Casuals with Katie Nolan

Episode: "Bakers, Beers, and the NCAA Women’s Bracket | Plus Jeopardy! with Andrew He"

Date: March 17, 2026
Host: Katie Nolan
Notable Guests: Andrew He (Jeopardy! Champion)
Production Crew ("The Casualties"): Isabella, Chris, Brady

Episode Overview

This episode blends pop culture banter, NCAA tournament antics, and a deep-dive into Jeopardy! with champion Andrew He. Katie and her Casualties discuss the Oscars with signature irreverence, host an insightful and funny chat with Andrew, then fill out their NCAA Women’s Tournament bracket—using only quirky facts submitted by team PRs. Expect playful digressions, honest reflections on fandom, and a commitment to making sports fun, not homework.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Oscars Recap & Hollywood Banter

[05:05 – 16:06]

Who Watched?
Casualties share whether or not they saw the Oscars and their movie preferences.
Noteworthy Films:
- "Marty Supreme" received nine nominations but went home empty-handed.
- Isabella notes how creative the ping pong scenes were, highlighting the blend of sports and art.
Memorable Oscar Moments:
- Host Katie draws attention to Michael B. Jordan's onscreen gesture to Jesse Plemons, prompting a discussion about actors’ journeys.
- Discussion of Kevin O’Leary wearing high-value basketball cards as jewelry and satirical takes on Hollywood displays of wealth.
Cultural Snark & Rich People:
Katie and the crew express frustration over Live Nation ticketing scandals and the broader issue of audience exploitation.

Notable Quotes:

"What an ostentatious show of wealth at the Austin-tatious show of wealth show." — Katie [08:12]
"The most wasteful thing to go: 'same dress you've already seen, but don’t worry, I did pay for it twice'…” — Katie [10:23]

2. Jeopardy! Chat with Champion Andrew He

[16:51 – 34:30]

Welcoming Andrew He

Andrew He joins as a surprise guest, to Katie’s excitement and the crew’s amusement.

Discussing Celebrity Jeopardy

Katie admits her anxiety about not buzzing in for the Boston question, and the unique pressure on celebrity contestants not to "get the big ones wrong."
Andrew praises Katie's gameplay, noting: "I think you did amazing. It was a very, very super, super solid game." [17:46]

Jeopardy! War Stories

Both dissect their most haunting wrong answers—Andrew tells of mistaking a photo of a pupusa for an arepa, much to his in-law’s chagrin, and calling Jay Cutler ‘Tim Tebow’ despite being familiar with him.

Notable Quote:

"The picture ones are the worst because at home, people, you know, it's way bigger on the home screen.” — Andrew He [21:49]

"Why Are Sports Categories So Hard?"

Andrew debunks the myth, noting contestants do as well in sports as in other categories, but sports are much more accessible trivia for audiences at home.
Katie positions "Casuals" as "the sports podcast for Jeopardy! contestants" [25:04]

Behind the Jeopardy! Curtain

Andrew: Ken Jennings’ supportive manner is highlighted ("He has this way of acknowledging when you got something really tough" [27:59]) and the stress of the mid-game interview is universally agreed upon.

Memories and Pride

Andrew’s proudest Jeopardy! moment: Missing taping because his son was born during Jeopardy! Masters.
He shares funny stories about contestants’ backstage camaraderie, citing a heartfelt (and poetic) message from Sam Buttrey:
- “Tell her my love for her is powerful and pure, like the love of a ship for the ocean...” [31:03]

Quickfire Jeopardy Stats & Sports Fandom

Andrew mentions advanced stats for Celebrity Jeopardy!, where Katie and Rachel Dratch are "1 and 2" on certain performance metrics [31:54].
Andrew roots for the Angels and Ducks, "painful," and "hate-watches" NFL, but is a NBA players’ fan rather than a team loyalist.

3. March Madness – Women’s Bracket & Fandom

[39:58 – 115:00+]

March Madness, Personal Stories, and Listener Input

Katie shares Hofstra pride—her alma mater faces #4 Alabama.
News update: Alabama star Aiden Holloway’s arrest and how "possession of marijuana tax stamp" charges work [41:24].
Listener emails and voicemails explore the emotional calculus of picking or hedging against your team in a bracket pool.

Notable Quote:

“Better a busted bracket than broken dreams.” — Listener Elizabeth [44:48]

Selection Sunday Funnies & Lower Seeds Hope

Debates around how far you should advance your alma mater ("Sister Jean Rule" — take at least to the Sweet 16 if you’re 9-16 seed).
Miami of Ohio makes the First Four—digs at their doubters, and Bruce Pearl’s son’s team missing the cut.

