, many of you I'm sure have been to baseball games. Go out there and support these guys and and you know, go to the game, take your kids, whatever. It's it's a really family-friendly event, and and it's really fun.

Super Regionals And Americana Moments

SPEAKER_06 13:49

Well, I'll add to that to the to your point. Um, if you're I love ESPN's coverage of not only the regionals, but especially the super regionals, because there's only 16 teams left but eight sites. What a beautiful story coming out of Troy, Alabama. Due to those, they and Little Rock knocking off two of the top two 16 seeds in their regionals, and then other teams that were uh ahead of them that lost. Troy got to host a super regional. I mean, for them to even remotely be considered a host of regional is a big deal. But Troy and Little Rock going head to head, two mid-majors, and one of them will go to Omaha, and one will be in Omaha. Uh, and they're now for the 33rd consecutive year, I think if I had my memory correct, um the College World Series will be is guaranteed of at least one SEC school. Um, but there are seven SEC schools, including Texas in the super regionals, seven of the sixteen.

SPEAKER_03 14:58

I mean, you know, it would be phenomenal to have I mean, I'm I I love SEC dominant, obviously being partial to my my own conference, but um yeah, I mean I love to see how this gonna go down. And I think it's I think it's astounding that no team that was in the college world series last year is in the I mean they're all none of them. I mean, this is this is crazy. I mean, this is bananas. Um you know, it's like and uh and but you know how fun and how cool to watch a team like Troy or Little Rock go to the World Series and and and these other teams. It's uh you know, I think I think it goes back to the thing that you know literally anything can happen, right? So uh I I I love I can't wait to see how it how it pans out and who ends up going to the world series.

SPEAKER_06 15:52

That's gonna be fun, always. And uh just you know, watch around if if you're uh on your phone, on air, watch ESPN, ESPN U, all that the whole family, the environments at these places phenomenal. It's what's it's some of the last great Americana sports remaining.

SPEAKER_03 16:12

Agreed, agreed, and and I'll um follow that with if you guys didn't see the West Virginia game, the whole crowd singing uh the song. Uh it's online country road, yeah, country road, and uh it was it's pretty touching um for for anyone, no matter what kind of fan you are. So if you haven't seen the video of the whole stadium singing the song when they beat Kentucky, kind of rival thing, uh I encourage you to go online.

SPEAKER_06 16:42

I I do. Fun fact in 2011, maybe it was 2012, I don't know. Uh at Big 12 Media Days, you know, I always look for ridiculous stories that nobody else would do. Because nobody wants to hear, hey, Texas Tech's got five returning starters coming back on this. This should be a good year for the offense. Nobody wants to see that. I got the West Virginia mascot, you know, the big old mountaineer guy.

SPEAKER_02 17:12

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06 17:13

And there are two cheerleaders who were there at Big 12 mini day to teach one member uh from each Big 12 cheerleader, and we all locked arms and learned how to sing Country Road.

SPEAKER_03 17:26

Country Road, Country Home.

SPEAKER_06 17:27

Is it Country Road? Country Road, John Denver.

SPEAKER_05 17:31

I'll have to pull it out, West Virginia Mountain Mama, take me home, really cool.

Texas Tech PR Storm And Sark

SPEAKER_06 17:39

Hey, I've got a triggering topic, but before I play it, I can't wait to get your take on this and hear as you call it. But before I'm gonna say is before I play this, it is brilliant marketing in these slow days of the year before football season. We are trained to know what's a story, what's not a story. But a lot of fan, there's a lot of low-hanging fruit in all college football fan bases. Are you ready?

SPEAKER_02 18:12

Yes.

SPEAKER_09 18:13

All right, but Bebo, the the Longhorns mascot, is a steer. And it's become very clear that there are quite a few steers down in Austin and not very many, very many bulls. And let me tell you something. When Sark opened his mouth and he picked a fight with a bunch of West Texas boys, he should have known that he better get ready to pack a lunch. Because we're ready to strap it on, we're ready to spot the ball, and we're ready to go.

SPEAKER_05 18:45

Alright, Tess.

SPEAKER_06 18:46

Cody Campbell, former offensive lineman. He is a I'd say a billionaire, uh, former offensive lineman for Michael Leach and Texas Tech. You gotta admit it, they're brilliant. They took advantage of a situation to put them into the daily news cycle. But as I mentioned, for us, come on, come on. We should all know this is my lesson to everybody. It is good PR for your brand and name from late April to late July. A lot of slow moving days, things like this happen. Tess Sawyer, you call it what's your take.

SPEAKER_03 19:35

Um my first take is that yeah, it it was a good marketing PR move. I'm not gonna deny that. But you know, the one thing that people aren't talking about is that what what Sark said, nobody ever said it wasn't true. And that's because he's right. I'm sorry, and I don't think anybody, even somebody as knowledgeable about football as I am, or yourself, Sean Clinch, would agree that they have a tough schedule. They don't. So no one in this whole PR junket, whatever you want to call it, ever actually said, Oh yeah, he's right. We're just talking about what he said because it, you know, rattled attack and got them all, you know, ruffled their feathers and all that kind of stuff. But at the end of the day, they they do not have a tough schedule. They don't at all. So it's like everybody forgot that what he said was actually true. And I'm not just taking Texas aside because I think everybody knows I'm you know a very diehard Longhorn and and Stark side because if he said something stupid and that was wrong, I would I would uh call him out. He just spoke the truth, and then he just took it to another level and and making these just you know asinine assumptions like they're gonna play us and they're gonna take, you know, oh they're gonna do that to our fans in Texas State and all these other people that have planned to play us, which we're all very excited about. I mean, this is just this is ridiculous. But you know what? That's fine, Tech. Um, we'll see in the playoffs, maybe if you make it.