Filling Out the Women’s Bracket (Main Segment)

Isabella & Katie pick winners using only fun facts submitted by each team’s athletic department.
Brady cold-emailed 80 schools, receiving 60+ responses. If a team didn’t respond, it’s fair game for playful shade.
The bracket is filled live with commentary on everything from pet snakes to TikTok chefs, supportive teammates to unique team traditions.

Example Bracket Debate Moments:

UConn vs. UTSA:
- UConn’s global player roster vs. UTSA star Ariana Hardaway’s hearing aid triumph.
- "If the concept of the bit is we’re just going off fun facts… could’ve at least gotten five continents. Four’s not that many!” — Katie [54:49]
Syracuse vs. Iowa St.:
- Power of friendship edges out musical talent and weather-related Cyclone nostalgia.
Notre Dame vs. Fairfield:
- Pet snakes (not fun!) vs. player cooking Instagram.
Baylor/Lady Bears vs. Play-in:
- Running jokes about team names—Lady Bears, Lady Vols, Lady Jacks ("Just call them the Laders!" — Katie [80:24]).

Quick Switches and Banter

Sassy reactions to schools not submitting facts ("Bye, Lady Bear. Sexist. How dare you?" — Katie [87:06]).
Isabella threatened with being villainized for her bracket choices, Katie ribbing her for her (innocent) eliminations of HBCU teams.

Most Absurd Facts Featured

Two different schools have players with pet snakes.
Team “good luck rubber duck” sits under the SFA Lady Jacks coach’s chair [87:37].
A player has a hedgehog, some juggle basketballs, other teams rank hotel breakfast quality religiously.
Georgia Lady Bulldogs’ coach does allegedly “a tremendous Daffy Duck impression.” [112:05]

Calls to Action

Listeners are urged to join the official Casuals bracket challenge (Yahoo Sports)—link in Instagram and episode notes.
Reminder that sports can be fun even if you’re just in it for the stories and weirdness.

4. What To Watch: Sports Viewing Recommendations

[118:01 – 121:45]

Chris highlights a few upcoming must-see games:

PWHL: Toronto Scepters vs. Boston Fleet (Mar 17, 7pm ET, Prime)
World Baseball Classic Final: USA vs. Italy or Venezuela (Mar 17, 8pm ET, Fox)
Full Men’s and Women’s March Madness Slate:
- Watch Chandler Bing (actual player) for Vanderbilt [120:38]
- Watch Robbie Avila, aka "Larry Blurred" for St. Louis

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps):

"It is uncut gems for motherhood: a constant assault on a woman’s attention span." — Katie [05:55]
"What an ostentatious show of wealth at the Austin-tatious show of wealth show." — Katie on Oscars [08:12]
"I can't believe you didn't remember that." — Andrew He on missing Pupusas [21:42]
"Sports is culturally dominant trivia, not always trivia-favorite on Jeopardy." — Andrew [23:07]
“Casuals is the sports podcast for Jeopardy! contestants.” — Katie [25:04]
"Tell her my love for her is powerful and pure, like the love of a ship for the ocean." — Sam Buttrey via Andrew He [31:03]
"If you're a one seed, you absolutely have to choose your team to win the [NCAA] title." — Katie [44:15]
"Better a busted bracket than broken dreams." — Elizabeth, Listener Voicemail [44:48]
"Every time I think of Ole Miss, I think of Lane Kiffin." — Isabella [73:00]
"Handpainted shoes" and coffee clubs: program culture beats stats for bracket picks.

Memorable Segments (With Timestamps)

Oscars Recap and Pop Culture Riffing: [05:05–16:06]
Andrew He Jeopardy Special Interview: [16:51–34:30]
Listener Segment on Bracket Philosophy: [43:48–46:53]
Live NCAA Women’s Tournament Bracket Fill-Out: [54:50–115:00]
Sports to Watch This Week: [118:01–121:45]

Overall Tone & Style

Warm, witty, and inclusive. Katie and her crew’s tone is joking, irreverent, and welcoming, with plenty of joking self-deprecation, mocking of the sports establishment, and affectionate teasing both among themselves and of their listeners. There is no shaming for not knowing stats; the focus is always on good stories and making sports accessible and fun for everyone.

Recurring Jokes & Meta-Moments

Katie clowns on "old men in suits" yelling about sports and bracketology.
Debates about mustaches, team nicknames ("Lady Bears," "Lady Jacks") and student-athletes’ unlikely side hustles (cookie business, handpainted sneakers, juggling, nail techs).
The absurd mechanics of NCAA tournament selection and how fans hope/dread "winning the office pool."
Repeated shoutouts to Jeopardy! camaraderie (Paul Hollywood handshake, trauma over wrong answers).
Isabella is repeatedly (playfully) accused of eliminating HBCU teams and called a "villain" for arbitrary picks.
Ongoing ribbing about everyone checking out for family/dog issues during the taping, and about not being able to submit their own fantasy team or bracket.