SPEAKER_06 21:26

Well, my my part about that, Tess, is uh they may not have a quarterback.

SPEAKER_02 21:33

That's right.

SPEAKER_06 21:34

I mean they'll have one, and they're trying so hard to defend this kid who's who what wagered over $29,000.

SPEAKER_03 21:42

Well, and here's another so I mean traditionally is you want to uh mask negative publicity. And so from a PR perspective, this was a great move because guess what? It drew Away. This is like uh people not talking about the Epstein trials. Let's do something else, right? You know, like I hate to bring it into politics, but like they drew away from the fact that their quarterback obviously can't play because he he gambled, he did something illegal, which is very negative publicity, and then they tried to flip it on its head and make it negative on text, and everybody's talking about this. And you know, kudos to their PR team, who knows? I mean, that is that is uh you know great public relations strategy at its finest. So, you know, kudos on that. But at the end of the day, you can't take away the fact, like you said, you don't have a quarterback, he did something illegal. And if you want to make it about like, you know, Sark making just a very honest comment. I don't think he thought anything of it, or or we did, you know, like whatever they flipped it on his head. But you know, I I don't know who their PR marketing firm is or who they have who their publicist is, but hey, bravo on that.

SPEAKER_06 23:09

Well, it's I think it was Texas Tech. So they were all coming together, and Cody can't Cody Campbell's team did a great job. Let's face it, man. Texas Tech's relevant now. They're they're Cody, they're doing a great job. Uh all the all their programs. Um, but I thought it was here. I'll say I said this with Stevie the other day, and Stevie agreed. Stevie's very annoyed as a former Longhorn. Uh, he said it's just his his what Stevie said was, God, they're so annoying, man. They're just like little brother, little gnat napping at your uh your forearm. But I'll say this I get it. They got the they wanted to buy out their opening week opponent, Abilene Christian. They talked to GJ Kenney and their people allegedly to buy out Texas State so uh to pay out for playing Texas and then go meet at Jerry Well. There's no way the game's gonna be played in Lubbock, there's no way the game's gonna be played in Austin. Um, and no way anybody is going to give up a home game and the revenue generated from that. No, so this was never going to happen.

SPEAKER_03 24:18

No, it was never going to happen. I mean, and and you know what, it'll it'll die out, and we won't be talking about it soon enough.

SPEAKER_06 24:27

Best thing for Texas was not to comment on it, and but hey, Texas Tech, if we're gonna if we're gonna give them a grade for winning a WWE wrestling match in PR, they won.

SPEAKER_02 24:38

I agree.

SPEAKER_06 24:38

They won.

SPEAKER_02 24:39

I agree. I got a dog here.

SPEAKER_06 24:41

Hey, big boy. Is that Mav?

SPEAKER_02 24:44

That's Maverick. Hey Ben, tell me something good.

SPEAKER_06 24:53

All right, Tess Sawyer. In

Summer Joys And Final Sendoff

SPEAKER_06 24:56

a world of negativity and fun PR things, tell me something good, Tess Sawyer.

SPEAKER_03 25:07

Oh, tell you something good. Man, Sean, it's been a hard time for me. Uh losing losing Luna and stuff. So I think I think something good for me right now is just you know, I love that we're getting into summer. Um, I have a dog barking right now. Uh because I love summer. I love the pool, I love the lake, I love getting out and uh, you know, hanging out with these doggies that I do have. And so, you know, I'm ready for some summer. I'm ready for some beach and some pool and things like that. And so I'm just looking forward to summertime right now. I think we all need a little break.

SPEAKER_06 25:47

We need a lot of time away, a lot of camping, a lot of traveling, a lot of just being chill and cool uh in this great city, in this great area. Um, and have I will say this shameless plug. I have been so lucky and fortunate to have a summertime birthday.

SPEAKER_03 26:05

Uh you have. I was about to mention that. I can't wait.

SPEAKER_06 26:09

Oh my god, I can't. I just took it for granted, but I've always been grateful for it. Uh I'll be honest. Yeah, all right, Tess. Man, I love the opinions. I could not wait to hear your take on uh Cody Campbell, Texas Tech, and Sark. And uh I it's been fun following it, but you know what it does in the end? If people don't see this, it keeps what I think the greatest game on earth, college football, in a rotation day. That's what this is. Think beyond the game, think beyond what the people are saying. It is a PR game, and it is and it and it's a little war, it's a rivalry, so to speak. It's verbal punches thrown into the atmosphere that keeps the great brand of college football flowing. All right, college baseball suite 16. We're gonna all get our big group together tonight at the dish, and hopefully, they can get this thing wrapped up by Sunday and advance to Omaha for a record 39th time. Woo! That's amazing. That was amazing, Tess Sawyer. Man, it's always good to hear your takes on it. Until next time, thank you for watching, and much love to Spirit Dress and Mercer Black for supporting us. You guys having a wonderful, wonderful weekend, and we'll see you guys very, very soon.

SPEAKER_02 27:38

Bye, y'all. Hook him, I'm gonna go.