Conclusion

A jam-packed, engaging episode: red carpet snark, gameshow humility, and a celebration of sports-as-vibes not stats. Andrew He provides serious Jeopardy! insight with humor and warmth. The Women’s Tournament bracket segment both celebrates and satirizes the usual seriousness of “bracketology.” Accessible, hilarious, and informative—perfect for anyone who wants to enjoy sports without the gatekeeping.

[End of Summary]

Casuals with Katie Nolan

Episode: "Bakers, Beers, and the NCAA Women’s Bracket | Plus Jeopardy! with Andrew He"

Date: March 17, 2026
Host: Katie Nolan
Notable Guests: Andrew He (Jeopardy! Champion)
Production Crew ("The Casualties"): Isabella, Chris, Brady

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Oscars Recap & Hollywood Banter

[05:05 – 16:06]

Who Watched?
Casualties share whether or not they saw the Oscars and their movie preferences.
Noteworthy Films:
- "Marty Supreme" received nine nominations but went home empty-handed.
- Isabella notes how creative the ping pong scenes were, highlighting the blend of sports and art.
Memorable Oscar Moments:
- Host Katie draws attention to Michael B. Jordan's onscreen gesture to Jesse Plemons, prompting a discussion about actors’ journeys.
- Discussion of Kevin O’Leary wearing high-value basketball cards as jewelry and satirical takes on Hollywood displays of wealth.
Cultural Snark & Rich People:
Katie and the crew express frustration over Live Nation ticketing scandals and the broader issue of audience exploitation.

Notable Quotes:

"What an ostentatious show of wealth at the Austin-tatious show of wealth show." — Katie [08:12]
"The most wasteful thing to go: 'same dress you've already seen, but don’t worry, I did pay for it twice'…” — Katie [10:23]

2. Jeopardy! Chat with Champion Andrew He

[16:51 – 34:30]

Welcoming Andrew He

Andrew He joins as a surprise guest, to Katie’s excitement and the crew’s amusement.

Discussing Celebrity Jeopardy

Katie admits her anxiety about not buzzing in for the Boston question, and the unique pressure on celebrity contestants not to "get the big ones wrong."
Andrew praises Katie's gameplay, noting: "I think you did amazing. It was a very, very super, super solid game." [17:46]

Jeopardy! War Stories

Both dissect their most haunting wrong answers—Andrew tells of mistaking a photo of a pupusa for an arepa, much to his in-law’s chagrin, and calling Jay Cutler ‘Tim Tebow’ despite being familiar with him.

Notable Quote:

"The picture ones are the worst because at home, people, you know, it's way bigger on the home screen.” — Andrew He [21:49]

"Why Are Sports Categories So Hard?"

Andrew debunks the myth, noting contestants do as well in sports as in other categories, but sports are much more accessible trivia for audiences at home.
Katie positions "Casuals" as "the sports podcast for Jeopardy! contestants" [25:04]

Behind the Jeopardy! Curtain

Andrew: Ken Jennings’ supportive manner is highlighted ("He has this way of acknowledging when you got something really tough" [27:59]) and the stress of the mid-game interview is universally agreed upon.

Memories and Pride

Andrew’s proudest Jeopardy! moment: Missing taping because his son was born during Jeopardy! Masters.
He shares funny stories about contestants’ backstage camaraderie, citing a heartfelt (and poetic) message from Sam Buttrey:
- “Tell her my love for her is powerful and pure, like the love of a ship for the ocean...” [31:03]

Quickfire Jeopardy Stats & Sports Fandom

Andrew mentions advanced stats for Celebrity Jeopardy!, where Katie and Rachel Dratch are "1 and 2" on certain performance metrics [31:54].
Andrew roots for the Angels and Ducks, "painful," and "hate-watches" NFL, but is a NBA players’ fan rather than a team loyalist.

3. March Madness – Women’s Bracket & Fandom

[39:58 – 115:00+]

March Madness, Personal Stories, and Listener Input

Katie shares Hofstra pride—her alma mater faces #4 Alabama.
News update: Alabama star Aiden Holloway’s arrest and how "possession of marijuana tax stamp" charges work [41:24].
Listener emails and voicemails explore the emotional calculus of picking or hedging against your team in a bracket pool.

Notable Quote:

“Better a busted bracket than broken dreams.” — Listener Elizabeth [44:48]

Selection Sunday Funnies & Lower Seeds Hope

Debates around how far you should advance your alma mater ("Sister Jean Rule" — take at least to the Sweet 16 if you’re 9-16 seed).
Miami of Ohio makes the First Four—digs at their doubters, and Bruce Pearl’s son’s team missing the cut.

Filling Out the Women’s Bracket (Main Segment)

Isabella & Katie pick winners using only fun facts submitted by each team’s athletic department.
Brady cold-emailed 80 schools, receiving 60+ responses. If a team didn’t respond, it’s fair game for playful shade.
The bracket is filled live with commentary on everything from pet snakes to TikTok chefs, supportive teammates to unique team traditions.

Example Bracket Debate Moments:

UConn vs. UTSA:
- UConn’s global player roster vs. UTSA star Ariana Hardaway’s hearing aid triumph.
- "If the concept of the bit is we’re just going off fun facts… could’ve at least gotten five continents. Four’s not that many!” — Katie [54:49]
Syracuse vs. Iowa St.:
- Power of friendship edges out musical talent and weather-related Cyclone nostalgia.
Notre Dame vs. Fairfield:
- Pet snakes (not fun!) vs. player cooking Instagram.
Baylor/Lady Bears vs. Play-in:
- Running jokes about team names—Lady Bears, Lady Vols, Lady Jacks ("Just call them the Laders!" — Katie [80:24]).

Quick Switches and Banter

Sassy reactions to schools not submitting facts ("Bye, Lady Bear. Sexist. How dare you?" — Katie [87:06]).
Isabella threatened with being villainized for her bracket choices, Katie ribbing her for her (innocent) eliminations of HBCU teams.

Most Absurd Facts Featured

Two different schools have players with pet snakes.
Team “good luck rubber duck” sits under the SFA Lady Jacks coach’s chair [87:37].
A player has a hedgehog, some juggle basketballs, other teams rank hotel breakfast quality religiously.
Georgia Lady Bulldogs’ coach does allegedly “a tremendous Daffy Duck impression.” [112:05]

Calls to Action

Listeners are urged to join the official Casuals bracket challenge (Yahoo Sports)—link in Instagram and episode notes.
Reminder that sports can be fun even if you’re just in it for the stories and weirdness.

4. What To Watch: Sports Viewing Recommendations

[118:01 – 121:45]

Chris highlights a few upcoming must-see games:

PWHL: Toronto Scepters vs. Boston Fleet (Mar 17, 7pm ET, Prime)
World Baseball Classic Final: USA vs. Italy or Venezuela (Mar 17, 8pm ET, Fox)
Full Men’s and Women’s March Madness Slate:
- Watch Chandler Bing (actual player) for Vanderbilt [120:38]
- Watch Robbie Avila, aka "Larry Blurred" for St. Louis

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps):

"It is uncut gems for motherhood: a constant assault on a woman’s attention span." — Katie [05:55]
"What an ostentatious show of wealth at the Austin-tatious show of wealth show." — Katie on Oscars [08:12]
"I can't believe you didn't remember that." — Andrew He on missing Pupusas [21:42]
"Sports is culturally dominant trivia, not always trivia-favorite on Jeopardy." — Andrew [23:07]
“Casuals is the sports podcast for Jeopardy! contestants.” — Katie [25:04]
"Tell her my love for her is powerful and pure, like the love of a ship for the ocean." — Sam Buttrey via Andrew He [31:03]
"If you're a one seed, you absolutely have to choose your team to win the [NCAA] title." — Katie [44:15]
"Better a busted bracket than broken dreams." — Elizabeth, Listener Voicemail [44:48]
"Every time I think of Ole Miss, I think of Lane Kiffin." — Isabella [73:00]
"Handpainted shoes" and coffee clubs: program culture beats stats for bracket picks.

Memorable Segments (With Timestamps)

Oscars Recap and Pop Culture Riffing: [05:05–16:06]
Andrew He Jeopardy Special Interview: [16:51–34:30]
Listener Segment on Bracket Philosophy: [43:48–46:53]
Live NCAA Women’s Tournament Bracket Fill-Out: [54:50–115:00]
Sports to Watch This Week: [118:01–121:45]

Overall Tone & Style

Recurring Jokes & Meta-Moments

Katie clowns on "old men in suits" yelling about sports and bracketology.
Debates about mustaches, team nicknames ("Lady Bears," "Lady Jacks") and student-athletes’ unlikely side hustles (cookie business, handpainted sneakers, juggling, nail techs).
The absurd mechanics of NCAA tournament selection and how fans hope/dread "winning the office pool."
Repeated shoutouts to Jeopardy! camaraderie (Paul Hollywood handshake, trauma over wrong answers).
Isabella is repeatedly (playfully) accused of eliminating HBCU teams and called a "villain" for arbitrary picks.
Ongoing ribbing about everyone checking out for family/dog issues during the taping, and about not being able to submit their own fantasy team or bracket.

Conclusion

[End of Summary]